CURVE, Pa. – The Pittsburgh Pirates announced this week that several 2025 Curve players took home end of season awards. Esmerlyn Valdez was named the Willie Stargell Slugger of the Year, Brandon Bidois was named the Kent Tekulve Reliever of the Year, Duce Gourson was named the Omar Moreno Baserunner of the Year and Konnor Griffin was named the Bill Mazeroski Defender of the Year and Honus Wagner Player of the Year. 2023-24 Curve pitcher Bubba Chandler was named the Bob Friend Pitcher of the Year as well.

Valdez, who led the Pirates minor league system with 26 home runs and helped Altoona to its first playoff appearance since 2018, reached base safely in 44-of-53 games (including playoffs) with Altoona. The 21-year-old from San Juan La Maguana in the Dominican Republic set a playoff franchise record with five runs batted in in Game One of the Southwest Division Series against Erie. Valdez earned the Eastern League Player of the Week award on September 1 after homering in three straight games against the Harrisburg Senators and batting .444 (12-for-27) with nine runs batted in. Valdez totaled 26 home runs, the most by a Pirates minor leaguer since 2022, and ranked second in the organization in games played (123) and runs batted in (86).

Bidois, who played for the Curve from June 24 to August 19, earned the Kent Tekulve Reliever of the Year award. In his 14 appearances with Altoona he held opponents to a .130 batting average against and began his historic streak of facing 64 straight batters without allowing a hit after his outing on July 29 at Portland. Bidois, a native of Brisbane, Australia, did not allow an earned run in his final 11 appearances of the season.

Duce Gourson earned the organization’s Omar Moreno Baserunner of the Year award. Drafted in the 9th round in 2024 out of UCLA, Gourson joined the Curve on June 24 and helped lead the club to their first playoff appearance since 2018. Duce was 10-of-11 stealing bases with Altoona and totaled 31 stolen bases in 34 attempts in his first full season of professional baseball. Gourson batted .284 with the Curve and smacked five home runs on his way to recording an .803 OPS with the Curve.

Shortstop Konnor Griffin took home the organization’s Bill Mazeroski Defender of the Year and the Honus Wagner Player of the Year awards. Griffin led Pirates minor leaguers in batting average (.333), runs batted in (94) and stolen bases (65) while playing as the everyday shortstop at Bradenton, Greensboro and Altoona in his first season of professional baseball. Griffin, who reached base safely in 22-of-23 regular season games played with the Curve, led the club with six hits and three walks in three postseason games.

Opening Day of the 2026 Altoona Curve season, presented by Stuckey Automotive, is slated for Thursday, April 2, when the Curve host the Harrisburg Senators.