Pirates Minor League Report: Johnson Hits First Home Run, No-Hitter in Greensboro
It’s no secret that it’s been a brutal 2026 season for Termarr Johnson, a first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022.
Johnson ranks last in the International League in OPS (.499) and slugging percentage (.215), third-worst in batting average (.167) and is in the bottom 10 in on-base percentage (.284).
While it’s been a disastrous start to the season for the soon-to-be 22-year-old, it was a good week for him with Triple-A Indianapolis. Johnson played in four games and went 4 for 15, including his first home run of the season. He drove in three runs, scored five times and drew three walks.
Johnson has consistently been an above-average offensive performer throughout his minor league career. Perhaps a solid week at the plate will help him turn things around with Indianapolis this season and get him back to being the player he’s been for most of his professional career.
Here are some other recent performances and trends worth nothing in the organization.
Triple-A Indianapolis
Outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez, who was optioned by the Pirates on Thursday, has reached base safely in 14 straight games with Indianapolis. During that time, the 22-year-old is batting .292 with a 1.095 OPS, four doubles, five home runs and 13 RBI.
Isaac Mattson has made five-scoreless appearances with the Indians since he was optioned by the Pirates on May 20. In 5.1 innings, he’s only allowed two hits with one walk and six strikeouts. The right-hander began the season with the Pirates and posted a 4.12 ERA in 21 appearances prior to getting sent down.
José Urquidy, who also began the season with the Pirates, fired off seven-scoreless innings against Iowa on Sunday. The right-hander allowed a pair of hits, walked one and struck out six.
Double-A Altoona
Right-handed pitching prospect Khristian Curtis had been off to a sluggish start to the season but delivered two solid outings for the Curve last week. Curtis allowed three runs (one earned) in a career-high seven innings against Hartford on Tuesday, a game in which he allowed six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. On Sunday, he threw 3.2-shoutout innings and only allowed one hit.
Catcher Derek Berg has been on a power surge during his 14-game on-base streak. During that stretch, he’s batting .291 with four home runs and 11 RBI. On the season, the 24-year-old is hitting .276 with an .840 OPS, six home runs and 19 RBI in 28 games.
Outfielder Lonnie White Jr. capped off the month of May with a .286 average, a .918 OPS, five doubles, five home runs and 13 RBI in 25 games. His .918 OPS since the Pirates moved him to Double-A is 11th in the Eastern League.
High-A Greensboro
Three pitchers for the Grasshoppers combined to no-hit Hub City on Friday night. Starter Carlson Reed threw seven-perfect innings with seven strikeouts. Inmer Lobo walked one and recorded two outs, and Kyle Larson walked two and struck out three while recording the final four outs.
Pirates infield prospect Wyatt Sanford homered three times on Wednesday to continue his strong season. The 20-year-old is slashing .287/.414/.551 with 10 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 27 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 44 games.
Murf Gray picked up right where he left off with Low-A Bradenton. The 22-year-old has five home runs through his first 10 games with Greensboro and has driven in 12 runs.
Greensboro’s 93 home runs this season are the second-most of any minor league affiliate, trailing only the St. Paul Saints (Minnesota Triple-A). Four of those 93 home runs have been Jhonny Severino grand slams. He’s one of five minor leaguers to hit four grand slams in a season in the last 11 years.
Low-A Bradenton
Left-hander Reinold Navarro is emerging as a prospect worth keeping tabs on. In six appearances dating back to April 25, Navarro is 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 19.1 innings while holding opponents to a .113 batting average against.
Righty Jack Anker finished May with a 1.35 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP across four starts. A sixth-round pick of the Pirates last year, Anker is 3-1 with a 3.60 ERA in nine appearances/four starts this season.
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Love the detail. How many of them make it the “bigs?”
Remind Mlod that his name isn’t “Skenes” and he is not pitching well enough to make demands on the Bucs.
Just go to the Pen and try and cut down on your walks and hope you get another chance to start.