Pirates’ first wave of Minor League awards points to academy growth, led by Cecilio Beltre and top rookies Irwin Ramirez and Johan De Los Santos

As Pittsburgh began handing out end-of-season honors Tuesday, the Pirates highlighted standout development across the Dominican Summer League pipeline, recognizing veteran staff leadership and two youngest-impact performers in the low levels.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Pirates answered their own internal question about “who set themselves apart” with an awards class that leaned heavily on the organization’s Dominican pipeline. In the first wave of end-of-season Minor League awards announced Tuesday, veteran coach Cecilio Beltre was named Staff Member of the Year, while right-hander Irwin Ramirez took Rookie-Level Pitcher of the Year and infielder Johan De Los Santos earned Player of the Year at the Rookie level.

Beltre’s recognition is tied to 25 seasons in Pirates baseball, including his current role in the Dominican Summer League as a senior advisor/mentor. The team said the award reflects both his coaching work and his influence on young players and staff in the Dominican, and noted that end-of-season awards are voted on by the Pirates baseball operations staff.

De Los Santos, who turned 18 in July, was presented as the clearest “impact” example among the player awards. The Pirates’ director of coaching and player development Michael Chernow described him as showing maturity and feel for the game, with offensive production and baserunning skills that help him contribute beyond just batting.

On the stat line that supported the Player of the Year selection, De Los Santos hit.270 in 52 combined games between the Florida Complex League Pirates and the Low-A Bradenton Marauders, with 39 stolen bases and a walk total (27) that exceeded his strikeouts (24). In the FCL through June 30, he batted.310 and ranked second in runs scored (39) and steals (26), according to the Pirates.

Ramirez’s Rookie-Level Pitcher of the Year award came with an emphasis on traits, command progression, and a strong second half. Chernow said Ramirez throws around 100 mph and missed bats at a better-than-50% clip using his changeup and slider.

The Pirates connected that coaching development to measurable results during his FCL stretch: in eight starts from May 2 to June 20, Ramirez posted a 3.67 ERA with 23 strikeouts and held opponents to a.157 batting average against. After a June 26 promotion to Bradenton, the Pirates noted his ERA rose initially but then improved late in the year, highlighted by allowing one run in three of his final four outings.

Why It Matters

The Pirates’ first award wave underscored how the organization is evaluating both player impact and staff development inside its Dominican pipeline.
By featuring De Los Santos and Ramirez at the Rookie level, Pittsburgh’s awards spotlight the next layer of prospects as the organization builds toward higher-level roles.
Beltre’s Staff Member of the Year recognition indicates the Pirates’ emphasis on coaching continuity as a driver of development, not just player performance.

Sources

Key Facts

Cecilio Beltre, in his 25th season with the Pirates, was named Staff Member of the Year, with the Pirates citing his decade-plus mentoring role in the Dominican Summer League.
Right-hander Irwin Ramirez was named Rookie-Level Pitcher of the Year.
Infielder Johan De Los Santos was named Rookie-Level Player of the Year.
De Los Santos produced.270 with 39 stolen bases across 52 combined games between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Bradenton, with more walks (27) than strikeouts (24).
In eight FCL starts from May 2 to June 20, Ramirez posted a 3.67 ERA with 23 strikeouts and a.157 batting average against.
The Pirates said these end-of-season awards are voted on by Pirates baseball operations staff, with additional named awards set for Wednesday and Thursday.