The Pittsburgh Pirates overhauled their 40-man roster Tuesday to protect six prospects from the Rule 5 Draft, including the top slugger and reliever in their minor league system this season.

The Pirates added right-handed reliever Brandan Bidois, infielder Jack Brannigan, right-handed starting pitchers Wilber Dotel and Antwone Kelly, lefty reliever Tyler Samaniego and outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez to the 40-man roster.

To make room, they designated outfielders Alexander Canario and Ronny Simon and right-handed relievers Colin Holderman and Dauri Moreta for assignment. Infielder Cam Devanney, acquired from the Kansas City Royals in the Adam Frazier trade in July, has been released so he can sign with the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan.

Baseball America ranks Kelly No. 7, Dotel No. 9 and Valdez No. 10 in its updated Pirates prospects list. MLB Pipeline ranks Valdez 15th, Brannigan 21st and Dotel 28th in its Pirates top 30. Left unprotected were a pair of top-30 prospects in catcher Omar Alfonzo (No. 19 by MLB Pipeline) and left-handed pitcher Anthony Solometo (No. 25), the No. 37 pick of the 2021 MLB Draft who signed for an above-slot $2.8 million bonus. Both Alfonzo and Solometo struggled this season at Double-A Altoona.

Valdez was the breakout star amongst the group this season, as the 21-year-old Dominican hit 26 home runs with 86 RBIs split between High-A Greensboro and Altoona. He was the South Atlantic League’s MVP and won the Willie Stargell Slugger of the Year award with the Pirates, then led the Arizona Fall League with eight homers, 27 RBIs and an .842 slugging percentage.

Bidois, a 24-year-old Australian, posted the lowest ERA (0.74) in all of the minor leagues while going 8-0 with seven saves and an 0.80 WHIP in 40 appearances across four levels, starting the season at Low-A Bradenton and ending it with Triple-A Indianapolis. He faced 64 consecutive batters without allowing a hit from July 29-Sept. 9 and was named the Kent Tekulve Reliever of the Year.

Brannigan, 24, a 2022 third-round pick who has played shortstop and third base, batted .225 with eight doubles, five homers and 30 RBIs in 59 games at Altoona before undergoing season-ending surgery for a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

The 23-year-old Dotel, signed as an undrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic, led all Pirates minor leaguers in strikeouts (131), starts (27) and innings pitched (125 2/3) while going 7-9 with a 4.15 ERA for Altoona.

Kelly, a 22-year-old undrafted free agent from Aruba, led all Pirates full-season minor league starting pitchers in ERA (3.02) and batting average against (.208) and ranked second in WHIP (1.06) while recording 116 strikeouts in 25 starts split between Greensboro and Altoona.

The moves make a more immediate impact on the Pirates’ bullpen, where Holderman and Moreta had pitched in high-leverage roles before dealing with injuries.

Holderman, a 30-year-old sinkerballer, spent four years with the Pirates and served as the setup man for two-time All-Star closer David Bednar before struggling last season with right knee and thumb injuries, when he was 0-2 with a 7.01 ERA and 1.95 WHIP in 24 appearances.

The 29-year-old Moreta used a devastating slider to become the fireman in 2023 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. He returned last season to go 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 18 appearances.

Canario, purchased from the New York Mets in March, batted .218/.274/.338 with six doubles, six homers and 20 RBIs in 87 games. Simon, claimed off waivers from the Miami Marlins in June, batted .233/.250/.267 with one double and two RBIs in eight games before suffering a dislocated shoulder while sliding head-first into home plate against the Boston Red Sox in late August.

Devanney hit 18 homers and had 55 RBIs in 69 games at Triple-A Omaha for the Royals but struggled in his shot at third base after the Pirates traded Ke’Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds in late July. Devanney batted .139 (5 for 36) in 14 games before being benched.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)