Konnor Griffin gets plenty of attention these days — and deservedly so. Bubba Chandler’s part of a young and talented starting rotation. Seth Hernandez was a terrific first-round pick this past summer.

Edward Florentino isn’t as well known, at least outside of hardcore Pirates fans, although that could change in 2026.

The 18-year-old the Pirates signed for $395,000 during the 2024 international signing period has made a fast and impressive ascent, Florentino this season joining top-100 lists at MLB Pipeline (No. 81) and Baseball America (No. 94).

“For me, that was so impressive because I didn’t expect that,” Florentino said over Zoom on Tuesday, with Juan Guerra translating.

Florentino, who was honored Tuesday as the Pirates’ rookie-level player of the year, garnered attention througho

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