Today: COL Prospect Jhoulys Chacin
Jhoulys Chacin, a quick-rising Rockies pitching prospect, was a latecomer to US-based minor league baseball after two years spent in the Dominican Summer League.
Originally signed as a teenager from Venezula back in 2004, Chacin made the most of his 2007 opportunity with the Casper Ghosts in the Pioneer League, going 6-5 with a 3.13 ERA over 92 innings of work.
Chacin is a bone-thin dynamo on the mound, all elbows and knees and 95mph fastballs. He has a whiplike delivery that enables him to locate those fastballs well while also adding some very effective late sink that can produce a high percentage of ground balls.
| Yr | Tm | Age | Lvl | W | L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SH | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | BB9 | K/9 | WHIP |
| 2007 | Casper | 19 | R | 6 | 5 | 3.13 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 92.0 | 85 | 45 | 32 | 5 | 26 | 77 | 2.54 | 7.53 | 1.21 |
Chacin's secondary pitches, a slurvy curve and a straight change, aren't as advanced yet, but they project well. Chacin has shown a superior work ethic and a strong aptitude for learning the finer points of pitching, and he seems open to and capable of either starting or relief roles.
With the decline of so many of Colorado's previous "sure things", Chacin stands a great shot at being a breakout player by mid-2010 thanks to his rapid development. His power makes him a tempting choice to add to the bullpen, but unless the Rockies are in a playoff hunt, they're probably better off letting him develop in the minors.Update: Chacin blew past Sally League hitters with a 10-1 record and a 1.86 ERA in 111 innings this year, and he's just been moved up to high-A Modesto, where he'll be limited to about fifty more innings. How he fares as a Nut, and how he holds up under the career-high workload, will determine where he starts 2009.
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