Marauders Shine in Winter League Play
FSL Bradenton Marauders

Marauders Shine in Winter League Play

Published on February 18, 2026 under Florida State League (FSL)
Bradenton Marauders News Release


While September marked the end of the official Minor League Baseball campaign, the year was far from over for several players, who traveled across the world to continue their preparation for 2026.

This list included multiple players who spent time with Bradenton in 2024 and 2025:

INF, YORDANY DE LOS SANTOS - De Los Santos was a constant atop of the 2025 Marauders lineup, leading the club in games played (116), hits (115), doubles (27) and stolen bases (51). He also finished tied with Jhonny Severino for the club's most homers (11). Overall, he slashed .249/.311/.388, earning him a promotion to High-A Greensboro at the beginning of September. His aggressive baserunning broke the Marauders single season stolen base record and produced just the second 50+ swipe campaign by a Pirates minor leaguer in over a decade, joining Konnor Griffin who stole 65 bags between three levels last year.

The Dominican Republic native spent his winter in the Colombian League where he played 18 games for Toros De Sincelejo. The shortstop batted .246, blasted two home runs and stole eight bases.

De Los Santos finished the 2025 season ranked the No. 15 prospect in the Pirates organization by MLB Pipeline.

Other notable Pirates minor-league stolen base seasons: Jose De Los Santos (53, Class A-Advanced Lynchburg - 2009), Pedro Powell (67, Class A-Advanced Lynchburg - 2007, 63 Class A-Advanced Lynchburg - 2006)

INF, JHONNY SEVERINO - After a brief introduction to Bradenton in 2024, Severino spent all of 2025 with the Marauders. Over 113 games, the infielder slashed .215/.277/.359 with 11 home runs, 24 doubles and stole ten bases. Despite a slow start, Severino finished the year strong, batting .321 and slugging .472 over his last 14 games. Moreover, he saw a steady decrease in his whiff rate to end the year.

This winter, Severino also suited up for Toros de Sincelejo of the Colombian League. In 18 games, he shined, batting .290 while slugging .623 with a team-leading six homers. He spent the entire winter playing third base.

Originally acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023, Severino finished 2025 ranked as the Pirates No. 23 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

OF, ESTUAR SUERO - The switch-hitting outfielder made his Single-A debut at 20 years old last August and played nine games before an injured-list stint cut his season short. With Bradenton, Suero went five-for-28 with two runs batted in. Prior to his time with the Marauders, he played 40 games in the Florida Complex League where he belted three homers.

Suero joined De Los Santos and Severino on Toros de Sincelejo in the Colombian League and played in 15 games. Over the stretch, he went 9-for-49 and launched one homer and four extra-base hits.

Suero was originally acquired from the San Diego Padres at the Trade Deadline in 2023.

OF, SHALIN POLANCO - Polanco suited up for the Marauders as recent as the 2023 and 2024, combining for 174 games and 23 home runs between the two seasons. In 2025, the Dominican Republic native broke camp with High-A Greensboro where he deposited a career-high 13 long balls.

Polanco also spent the winter in the Colombian League, but unlike the aforementioned trio, with Caimanes de Barranquilla. In 31 games, he batted.286 and reached base at a .390 clip, while launching two long balls with 19 RBI. This marked his second stint in the Colombian League as he also played in 39 games for Leones de Barranquilla in 2024.

Polanco turned 23 in February.

1B/DH, TONY BLANCO JR. - An early-season stint on the injured list limited Blanco Jr. to just 28 games with Single-A Bradenton, but the powerful right-handed hitter made the most of his time on the field. In 28 games with the Marauders, he slashed .265/.368/.491 with seven home runs and 21 RBI. Blanco Jr. made headlines on multiple occasions, highlighted by a 119.8 mph walk-off home run and a tape measure shot that cleared the confines of LECOM Park.

