Marek Minarik

MAREK MINARIK, RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: June 28, 1993
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 195
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Signed: Int’l free agent, 2010 (Phillies)
How Acquired: Minor League Free Agent
Country: Czech Republic
Agent: N/A

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

Minarik originally signed as a 16-year-old with the Phillies out of the Czech Republic.  He’s hit 93-94 with his fastball and also throws an overhand curve.  He saw limited action in the GCL over two years before the Phillies released him.  The Pirates signed him in the fall of 2013.

2011
R:  0-0-0, 6.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 12.0 K/9

Minarik threw just three innings in his pro debut.

2012
R:  1-0-1, 2.65 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 17.0 IP, 1.1 BB/9, 5.8 K/9

The Phillies used Minarik in short relief and he got into 13 games.  He didn’t fan many, but he also walked very few and didn’t get hit hard, which is impressive for a probably-raw, very tall pitcher.

2013
DNP

The Phillies released Minarik in spring training and no other team picked him up until the Pirates did so after the season.

2014
R+:  0-2-0, 5.51 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 16.1 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 5.5 K/9
A-:  1-4-0, 4.86 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 37.0 IP, 5.1 BB/9, 5.1 K/9

Minarik surprisingly opened the season in the Jamestown rotation.  He mostly struggled there, walking as many as he struck out.  The Pirates sent him down to Bristol for one game in July, then moved him back up to Jamestown, and then back to Bristol in the second week of August.  He didn’t pitch well at either locale, although he was much better in a handful of relief appearances than he was as a starter.

2015
R+:  2-6-0, 6.32 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 52.2 IP, 3.6 BB/9, 6.7 K/9

Minarik would have been a minor league free agent after the 2014 season, but the Pirates signed him for 2015.  They sent him back to Bristol, where he started and relieved.  He didn’t pitch well, getting hit hard with a weak BB:K ratio.  He had a lot of trouble with gopher balls, allowing one every four and a half innings.

The Pirates play the Phillies regularly in the GCL and in minor league exhibitions, so they probably saw at least a little of Minarik.  They undoubtedly considered him a project and that’s what he’s proven to be.  He’ll depart as a free agent unless the Pirates re-sign him again.

CONTRACT INFORMATION
2015: Minor League Contract
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: N/A
MiLB Debut: 2011
MLB Debut: N/A
MiLB FA Eligible: 2015
MLB FA Eligible: N/A
Rule 5 Eligible: 2015
Added to 40-Man: N/A
Options Remaining: 3
MLB Service Time: 0.000
TRANSACTIONS
May 7, 2010: Signed as an international free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies.
March 23, 2013: Released by the Philadelphia Phillies.
November 28, 2013: Signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a minor league free agent.
October 4, 2014: Signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.