March 31, 2020 at 2:02 PM
Scouting Report Updates: Rodriguez, Bell, Windle, Pantoja, Jimenez, Perez, Schwaab, Curcio
Despite the absence of live baseball at the moment, the SoxProspects.com team will continue to examine all levels of Boston's minor league system and update our player page scouting reports with data compiled from in-person scouting, reports from sources within the game, and statistical data. Today's series of updates includes two of the site's top 40 prospects in Jorge Rodriguez and Brock Bell. These two young hurlers are far from similar—in profile as well as career origin—but both pitchers ended their seasons by appearing in one game for Lowell, and both show the early signs of major league potential.
SoxProspects.com scouting reports are written by our scouting report team, led by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.
Jorge Rodriguez, Left-handed pitcher
Physical Description: Small-framed left-hander with some projection.
Physical Description: Small-framed left-hander with some projection.
Mechanics: Starts open with his glove low, then brings it above his head. Medium-to-high leg kick. Brings leg across his body for torque.
Fastball: 88-92 mph. Good movement and excellent control.
Curveball: Excellent spin rate. Average potential.
Changeup: Average potential.
Career Notes: Had the best performance of any pitcher for the GCL Red Sox in 2019, earning a season-end promotion to Lowell. Participated in the Fall Instructional League in 2019.
Summation: On the smaller side, but shows promise. Has major league potential with his excellent control profile and spin rates, needs added velocity and further development of his fastball and curveball to reach full potential.
Summation: On the smaller side, but shows promise. Has major league potential with his excellent control profile and spin rates, needs added velocity and further development of his fastball and curveball to reach full potential.
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Brock Bell, Right-handed pitcher
Physical Description: Tall, athletic frame with long arms and legs. Frame has a good amount of projection, but he is already quite sturdy.
Mechanics: High three-quarters arm slot. Makes use of his height. Medium-to-high leg kick. Puts some effort on his arm. Lands closed and balanced.
Fastball: 91-94 mph, touching 97 mph. Good extension. Can work on working in and out of the zone more. Good control.
Curveball: Flashes above-average. Best secondary pitch. Projects average but is still raw.
Slider: Developing a slider.
Changeup: Average potential.
Mechanics: High three-quarters arm slot. Makes use of his height. Medium-to-high leg kick. Puts some effort on his arm. Lands closed and balanced.
Fastball: 91-94 mph, touching 97 mph. Good extension. Can work on working in and out of the zone more. Good control.
Curveball: Flashes above-average. Best secondary pitch. Projects average but is still raw.
Slider: Developing a slider.
Changeup: Average potential.
Career Notes: Son of former MLB All-Star Jay Bell. Older brother Brantley is a third baseman in the Reds organization. Does not have a significant track record as a power arm. Began JuCo career as a two-way player, but blew out his arm early in his sophomore season, which resulted in Tommy John surgery. Came back from injury with increased velocity and chose to focus exclusively on pitching. Was committed to Auburn had he not signed with Boston. Participated in the Fall Instructional League in 2019.
Summation: Does not have many miles on his arm and is still raw for his age, but has two pitches you can dream on with his fastball and breaking ball. Moldable. Should post high strikeout numbers in the minors. Likely profiles as a reliever, the role he pitched in throughout his JuCo experience, but is raw enough to have a starter ceiling. Advancement of changeup and command around the edges of the zone will be keys to development.
Summation: Does not have many miles on his arm and is still raw for his age, but has two pitches you can dream on with his fastball and breaking ball. Moldable. Should post high strikeout numbers in the minors. Likely profiles as a reliever, the role he pitched in throughout his JuCo experience, but is raw enough to have a starter ceiling. Advancement of changeup and command around the edges of the zone will be keys to development.
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Tom Windle, Left-handed pitcher
Physical Description: Tall, lanky left-hander with no remaining projection. Thin, but looks proportional.
Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Utilizes a medium leg kick and long arm action with significant effort. Lots of moving parts, which gives hitters an uncomfortable look.
Fastball: 91-94 mph. Pitch shows cut at lower velocities. Average life. Command suffers due to moving parts in delivery. Difficult to square up in the air when he keeps the ball down. Sat at higher velocities earlier in his professional career.
Slider: 84-86 mph. Sharp, horizontal break at its best. Very tough pitch against left-handed hitters, starting by coming at them before sweeping across the zone.
Career Notes: Signed with the Red Sox late in 2019 after being released by the Phillies and was stashed in Lowell for the rest of the season. After being drafted by the Dodgers, was traded with Zach Eflin to the Phillies in 2014 for Jimmy Rollins.
Summation: Solid organizational relief arm. Type of pitcher every organization needs in the high minors to pitch in middle relief. Lacks the command and control profile or carrying secondary pitch to consistently get major league hitters out.
Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Utilizes a medium leg kick and long arm action with significant effort. Lots of moving parts, which gives hitters an uncomfortable look.
Fastball: 91-94 mph. Pitch shows cut at lower velocities. Average life. Command suffers due to moving parts in delivery. Difficult to square up in the air when he keeps the ball down. Sat at higher velocities earlier in his professional career.
Slider: 84-86 mph. Sharp, horizontal break at its best. Very tough pitch against left-handed hitters, starting by coming at them before sweeping across the zone.
Career Notes: Signed with the Red Sox late in 2019 after being released by the Phillies and was stashed in Lowell for the rest of the season. After being drafted by the Dodgers, was traded with Zach Eflin to the Phillies in 2014 for Jimmy Rollins.
Summation: Solid organizational relief arm. Type of pitcher every organization needs in the high minors to pitch in middle relief. Lacks the command and control profile or carrying secondary pitch to consistently get major league hitters out.
