THE APEX TIMES
With Johan ranked No. 11 and Yordany No. 14 in the Pirates’ MLB Pipeline Top 30, the club’s two De Los Santos brothers are progressing on different paths but sharing a tightly linked bond that has shaped their development.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have two brothers in their MLB Pipeline Top 30, and both are moving upward in the organization’s prospect rankings. Johan De Los Santos is listed at No. 11 and Yordany De Los Santos at No. 14.
Johan, who signed with Pittsburgh for $2.25 million in January 2025, has shown a rapid transition to pro baseball. After a.353 average with a.911 OPS in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, he carried that momentum into Rookie-level Florida Complex League and Single-A Bradenton in 2026.
Across 52 combined games in the FCL Pirates and Marauders, Johan hit.270 with 39 stolen bases and drew 27 walks against 24 strikeouts. Over 96 games as a pro, the left-handed hitter is reported to own a.304 average and.813 OPS with 73 steals.
Johan’s profile is tied to athletic ability and an apparent comfort level at shortstop. The Pirates’ release notes he has “seemingly enough athletic ability to handle shortstop,” and it also highlights that he was recently named the organization’s Rookie-level Player of the Year.
Yordany, signed for $1.2 million in the 2022 international class, had an uneven early run at Single-A Bradenton from 2023-24 before his development changed in 2025. The organization’s report says Yordany improved his approach, then produced an affiliated-ball OPS that jumped to.812 in the most recent season.
That breakout has been accompanied by power and speed in the Pirates’ minor-league production notes. Yordany is listed with 19 home runs, 68 RBIs, 79 runs scored, and 45 stolen bases, which the team says led all Pirates minor leaguers. He was also named the organization’s Omar Moreno Baserunner of the Year.
The brothers’ rise is framed not only by stat lines, but by their shared habits and competitive bond, including time spent together at Pirate City and off-field “mindset” work designed to reinforce daily routine.
Pirates director of coaching and player development Michael Chernow is quoted describing both brothers as high-character players with a tight bond, and the team attributes their development to work ethic and shared principles instilled by their father, Johany, plus a mutual push to improve.