Article: Twins Daily 2019 Top Prospects: #3 Brusdar Graterol

[FormerMinnasotan]

I like Graterol’s potential, especially as a starter. While I like seeing players being “fast tracked” to the Bigs when they show some continual success in the minors I would be super hesitant to move Graterol too fast as he doesn’t have the innings behind him, and he needs to hone in and improve his change giving him a great 3 pitch arsenal. With his potential being higher than Berrios and Romero I would be fine taking him a little slower in the minors (unless he’s unhittable in A+ and AA) as I am more about the finished product with Graterol, not seeing him this year when he’s not remotely ready to be a starter in the Bigs now.

[SomeGuy]

 

Starters who consistently hit 100mph: Syndergaard ... ... ... Eovaldi Who am I missing? They don't hold up. Do you encourage him to max it out as a starter? Turn him into a closer? Take something off his max because he has good movement and get him a third pitch? He has good control, do you move him up quick in a bullpen role? It will be fascinating to see which direction they push him. This year theres nothing to lose by pitching him 125 innings between a+ and aa and see if he holds up, but the decision point is ticking faster for him than any other pitcher in the system.

Chris Sale uses that strategy of taking a little off on his fastball to perfection.  He likes to sit at about 94 but can dial it up to 97-98 when he needs to.  He says it causes less stress on his arm and allows him to keep hitters off balance.  This would be an interesting strategy for Graterol to try.  Just being able to effectively mix speeds on his fastball might be a "3rd pitch". 

[gman]

Work ethic, control, hard slider + 100mph. Sounds like a good start. I would much prefer to see the Twins add a potentially "very good starter  to the rotation every year then turn pitchers with great stuff automatically into relievers.It is easier and less costly to find decent to good relievers, then very good starters.

[nicksaviking]

When you have a 100 MPH heater, I don't think you have to have a good change up, you mostly just have to be able to camouflage when it's coming.

[Mike Sixel]

Brusdar

1:24 What are my chances at being a MLB starter? Scouts think there is too much effort in my delivery, but man I throw a lot of strikes.

Kiley McDaniel

1:24 Not that much effort, just not fine in terms of command and we think he should lengthen the stride some, but the super easy arm speed is beyond elite

[cmoss84]

Definitely a bit stiff and can use his legs to drive a little more, but as many mentioned, good control at 100 mph is exciting. I just hope he can learn to pitch inside to set up his secondary pitches. Guys who are able to throw hard and command the inner part of the plate seem to separate themselves from others and are few and far in between.

[ashbury]

When you have a 100 MPH heater, I don't think you have to have a good change up, you mostly just have to be able to camouflage when it's coming.

Um, isn't that somewhat the exact definition of what a good change is?

[nicksaviking]

 

Um, isn't that somewhat the exact definition of what a good change is?

 

I don't know, are all change ups equal?

 

I'd think it would be best to have an off speed pitch to keep batters honest, but it wouldn't have to have much movement or great locatability as long as it crosses the plate from time to time.

[howieramone2]

 

When you have a 100 MPH heater, I don't think you have to have a good change up, you mostly just have to be able to camouflage when it's coming.

The rule of thumb is you need at least an 8 mph differential. Romero last I heard was 5 mph.

[markos]

Um... so I really, really want to believe, but Graterol (and prospects like him) seem SOOOO high risk in my opinion. I mean, if you look at the top pitchers by fWAR this year, or even the last few years, the rankings are dominated by college pitchers. 

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=0&type=8&season=2018&month=0&season1=2016&ind=0&team=&rost=&age=&filter=&players=&page=1_50

10 of the top 14 pitchers by fWAR were all drafted out of college. Yet every year, top-100 prospect lists have multiple 19yo-20yo guys with amazing stuff. I don't know what this all means, but I'm just so hesitant to rank such a young pitcher this high.

