Given Esmerlyn Valdez’s minor-league prowess for power hitting, it was appropriate that his first MLB hit left the yard.

Valdez, making his third big-league appearance Sunday in Toronto after the Pittsburgh Pirates called him up from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, had gone 0 for 7 at the plate leading into the sixth inning at the Rogers Center.

But against Blue Jays reliever Chase Lee, Valdes connected on a 0-1 sweeper and went opposite field, launching a two-run homer down the right field line.

Valdez’s homer gave the Pirates a 4-1 lead, which they maintained to come out victorious in Toronto, avoiding a sweep after the Blue Jays beat them Friday and Saturday.

“Esmerlyn put a great swing on that ball,” teammate Spencer Horwitz said on Sunday’s Peacock broadcast. “To go backside on your first big-league home run, I think that speaks to the power he has. We’re excited to see him unlock it a little more.”

Valdez, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Pirates’ No. 9 overall prospect, has been a dependable power hitter the past few seasons as he’s worked his way through the club’s farm system.

In 2024, he played 107 games for the Low-A Bradenton Marauders, slashing .226/.352/.464 with 22 home runs and 61 RBIs.

The following season, Valdez split time between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, batting a combined .286 with 26 home runs and 86 RBIs.

At the time of his major-league recall, Valdez was hitting .253 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs for the Indians.

Valdez’s home run Sunday was caught by a young fan, leading to some on-the-spot negotiating with the Pirates in order for Valdez to receive his milestone baseball.

In the end, with some assistance by the Pirates bullpen, a deal was struck.

Valdez got his home run ball back and the fan received a signed bat and Pirates cap in exchange.

Since he arrived in Pittsburgh, Valdez has been surrounded by some familiar faces, as the Pirates plucked several of their top prospects in quick succession from Triple-A.

Fellow outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia, the club’s No. 4 prospect, was recalled May 19, while right-hander Wilber Dotel (No. 11) got the big-league call a day later.

Dotel, who made three strong relief appearances for the Pirates during a previous recall in mid-April, pitched one inning May 21 against St. Louis, allowing a run.

Garcia, helping plug a hole in the absence of Ryan O’Hearn, who’s on the 10-day injured list, is batting .294 with five hits (all singles) and an RBI through five games.

“They can play,” Horwitz continued. “That’s something we’re learning pretty fast.”