Top 50 Prospects: #30 – Arodys Vizcaino | The Golden Sombrero Baseball Blog | MLB, Fantasy, College & High School Baseball News

Top 50 Prospects: #30 – Arodys Vizcaino

#30 Arodys Vizcaino

Atlanta Braves

DOB: 11/13/1990

Previous Rank: N/R

ETA: 2012

Due to the Braves’ outstanding mismanagement of the bullpen in Atlanta, they were forced to temporarily convert Vizcaino into a reliever for the last few months of the season.  He made 17 appearances for Atlanta and walked too many guys, but was otherwise effective and posted a 4.67 ERA and struck out nearly a guy an inning.

Year Age Tm Lg W L ERA G GS IP BB SO
2008 17 NYY-min Rk 3 2 3.68 12 6 44.0 13 48
2009 18 NYY-min A- 2 4 2.13 10 10 42.1 15 52
2010 19 ATL-min A,A+ 9 4 2.74 17 17 85.1 12 79
2011 20 ATL-min AA,A+,AAA 5 5 3.06 26 17 97.0 28 100
2011 20 ATL NL 1 1 4.67 17 0 17.1 9 17
1 Season 1 1 4.67 17 0 17.1 9 17
162 Game Avg. 4 4 4.67 68 0 69 36 68
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/8/2011.
Year Age Tm Lg W L ERA IP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2008 17 NYY-min Rk 3 2 3.68 44.0 1.159 7.8 1.0 2.7 9.8 3.69
2009 18 NYY-min A- 2 4 2.13 42.1 1.157 7.2 0.4 3.2 11.1 3.47
2010 19 ATL-min A,A+ 9 4 2.74 85.1 1.066 8.3 0.2 1.3 8.3 6.58
2011 20 ATL-min AA,A+,AAA 5 5 3.06 97.0 1.134 7.6 0.6 2.6 9.3 3.57
2011 20 ATL NL 1 1 4.67 17.1 1.442 8.3 0.5 4.7 8.8 1.89
1 Season 1 1 4.67 17.1 1.442 8.3 0.5 4.7 8.8 1.89
162 Game Avg. 4 4 4.67 69 1.442 8.3 0.5 4.7 8.8 1.89
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/8/2011.

For a 20-year-old in a playoff race, those numbers are pretty impressive.  The problem now is that the Braves will have to make a difficult decision in terms of how to use Vizcaino in 2012, and the organization has never shown a propensity for patience.  We at the Sombrero are under the impression that the Braves will force Vizcaino into a bullpen role to open 2012, offering themselves almost zero flexibility in how they use him for the season.

The righty tossed 114.1 innings in 2011 and could probably jump to around 130-150 in 2012 if used as a starter with a chance of reaching 200 innings by 2014 health permitting.  The Braves could also use him in 2012 in what will mostly be low-leverage seventh inning outings and stall his development by at least a year.

Vizcaino has a fastball that reaches the upper-90s, but sits in the 93-95 mph range.  He is a tad under-sized, so there is less plane to his stuff than we prefer.  However, he gets some ride to his fastball on the arm side, and his breaker is a true 60 pitch.  His third pitch is a changeup that currently is average, but he hasn’t used it often enough because he spent so much time in the pen.

With 15-20 starts in the high Minors, it is very possible that Vizcaino could reemerge in Atlanta with three plus or better pitches and improved command making him an immediate impact arm in the NL East.

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