Felipe Gonzalez

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2008
DSL:  2-1-0, 8.79 ERA, 1.81 WHIP, 14.1 IP, 1.3 BB/9, 6.3 K/9

Gonzalez debuted briefly in the Dominican as a 16-year-old.

2009
DSL:  0-1-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.00 WHIP, 1.0 IP, 9.0 BB/9, 0.0 K/9

Gonzalez pitched briefly in just two games, presumably due to injury.

2010
DSL:  4-2-0, 3.38 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 56.0 IP, 1.9 BB, 7.9 K/9

The Yankees used Gonzalez as a starter in his third DSL season and he pitched well.

2011
DSL:  3-4-0, 2.35 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 57.1 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 6.8 K/9

Despite his good 2010 season, the Yankees sent Gonzalez back to the DSL for a fourth year.  His ERA was better than his peripheral numbers, all of which slipped from the year before.

2012
INJURED

Gonzalez missed the entire season with an unknown injury.

2013
R:  4-1-1, 2.23 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 48.1 IP, 3.2 BB/9, 8.4 K/9

Gonzalez finally made it to the GCL at age 21.  He pitched well in a swing role.  After the season, the Pirates selected him in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.

2014
A:  2-4-2, 2.81 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 93.0 IP, 2.4 BB/9, 8.3 K/9
A+:  1-0-0, 1.93 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 9.1 IP, 5.8 BB/9, 7.7 K/9

Gonzalez must have impressed the Pirates in camp, as he skipped over their two short-season affiliates and opened 2014 at West Virginia.  He served as a swing man there and pitched well in both roles.  He also got a late-season promotion to Bradenton.  Overall, he held opposing hitters to a 229/298/353 line.  He was significantly more effective against left-handed than right-handed hitters.

2015
A+:  8-6-0, 3.62 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 107.0 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 6.7 K/9

Despite being only 23, Gonzalez was eligible for minor league free agency after the 2014 season, but he re-signed with the Pirates for 2015.  He spent the season at Bradenton in a swing role, with 14 starts and 24 relief appearances.  He pitched decently, but not as well as the previous year.  Opponents slugged .373 against him in a league where the average was .337.

Gonzalez will be a free agent again after the season.  He’s been very useful, filling whatever role was open, so it’s conceivable the Pirates could try to re-sign him again.