To make up for lost time, the Pirates sent Blanco to the Arizona Fall League where he continued to make a name for himself across the baseball world. Over 13 games with the Salt River Rafters, he slugged .432 with two longballs and walked at a 15 percent rate. The 6-foot-7 prospect was a force to be reckoned with during the AFL's Home Run Derby, blasting one homer at 122.9 miles per hour - harder than any batted ball during an MLB Home Run Derby or MLB game since the Statcast Era began in 2015. Blanco outdueled fellow Pirates prospect, and former Marauder, Esmerlyn Valdez in the final round to claim the AFL Derby crown.

Blanco finished the 2025 season as the Pirates No. 30 prospect via MLB Pipeline.

C, AXIEL PLAZ - 2025 marked Plaz's second stint with Single-A Bradenton, and at just 19 years old, the backstop powered nine homers and slugged .450 before being placed on the injured list after being hit by a pitch. Upon returning from injury, Plaz was promoted to Greensboro where he got his first taste of the High-A level. In 11 games with the Grasshoppers, he went 3-for-35 with one homer.

Because of his injury shortened season, Plaz also extended his campaign in the Arizona Fall League. Despite being separated from his fellow Pirates farmhands on Salt River, he made his presence known on the Scottsdale Scorpions roster. In 14 games, Plaz batted .354 (17-for-48), reached base at a .458 clip and drove in seven runs.

Plaz finished the 2025 season ranked as the Pirates No. 29 prospect via MLB Pipeline.

OF, WILL TAYLOR - The former Clemson receiver made a strong impression with Single-A Bradenton in 2025, showcasing an exciting blend of athleticism and power over 29 games. A two-sport athlete in college, Taylor selected by the Pirates in fifth round of the 2024 amateur draft. After a brief stint with the Marauders at the end of 2024, he broke camp with Bradenton last season and slashed .333/.424/.569 with four homers and 10 doubles before earning a mid-season promotion to High-A Greensboro. Taylor finished the year with 10 longballs and a .762 OPS in his 64 games with the Grasshoppers.

Taylor also made his way to the Arizona Fall League where he played in 15 games for the Salt River Rafters. He went 6-for-42 with one home run, four RBI and two stolen bases.

OF, ESMERLYN VALDEZ - Valdez spent all of 2024 with Single-A Bradenton where he saw his power flourish. After totaling just 12 home runs across his first three minor-league seasons, the right-handed hitter blasted 22 long balls in 107 games, tying Dylan Busby (2019) for the most home runs in a single season by a Marauder.

Looking to sustain that momentum, Valdez burst onto the scene in 2025. In 72 games with High-A Greensboro, Valdez batted .303 while slugging 20 round trippers, earning himself a promotion to Double-A Altoona at the beginning of July. Later that month, he represented the Pirates alongside Konnor Griffin at the All-Star Futures Game in Atlanta.

In 51 games with Altoona, the 22-year-old hit six homers and produced a stout .772 OPS. For his performance with Greensboro, Valdez was named the South Atlantic League Most Valuable Player.

Valdez capped the calendar year in the Arizona Fall League, batting .368 and slugging a league-best .842 with eight homers for the Salt River Rafters. That performance earned him the AFL's Offensive Player of the Year Award. He also placed second, behind fellow Pirates prospect Tony Blanco Jr., in the league's Home Run Derby.

This past off season, Valdez was added to Pittsburgh's 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, aligning him for his first Major League Spring Training opportunity in 2026. He finished 2025 ranked as the Pirates No. 16 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

RHP, CARLSON REED - Reed delivered one of the most dominant-pitching seasons in recent Marauders history in 2024, posting a 2.43 ERA while fanning 96 hitters across 77.2 innings. The righty earned a late promotion to High-A Greensboro, where he continued to excel, allowing just three earned runs over 31 frames (0.87 ERA).

Poised to get off to a quick start in 2025, Reed unfortunately began the year on the injured list. The tall righty returned to game action in late May, rehabbing in the Florida Complex League and with Single-A Bradenton. In one start with the Marauders, he allowed one unearned run through 2.2 innings before rejoining Greensboro where he finished the season by making 16 starts and a 4.14 ERA.

