New Red Sox prospect described as 'Clay Homes-type mold' pitcher
The Red Sox and White Sox completed their second trade of the offseason on Dec. 21, this one a little more under-the-radar than the massive Garrett Crochet blockbuster completed during the Winter Meetings.
Boston traded left-handed reliever Cam Booser to Chicago for teenage right-handed pitching prospect Yhoiker Fajardo.
The 18-year-old made his professional debut for the White Dominion Summer League team and went 1-4, 3.91 ERA, with 64 strikeouts to just eight walks over 50.2 innings. He also earned a midseason DSL All-Star nomination.
The right-hander joined the White Sox organization out of Venezuela, signing for $400,000. The 6-foot-3, 181-pounder is a lottery ticket, but a good gamble to make when acquiring him for a 32-year-old left-handed reliever.
Fajardo is an interesting arm; his fastball sits at 92 mph while topping out at 95 mph this past season. He offers a slider that sits in the low 80s that pairs well with his heater.
Baseball America lists Fajardo as a “good athlete without much effort to his operation; he has good arm action, and the ball comes out of his hand cleanly. There should be more velocity in the tank. His repeatable delivery helps him throw strikes with a willingness to pitch inside more than most his age. His low-80s slider has late bite when it’s on to help him miss bats. He shows some feel for a firm changeup as well.”
While pitching in the DSL, he threw a three-pitch mix, a fastball, slider, and changeup. His fastball has “run and sink and shows advanced feel for control of it for someone of his age,” according to his new SoxProspects scouting report.
According to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, a baseball evaluator described Fajardo as being in “a Clay Holmes-type mold.”
The Mets signed Holmes this offseason and are planning to turn him into a starter. Holmes has been a reliable reliever throughout his career, especially with his time playing for the Yankees.
It’s very early on in his development, and Fajardo is truly a lottery ticket, but with the new Red Sox pitching pipeline and focus, the team could help turn him into an effective hurler that’ll impact the lower levels of the system in the coming years. The righty is light-years away from Fenway Park, but the Red Sox trading a veteran reliever for a potential flamethrower is good business, and Boston should do more of this as they build out their pitching pipeline.