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Yorvin Pantoja, Left-handed pitcher
Physical Description: Average athlete with a skinny frame and some remaining projection. Lower half has filled out some since signing. Looks taller than his listed 5-foot-11.
Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Short arm action. Effort in delivery. Significant recoil after pitch. Generates some deception as he turns his back to the hitter before coming to the plate.
Fastball: 90-92 mph. Command and control have improved significantly since move to the bullpen, but still will come and go from outing-to-outing. Relies heavily on the pitch and will mix in secondaries.
Changeup: 79-82 mph. Inconsistent, but still his best secondary offering. Shows late drop with deceptive arm speed when he has it working well. Potential fringe-average offering.
Curveball: 75-79 mph. Lacks feel for the pitch. Doesn’t consistently snap the pitch off. Tends to roll to the plate with 1-to-7 shape. Work in progress. Below-average potential.
Summation: Move to the bullpen has significantly improved his outlook, but still profiles as a mid- to upper-minors relief arm. Needs to continue improving command/control. Stuff needs to take a step forward before he can profile as a potential major league relief arm.
Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Short arm action. Effort in delivery. Significant recoil after pitch. Generates some deception as he turns his back to the hitter before coming to the plate.
Fastball: 90-92 mph. Command and control have improved significantly since move to the bullpen, but still will come and go from outing-to-outing. Relies heavily on the pitch and will mix in secondaries.
Changeup: 79-82 mph. Inconsistent, but still his best secondary offering. Shows late drop with deceptive arm speed when he has it working well. Potential fringe-average offering.
Curveball: 75-79 mph. Lacks feel for the pitch. Doesn’t consistently snap the pitch off. Tends to roll to the plate with 1-to-7 shape. Work in progress. Below-average potential.
Summation: Move to the bullpen has significantly improved his outlook, but still profiles as a mid- to upper-minors relief arm. Needs to continue improving command/control. Stuff needs to take a step forward before he can profile as a potential major league relief arm.
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Eddie Jimenez, Right-handed pitcher
Physical Description: Filled out right-hander with a stocky frame. No remaining projection.
Mechanics: Throws from a high-three quarters arm slot from the first base side of the rubber. Has effort in delivery. Short arm action coming forward.
Fastball: 88-90 mph. Pitch lacks life. Average control. Will struggle to miss bats against more advanced hitters. Was reportedly up to the mid-90s, topping out at 99 mph in college, but hasn’t shown that velocity in looks scouted.
Curveball: 74-76 mph. Long 11-to-5 break. Shape varies because he does not consistently get on top it and snap it off. Can get slurvey.
Changeup: 77-78 mph. Throws with good arm speed. Has separation from fastball. Better of his two secondary pitches.
Career Notes: Was the winning pitcher in the 2018 NAIA championship game.
Summation: Projects as a low minors depth arm. Has always been old for the level after signing as a senior. Stuff leaves little margin for error and lacks remaining projection or a carrying pitch.
Mechanics: Throws from a high-three quarters arm slot from the first base side of the rubber. Has effort in delivery. Short arm action coming forward.
Fastball: 88-90 mph. Pitch lacks life. Average control. Will struggle to miss bats against more advanced hitters. Was reportedly up to the mid-90s, topping out at 99 mph in college, but hasn’t shown that velocity in looks scouted.
Curveball: 74-76 mph. Long 11-to-5 break. Shape varies because he does not consistently get on top it and snap it off. Can get slurvey.
Changeup: 77-78 mph. Throws with good arm speed. Has separation from fastball. Better of his two secondary pitches.
Career Notes: Was the winning pitcher in the 2018 NAIA championship game.
Summation: Projects as a low minors depth arm. Has always been old for the level after signing as a senior. Stuff leaves little margin for error and lacks remaining projection or a carrying pitch.
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Bramdon Perez, Outfielder
Tall, lanky with some remaining projection. On the thin side; needs to add strength, frame does not look like it could support significant weight gain. Open stance, utilizes a toe-tap timing device. Compact, level swing. Lacks pitch recognition and still developing an approach. Bat drags through the zone causing him to have to cheat to try to get to fastballs. Struggles to drive the ball in the air; gap power at best right now. Average speed. Moves well in the outfield. Average arm strength. Participated in the Fall Instructional League in 2018 and 2019. Potential low minors organizational depth type. Has a chance to move up to the high minors eventually if he fills out more and shows more advanced baseball skills. Still on the raw, developmental side.
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Andrew Schwaab, Right-handed pitcher
Filled-out frame. Slings the ball from a low-three-quarters arm slot. Relies primarily on a 89-92 mph fastball and an 83-85 mph slider. Fastball occasionally shows some sink. Slider will flash average, showing late horizontal break. Leans heavily on the pitch. Will mix in a changeup at about 80 mph that will flash arm-side run and a show-me curveball at 77-82 mph to steal a strike. Fringe-average control. Gives up a lot of contact. Was released by the Yankees and signed by the Tigers in August 2018 before being selected by the Red Sox in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft that offseason. Re-signed with the organization as a minor league free agent during the 2019-20 offseason. Projects as an upper-minors depth arm. Lacks the command and control profile and carrying secondary pitch to project as a major leaguer.
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Keith Curcio, Outfielder
Outfielder looks smaller than his listed height and weight. Quick wrists. Developing an uppercut swing. Makes contact and hits well to all fields. Minimal home run power, but has shown the ability to hit the gaps for doubles. Above-average to plus speed. Very good range in the outfield, capable of playing all three positions. Solid arm strength and accuracy. Profiles an organizational depth in the high minors, with the ceiling of an up-and-down emergency bench outfielder and pinch runner.
Photo Credit: Jorge Rodriguez and Brock Bell by Kelly O'Connor
Mark Hanoian is the Scouting Report Manager for SoxProspects.com.