[Linus]

I’m trying to remember the name of the AAA pitching coach who taught Johan his circle change. Perhaps we need to bring him to spring training

[Nick Nelson]

 

I’m trying to remember the name of the AAA pitching coach who taught Johan his circle change. Perhaps we need to bring him to spring training

Bobby Cuellar! Just looked him up and it appears he is currently pitching coach for the Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers' Single-A affiliate). 

 

Also, I had totally forgotten he was the Twins bullpen coach prior to Guardado.

[DocBauer]

According to the Twins Prospect Handbook, Graterol is 6-2 and 247 pounds... at least that is what he weighed at the end of the season. He gained about 50-60 pounds while he was out with Tommy John surgery.

 

And, when I met him and saw him in Cedar Rapids last year, he was that big, and he is strong. Toby Gardenhire said that he is incredible in the weight room, very strong, very strong lower half.

 

Sorry Seth, my copy of the Handbook says 6' 1" 247lbs. Did I get a mis-print? Refund! Lol

 

But seriously, I have to wonder how much height really matters. I understand the downward plane concept of course. But not every successful power pitcher has had had a towering frame. I have often mentioned Pedro Martinez when discussing Berrios in the past. I have done so knowing Pedro was more of a slider pitcher while Jose is more of a curveball thrower. And I have little doubt Berrios is larger,overall, than Perez. But live FB, Bulldog mentality and lack of height is why I always grouped them together.

 

HUGE fan and believer in Berrios, and believe we have yet to see the best of him. Graterol seems to have the same "attitude" and work ethic as Berrios...and Perez. The fact that he throws a slider rather than a curve may make him an even better comp to Perez than Berrios. The whole point is, height and length is not always in play. Hard stuff is hard stuff. Big breaking stuff that missing bats is still big breakjng stuff. It still comes down to control and consistency, doesnt it?

 

Yes, to be an effective SP you need at least 1 more pitch. But in today's game, with high K totals, swinging for the fences batters, and the high K looking better and better for smart pitchers who can hit spots, does height and plane even matter as much any longer?

[DocBauer]

The rule of thumb is you need at least an 8 mph differential. Romero last I heard was 5 mph.

 

Quoted this even though I also wanted to quote ashburyjohn and nicksaviking. Just easier this WAY.

 

All of you are correct. I mean, if you want to be abstract, a slider is a "change" from a FB, etc. But that is obviously not what we are talking about here. But there are different variations of a "changeup". There is the straight change, the circle change, the palm ball, and some would tell you the splitter was a form of change for a power pitcher.

 

Just...SOMEBODY...grab this kid and teach him SOMETHING in regard to a repeatable 3rd pitch that has speed variation and at least decent control, because his other stuff is outstanding.

 

No rush. Work on the third pitch. Not "babying" him, just working on the 3rd pitch and building up endurance of IP for a full season.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I was the only one not to have Graterol in my top 10 last year, placing him all the way down to 17th.

 

Top 10 for a pitcher still in Rookie ball seems awfully aggressive, yet you sound like you are apologizing

 

Top 3 still seems a tad aggressive. He sure looks like a nice prospect, however.

[MN_ExPat]

I don't know, are all change ups equal?

 

I'd think it would be best to have an off speed pitch to keep batters honest, but it wouldn't have to have much movement or great locatability as long as it crosses the plate from time to time.

 

Not really. A good change up is really more about the movement. If you remember, Johan Santana’s change up just died in front of the plate. It’s all that movement plus the slight speed differential that makes it so effective (a good speed difference sits about 10 mph between the FB and CU).

 

It’s also a HUGE “feel” pitch. This is what makes it so hard for so many pitchers to throw (think Tyler Duffy). If the pitcher can’t develop that “feel” for the change, all it is is just a BP fastball.

[less cowbell more neau]

"Brusdar Graterol" -- My iPhone's autocorrect will not like this one bit.

[70charger]

 

Jose Berrios (whom Graterol openly models himself after)

 

Good.