Tony Blanco Stats & Scouting Report

Top Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme.

Track Record: The son of big leaguer Tony Blanco, Tony Jr. was born in Boston but signed for $900,000 out of the Dominican Republic as one of Pittsburgh’s top targets in 2022. He made his stateside debut in 2024, hitting .305/.385/.505 with four homers in 30 games in the Florida Complex League sandwiched around two trips to the injured list.

Scouting Report: Blanco’s enormous power befits his hulking 6-foot-6, 283-pound frame. Injuries limited his sample size, but Blanco’s 112.3 mph 90th percentile exit velocity was the highest among all minor leaguers with at least 100 plate appearances. He creates tremendous force and has legitimate 80-grade raw power, although scouts wondered whether his approach would yield steady in-game results. He made more contact in 2024, ditching a toe tap in exchange for a simpler, more athletic load, although he still swings and misses plenty and is willing to expand the strike zone. Blanco’s size and limited mobility almost assuredly limits him to a first base or designated hitter role even though he has a plus throwing arm. The Pirates hope he can add more strength to help his body better hold up during the season.

The Future: Few possess Blanco’s outlier power. His contact questions and defensive profile create a tricky path up the ladder. He should reach full-season ball in 2025.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 70 | Run: 20 | Field: 45 | Arm: 55.

While Blanco Jr. originally looked headed to the Rays, he ended up signing with the Pirates instead. He is the son of Tony Blanco, a Baseball America Top 100 prospect two straight years who played briefly for the Nationals in 2005 before moving on to Japan, where he hit at least 30 home runs in three seasons. Blanco Jr. is even bigger with an enormous 6-foot-6, 240-pound frame, with the combination of strength and bat speed to produce plus raw power that could be plus-plus in the future. Scouts highest on Blanco Jr. see him as a potential masher in the middle of a lineup, though others had more concerns about his pure hitting ability. At his size, there's some risk Blanco ends up at first base, though he's only a slightly below-average runner right now so he can start in right field, with arm strength that has improved to above-average with a quick release.