Prospect Watch: Richard Ramirez, Sammy Stafura, Trade Returns
Richard Ramirez is looking like the best catching prospect in the Pirates' minor league system.
Very few players have stood out to me more this season than Richard Ramirez.
Over the last month, Ramirez has been on fire. He’s batting .354/.396/.780 with nine of his ten home runs on the season. Not only has his power spiked with his overall offense, but he’s getting clutch hits.
This was display on Sunday. Ramirez homered in the third inning, giving the Bradenton Marauders a 2-1 lead. He came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh and hit his 20th double of the season, tying the score at 3-3. In the bottom of the ninth, he added another home run, this one a two-run shot to tie the score.
During his hot streak at the plate, Ramirez has been part of several walk-off winners, either delivering the winning hit, or scoring the winning run. He’s not only hitting, but he’s hitting in big moments.
The underlying metrics show the power is legit. Out of 77 qualified prospects in the system, Ramirez ranks 12th for his 89.4 MPH average exit velocity. His max of 110.8 MPH also ranks 12th. He ranks top 10 in hard hit rate and top 20 in finding the barrel.
It’s not just the offense that stands out. Ramirez is a catcher, and while catching data in the minors is limited, he stands out as one of the better defenders in the system.
His caught stealing rate is 44.4%, nailing 20 of 45 runners. That’s second in the entire organization only to Henry Davis. Ramirez also has two pickoffs. He has allowed four passed balls, which is one of the higher rates in the system. There are also signs that his defensive value expands beyond the plus arm.
In that same game on Sunday when he came up big at the plate three times, he also had a key challenge behind the plate. Ramirez successfully overturned a ball for a third strike, locking down the third out. A few minutes later, he went to the plate and tied the score again with his double.
Ramirez provides defensive value and power behind the plate. He’s only 21 years old, which is encouraging that his his offense is starting to step forward at this age, while he simultaneously has command over the running game.
The Pirates have a few interesting catching prospects. Ramirez stands out to me as the best catching prospect in the system.
Sammy Stafura’s Power
Slammin’ Sammy Stafura.
If I was a classic sports writer, that’s what I’d call him.
But I’m not going to do that.
I’m just going to point out that Stafura has 14 home runs in the last month, after hitting two more on Sunday. He had four by the final week of June. He previously only had a high of eight in a single season. Something has clicked in the power department for the 21-year-old shortstop.
The Pirates added Stafura last year at the deadline in the Ke’Bryan Hayes trade. Most of that trade was a salary dump, with Stafura looking like a lottery ticket. He was batting .261/.392/.410 with four homers in 403 plate appearances in Low-A at the time of the deal.
Nothing really stood out about Stafura until the final week of June this year. That’s when the latest power surge started.
These aren’t Greensboro-assisted home runs. Stafura has hit several shots over the 400 foot mark, and a few beyond 450 feet. The power displayed has been legitimate.
I have covered the Pirates minor league system for as many years as Stafura has home runs. I can’t remember any prospect going on a run like this. I don’t know how long this will last, but there is some legitimacy to the power display Stafura has put up.
Plays of the Day
You can check out the second homers from Stafura and Ramirez in Sunday’s Pirates Prospects Plays of the Day. Bookmark Pirates Prospects for your one-stop source for all Pirates minor league information.
Trade Returns
The Pirates made two minor trades in the last few days, picking up some new prospects for the system.
Felix Doroteo was acquired in a trade for Jose Urquidy, with the Pirates sending the designated for assignment right-hander to the White Sox. This was the second trade between the two teams this month.
Doroteo was signed by the White Sox in January 2025 as part of their international class that year. He was a low bonus signing, and didn’t make his debut until this season in the Arizona Complex League, skipping the DSL.
The 6’ 6”, 195 pound right-hander has only pitched 18 innings, but showed some potential in those frames. He had a 4.50 ERA with a 29.6% strikeout rate and a .210 average against. He only had 24 recorded fastballs, but averaged 95.8, touching as high as 98.6 MPH. He also throws an 84 MPH slider that shows promise as a strikeout pitch.
Doroteo is likely to go to Bradenton next year in his age 22 season. He’s on the older side, but doesn’t have a lot of experience, and does have a live arm. That’s not a bad lottery ticket for someone the Pirates were bound to lose through waivers.
The Pirates also made a trade with the Orioles, adding right fielder Johnathan Rodriguez for cash. This move came before Esmerlyn Valdez was removed from Sunday’s game after getting hit on the wrist with a pitch.
Rodriguez has experience in the Majors, with a .589 OPS in 132 plate appearances across three seasons. Technically, he’s not a prospect any longer, as his time with Baltimore this year removed his eligibility. He was batting .270/.370/.391 in the minors with four home runs and a standout 14.2% walk rate.
In the last month, the Pirates have signed Joshua Palacios, while acquiring Robert Hassell III in another trade for cash. Rodriguez is the third Triple-A depth option the Pirates have added, which might indicate their plans heading into the deadline. Any plans to trade an outfielder could hinge on the health of Valdez.
Until the next time Sammy Stafura homers…
-Tim Williams