To make up for the late start, the Pirates also sent Reed to the Arizona Fall League. The former fourth-round pick dominated in the dessert, allowing just two earned runs through his four outings and 14 innings of work.

RHP, DEREK DIAMOND - Through his first two full professional seasons, Diamond made 40 starts and combined for 215.1 innings - more than his all three of his college campaigns combined. This stretch included Diamond's 2023 season with Bradenton, where he pitched to a 3.98 ERA over 12 starts and 74.2 innings.

However, in 2025, the California native spent much of the season on the injured list, logging just 14 innings for Double-A Greensboro, not including 5.1 additional frames during his rehab assignments with Single-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro.

To make up for the lost workload, the Pirates sent the right-hander to the Arizona Fall League to make up some of the innings he lost. Over 9 appearances for Salt River, Diamond tossed 13.2 innings and allowed 12 earned runs. In the process, he punched out nine hitters.

RHP, JOSHUA LOESCHORN - After beginning the 2025 season on the injured list, Loeschorn made a brief rehab appearance with Bradenton at the end of June. The 25-year-old appeared in two games for the Marauders and did not allow a run over 2.2 innings.

He returned to High-A Greensboro in early July and was steady out the Grasshoppers pen, posting a 2.66 ERA over 20.1 frames. In the process, opposing hitters batted just .155. The strong stretch earned Loeschorn a late callup to Double-A Altoona where he tossed 1.2 frames in his lone regular-season outing. The former 20th round pick also fired 1.2 scoreless frames against High-A Brooklyn in the first round of the South Atlantic League playoffs.

Loeschorn continued his 2025 season into the Arizona Fall League where he appeared in eight contests with Salt River. Over 9.2 frames, he allowed eight earned runs and punched out six hitters.

C, OMAR ALFONZO - Alfonzo spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Marauders and put up strong offensive numbers. Across 138 games between the two seasons, the catcher batted .260 with 12 homers. He was promoted to High-A Greensboro to finish 2024 and continued to climb in 2025, reaching Double-A Altoona where he played 49 games.

This winter, Alfonzo returned to his home country to participate in the Venezuelan Winter League, suiting up for Caribes de Anzoategui for the third consecutive offseason. Over 22 games, he launched four home runs and batted .180. The league runs deep in the Alfonzo family as his father Eliezar, a six-year big leaguer, spent seven winters with Caribes, while Omar's brother Eliezar Jr., a catcher in the Dodgers system, competed for Magallarnes in 2025.

Afonzo finished 2025 as the Pirates No. 20 ranked prospect via MLB Pipeline.

INF, JAVIER RIVAS - The Venezuelan infielder also returned to his home country this winter, playing two games for Tiburones de La Guaira. Despite the small sample, Rivas is coming off a strong regular season where he demolished 18 homers with High-A Greensboro before a mid-season promotion to Double-A Altoona. Rivas spent two seasons with the Marauders, most recently in 2024.

LHP, MAGDIEL COTTO - Cotto began the 2025 season on the injured list and didn't return to game action until he began his rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League at the end of June. Through 11 relief outings for Single-A Bradenton, Cotto registered a 3.65 ERA while limiting opponents to a .245 average. This winter, the southpaw spent a brief stint in the Puerto Rican Winter League, where he tossed two innings and fanned two hitters for Criollos de Caguas. The club rostered several current big leaguers including Pirates infielder Enmanuel Valdez.

RHP, PITTERSON ROSA - At 20 years old, Rosa made one appearance for Bradenton in 2025 in the final week of the season, tossing two innings while punching out three Dunedin hitters. The right hander spent most of his year in the Florida Complex League where he pitched to a 7.67 ERA over 27 innings of work.

This winter, Rosa suited up for Gigantes de Carolina in the Puerto Rican Winter League, pitching roughly 20 minutes from his hometown of Rio Piedras. In this lone inning of work, he allowed one run on two hits.

Check out the Bradenton Marauders Statistics

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Florida State League Stories from February 18, 2026


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