Pirates Minor League Report: Termarr Johnson Starting Strong

Two weeks into the 2025 minor league season, three of the Pirates’ four affiliates possess a record below .500, but that hasn’t prevented plenty of individual prospects from performing.

After struggling in High-A Greensboro for much of the past two seasons, 2022 first round pick Termarr Johnson reached base three times on Sunday, April 13, boosting his slash line on the season to .310/.412/.448 for the Altoona Curve. He also hit a home run earlier in the week. Still just 20 years old, Johnson has plenty of time to learn from and grow past his early career struggles.

Esmerlyn Valdez and Maikol Escotto are lighting up the scoreboard in Greensboro, 2024 first round pick Konnor Griffin is settling in during his first stretch of pro ball — he nearly hit for the cycle on Friday, April 11 — and P.J. Hilson and Malcom Nuñez each hit a pair of homers on the week, Hilson’s coming during the same game.

Valdez, a 21-year-old outfield prospect, is slashing .375/.444/.594 so far this season after notching two doubles and a homer last week; Escotto’s slash line sits at .647/.647/1.235, although a suspension cut his week short after he helped start a benches clearing brawl. Catching prospect Omar Alfonzo also possesses an OPS north of 1.000. The high point of his week came on Wednesday, April 9, when he homered in the process of reaching base four times. Alfonzo and Valdez both doubled and homered on Saturday, April 12 during a Grasshoppers’ doubleheader.

Pirates Pitching Rollercoaster

On the mound, Pirates’ No. 1 prospect Bubba Chandler made a pair of starts, allowing three earned runs across eight innings and striking out 14 batters. Other successful pitching performances included Antwone Kelly, who struck out six batters in four scoreless innings during a start for Greensboro; Hunter Barco, who fanned five during three innings for Altoona, and 2023 14th round pick Garrett McMillan, who churned through six scoreless innings with the Grasshoppers.

Top pitching prospects in the lower rungs of the system endured a tough week, however. Khristian Curtis punched out six batters in 3.1 innings for Greensboro on Tuesday, April 8, but three earned runs ended his day early. Zander Meuth, another top 30 prospect, didn’t record a single out on Saturday, April 12, allowing three runs on 13 pitches before getting the hook.