Young Bucs Awards Winners Dominated by Former Marauders

The Pittsburgh Pirates' future looks bright.

The top ballplayers in the Pirates’ system have all, at some point in their careers, passed through LECOM Park.

Recently, the Pirates announced the recipients of their annual Young Bucs Awards. The awards honor former Pirates greats among the elite to have played in Pittsburgh.

Murf Gray, who logged 38 of his 126 games during his rookie campaign with the Florida State Bradenton Marauders in 2026, is recognized as the Honus Wagner Player of the Year and the Willie Stargell Slugger of the Year.

Gray, a second-round draft pick in 2025 by the Pirates, played for two years at Fresno State. Beginning last season in Bradenton, Gray hit .359, smacked 8 home runs, and drove in 34 runs. From the Marauders, Gray moved up the affiliates chain, first with the Greensboro Grasshoppers (15 home runs and .302), then to Double-A Altoona.

With the Altoona Curve, Gray remained an offensive threat to opposing pitchers. In 45 games, Gray hit .258. He registered 40 hits and clubbed nine homers.

Seth Hernandez is the winner of the Bob Friend Pitcher of the Year Award.

Selected sixth overall by Pittsburgh in the 2025 MLB Draft, Hernandez dominated hitters during his brief but memorable start last season in Bradenton. He went undefeated (3-0) and posted a 0.96 ERA in 28 innings of work. In the six games Hernandez toed the rubber for the Marauders, he gave up 13 hits and collected 50 strikeouts, and only three earned runs.

Promoted from the FSL to Greensboro of the High-A South Atlantic League, Hernandez went 3-1 in 12 appearances. In 46 innings of work, Hernandez rang up 68 strikeouts.

Derek Diamond is the Pirates’ 2026 Kent Tekulve Reliever of the Year Award winner.

Last season was Diamond’s fifth season (6th-round draft pick in 2022) within the Pittsburgh organization. He was busy moving through the system, making four stops after spring training.

Beginning with the Florida Complex League, Diamond moved on for two games with the Marauders, followed by five appearances for Altoona, before settling with Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. Diamond was 5-0 in 29 games the Indians. Having appeared in 100 minor league games since playing three seasons at Ole Miss, Diamond appears to be on track for an MLB call-up in 2027.

Jesus Castillo takes the Bill Mazeroski Defender of the Year honors.

Undrafted in 2019, Castillo was signed by the Pirates out of his native Venezuela. During the 2026 season, Castillo saw duty at all infield and outfield positions. Appearing for all the Pirates’ affiliates except in the Dominican Republic last season, while at Triple-A Indianapolis, Castillo hit .277 in 25 games. He, too, should get an opportunity at some point during the 2027 MLB season to make his debut for Pittsburgh.

Yordany De Los Santos, 21, is the Pirates’ Omar Moreno Baserunner of the Year for 2026.

Moreno, a speedster on the base paths during his 12 MLB seasons (eight with the Pirates), stole 60 or more bases four times on the major league level. In 1980, Moreno swiped 96 bases with the Pirates.

De Los Santos, an undrafted free agent signed by the Pirates in 2022, began the 2026 season with the Marauders. After five games in Bradenton, De Los Santos was dispatched to Greensboro, where he stole an impressive 45 bases. In 2025, for the Marauders, De Los Santos copped 51 bases.

The Young Bucs Rookie Level Pitcher of the Year is Irwin Ramirez.

Ramirez, 19, started the 2026 season with the FCL Pirates. He went 1-1 in eight appearances. In 27 innings of work, Ramirez gave up just 14 hits. Next up, a promotion to the Marauders. Ramirez, 19, completed his third season in the Pirates system with 11 games for Bradenton.

Johan De Los Santos, Yordany’s younger brother, is Pittsburgh’s Rookie Level Player of the Year.

De Los Santos, in 2026, saw action in 31 games for the FCL club. He hit .310, earned 35 hits, and stole 26 bases. When being promoted to the Marauders, De Los Santos, 18, continued to be a pain for opposing teams’ catchers in the FSL. In 21 games, the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native swiped 13 bases, and only caught twice.

Longtime Pirates minor league coach and mentor Cecilio Beltre is selected as the Young Bucs Staffer of the Year.

Beltre has been with the Pirates organization for 25 years. During the 2026 Dominican Summer League, Beltre was one of six coaches on the Pirates Black team. During the past nine seasons, Beltre has served as a senior advisor/mentor in the DSL.