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| Photo Credit:Jeff Nycz |
The interesting prospect to me was Colombia's Luis Patino, who pitched the entire season at 18 years of age for the San Diego Padres Low A affiliate, the Fort Wayne Tin Caps.
Patino's numbers were dazzling as a Tin Cap, finishing 6-3 with a 2.16 ERA in 17 starts, striking out 98 and walking only 24.
Patino had skipped short-season baseball in order to start with Fort Wayne and the Padres could have then sent Patino there, should he struggle in the Midwest League, which as you can see did not happen.
Patino will likely start the season for the Padres high A affiliate in the California League in Lake Elsinore.
Joe Werner notes that Patino is 'the righthanded version of fellow Padre prospect MacKenzie Gore" with an "all arms and legs windup" and with this really intriguing note- Patino allowed twenty earned runs all season, but eleven of those came in two starts.
If you delete those starts and only look at Patino's other fifteen starts, his ERA drops to a tiny 1.08.
And for those 98 strikeouts- Patino has been clocked at 100 MPH and has a strong slider, curve, and changeup.
Werner adds that you could make a case that Patino is "the highest-ceiling pitcher in the minor leagues"!
Between the numbers at Fort Wayne and the downright glowing reports from Joe Werner, Luis Patino could be the type of pitcher that you talk about for years as a fourth-round pick.
At the same time, so many variables can happen to a pitcher, especially one that will pitch the season at only 19, so nothing is a sure thing, but I'm very encouraged about the potential of Luis Patino.
Patino had skipped short-season baseball in order to start with Fort Wayne and the Padres could have then sent Patino there, should he struggle in the Midwest League, which as you can see did not happen.
Patino will likely start the season for the Padres high A affiliate in the California League in Lake Elsinore.
Joe Werner notes that Patino is 'the righthanded version of fellow Padre prospect MacKenzie Gore" with an "all arms and legs windup" and with this really intriguing note- Patino allowed twenty earned runs all season, but eleven of those came in two starts.
If you delete those starts and only look at Patino's other fifteen starts, his ERA drops to a tiny 1.08.
And for those 98 strikeouts- Patino has been clocked at 100 MPH and has a strong slider, curve, and changeup.
Werner adds that you could make a case that Patino is "the highest-ceiling pitcher in the minor leagues"!
Between the numbers at Fort Wayne and the downright glowing reports from Joe Werner, Luis Patino could be the type of pitcher that you talk about for years as a fourth-round pick.
At the same time, so many variables can happen to a pitcher, especially one that will pitch the season at only 19, so nothing is a sure thing, but I'm very encouraged about the potential of Luis Patino.
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