3/12/2012 6:46:29 PM
From what I saw in the Dominican Republic six weeks ago, the position players are well ahead of the pitchers in terms of development. That's only to be expected with 15 and 16 year olds, especially when the pitchers have significantly less access to game experience and coaching than they have in the United States.
Also as a general rule, you will rarely see a Dominican pitcher with any real polish to his breaking ball or change up. This is, again, a function of lack of game experience and coaching. So when you are evaluating a Dominican pitcher you are looking at body and arm action and athleticism/projection and the rawest ability to spin the ball and maintain some semblance of a consistent release point and arm speed.
As the pitcher's will be throwing in games over the next 10 days, seven threw bullpens today, while tomorrow's pitchers didn't throw at all. It was very surprising to me that I was the only scout in the whole group who had a radar gun out. There's no harm in at least seeing what someone throws in a bullpen!
The big pitching prospect from the DPL group is in the unique and enviable position of being eligible to sign right now (all but two other of the group aren't eligible to sign until July 2, under the new draft rules). Kelyn Jose is a 6-4/190 left hander who touched 94 (96 on one gun) six weeks ago but was so raw with his off speed stuff that he was better off not trying to throw them in public. He's improved tremendously after having coaching for the first time in his life since. He sat 91-92 in his bullpen and while his curveball wasn't exciting, the progress he had made with it was. Velocity comes very easy for him and he can throw his fastball for strikes. If he was in the United States he'd be a high school junior southpaw topping out in the mid 90's. Easy to figure out where that type gets drafted.
Another LHP, 6-2/170 Beinvenido Morales, worked in the 87-89 mph range with a quick, compact arm action. Morales is 15 years old and won't turn 16 until late June.
RHP Bryan Munoz has a very solid and mature 6-0/187 body and is more polished and physically mature than the rest of the Dominican pitchers. He was 88-90 with his fastball and showed occasional tight downer bite on an upper 70's slider.