Edward Florentino’s bat has caught fire at High-A, and the Pirates’ No. 2 prospect kept the surge rolling Saturday night.
Florentino homered for the third straight game in Greensboro’s 10-7 win over Hub City at Fifth Third Park, continuing a July tear that has him looking far more dangerous at the plate than he did when he first arrived at the level. The MLB No. 30 prospect has gone deep seven times in nine games this month, a stretch that has turned a rough opening into a real power showcase.
The latest blast came in the top of the fifth, when the 19-year-old left-handed hitter launched a two-run shot off the scoreboard. It was his 14th homer of the season in 54 games for Greensboro, and he has driven in 40 runs overall. Half of those RBIs have come during a 10-game stretch this month, a sign of just how loud the bat has been lately.
Florentino opened the streak with a homer on July 10, then matched his career high with his 16th on Friday night as the Grasshoppers returned from the break. He has already moved past his previous best in home runs, and there’s still plenty of season left for him to add to the total.
He wasn’t the only Greensboro hitter doing damage. Sammy Stafura, Pittsburgh’s No. 11 prospect, homered twice and now has nine home runs in July. According to the source, he is the only player in the minors with more in that span.
Florentino’s rise to this point has been quick. He spent just nine games at Single-A Bradenton after a 54-game run there in 2025, where he had a strong start by homering three times and driving in 10 runs before earning the promotion to the South Atlantic League. There’s still room for his offensive game to keep developing, but the power is already showing up in a big way.
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