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Aaron Sanchez

Born: 07/01/1992 (Age: 21)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 4" Weight: 210
Mechanics
3/4 arm slot; easy, efficient delivery; generates velocity via loose arm; short stride; struggles repeating delivery in stretches; tends to overthrow - speeds up delivery during second half; doesn't use frame well to stay on top of fastball; much more comfortable delivering curveball; quick to plate. but yo-yo's with pace; 1.28-1.39 out of stretch.
Evaluator Chris Mellen
Report Date 06/07/2014
Affiliate New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA, Blue Jays)
Dates Seen 6/03/2014
OFP 65
MLB ETA 2015
Video No
Pitch Type Future Grade Sitting Velocity Peak Velocity Report
Fastball 65 92-95 96 Fringe-average command; got better as outing progressed; explodes out of pitcher's hand; hard arm-side movement from thighs down; showed some sink as well; tough to square up in lower tier; hitters consistently late on pitch and have trouble judging movement; get a much better look at the pitch when at mid-thighs and above; will drop wrist and come under the ball; inconsistent spotting pitch on the corners; had a challenge mentality with pitch early, but adapted mindset after being rewarded with quick 3rd inning.
Curveball 70 80-82   Solid-average command; demonstrated tight spin, with hard two-plane break; easily created snap via a loose wrist; excellent feel of offering; threw for strikes and was trying to throw for strikes; knows it is a weapon; will alter shape to bend knees or get chases; misses bats; already shows as a big-league out-pitch
Changeup 55 88-90   Below-average command; firm action, but flashed arm-side fade and drop; wrist showed strong turnover on a few occasions; tried to throw pitch too hard and held onto too long with majority; pitch got better as outing progressed; capable of throwing from same slot as fastball.
Overall

At the onset of the outing, it looked like Sanchez was going to let it get away from him. His fastball was all over the place, and he labored to get through the first two innings. The quality of his curveball was apparent from the beginning however. The pitch was crisp, with strong two-plane break and the pitcher had very little problem throwing it for strikes. The offering carried the righty past his early struggles. I point this out because once the third inning rolled around Sanchez's fastball emerged for the rest of the outing. It was almost like a switch flipped. The pitch was consistently spotted down in the zone and on the corners, leaving opposing hitters little chance of doing much with the offering due to the movement and velocity.

I liked the way Sanchez continued to battle in this outing, and didn't give up on trying to throw his heater. It could have been easy to continue to lean on his curveball. It also speaks to the quality of the offering that it got him through a difficult stretch. The grades are more than warranted for me as this pitch can get big-league hitters out right now on a consistent basis. The long pole here is the fastball. There's a Jekyll and Hyde nature to it. The movement and way the velocity plays because of it are a big ingredient for thinking about a front-line projection, but the inconsistent command holds that back.

This arm is athletic, young, and loose, which is usually a good indication that command growth can occur. The delivery isn't the most fluid, though, when it comes to staying above the baseball on a consistent basis. There's very little lower half incorporation and leverage created. I don't see it progressing past "area command" because of that. There is a decent sized present gap for the pitcher to reach the projection, but I see it as achievable.

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