The Golden Sombrero’s Top 50 Prospects: #12 – Aroldis Chapman (Video) | The Golden Sombrero Baseball Blog | MLB, Fantasy, College & High School Baseball News

The Golden Sombrero’s Top 50 Prospects: #12 – Aroldis Chapman (Video)

#12 Aroldis Chapman – Cincinnati Reds

LHP

DOB: 2-28-88

ETA: 2011

105 mph.  6-foot-4.  Left-handed.  There are no real surprises left with this Cuban defector.  He throws insanely hard; harder than any pitcher in the history of baseball.  If he retired today, Chapman would have already left his mark on the game.  Like Chris Sale and the Chicago White Sox, everyone is really hoping that the Reds don’t seriously intend to waste his talent as a reliever for the entirety of his career.

Everyone knows that Chapman’s fastball is a triple-plus pitch, but the slider, which comes in at a staggering 90 mph on good days, is at least a 70 grade as well.  He also has a changeup, but it grades as a sub-50 pitch today.  If the Reds’ management decides they are no longer interested in winning and confine Chapman to the pen, it may never grow into an average offering because he simply doesn’t need it to succeed in short outings.

However, Chapman’s success as a starter may hinge on whether or not he can develop this pitch into one that he can use to get Big League outs.  While we at the Sombrero are very heavy into the statistical aspect of evaluating players, Chapman’s 2010 stats just don’t mean anything.  He beat up on entirely over-matched Minor League hitters in a role that he hopefully stops filling very soon.  His stuff is mesmerizing, and there is no one in the game who boasts arm-speed to rival this monster.

1 Comment

  1. Enjoyed this post a lot, especially your inclusion of the videos. Super stuff.