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MLBPipeline #3 Prospect
http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=mia
John Sickels #3 Prospect
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/...pects-for-2015
Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 60 | Overall: 50
While the Southern League Pitcher of the Year honors went to Justin Nicolino in 2014, Urena pitched almost as well as his Double-A Jacksonville teammate. He ranked second in the circuit in strikeouts, WHIP and wins, giving the Suns a formidable duo atop its rotation.
Urena attacks hitters with an excellent fastball-changeup combination. His fastball gets up to the mid 90s and his fading changeup offers good contrast. His breaking ball took a step forward in 2014, but remains an inconsistent offering. There's some effort to his delivery, but it doesn't impede his control. He has walked 29 batters in each of his last four seasons, even as his innings totals have climbed.
Scouts haven't always been sold on Urena's chances to remain a starter, but if he keeps pounding the strike zone and refining his slider, he'll have all the tools necessary to pitch in a big league rotation.
While the Southern League Pitcher of the Year honors went to Justin Nicolino in 2014, Urena pitched almost as well as his Double-A Jacksonville teammate. He ranked second in the circuit in strikeouts, WHIP and wins, giving the Suns a formidable duo atop its rotation.
Urena attacks hitters with an excellent fastball-changeup combination. His fastball gets up to the mid 90s and his fading changeup offers good contrast. His breaking ball took a step forward in 2014, but remains an inconsistent offering. There's some effort to his delivery, but it doesn't impede his control. He has walked 29 batters in each of his last four seasons, even as his innings totals have climbed.
Scouts haven't always been sold on Urena's chances to remain a starter, but if he keeps pounding the strike zone and refining his slider, he'll have all the tools necessary to pitch in a big league rotation.
John Sickels #3 Prospect
3) Jose Urena, RHP, Grade B-: Age 23, 3.33 ERA with 121/29 K/BB in 162 innings in Double-A, 155 hits. Low/mid-90s fastball, good change-up, breaking ball still draws mixed reviews but I would not write him off as a starter by any means, although that is apparently a minority view.