Pedro Vasquez

PEDRO VASQUEZ, RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: September 23, 1995
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 190
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Signed: Int’l Free Agent, 2015, Seattle Mariners
How Acquired: Trade (with Mariners for Arquimedes Caminero)
Country: Dominican Republic
Agent: N/A

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

Vasquez was a little older than the usual Latin American prospect when Seattle signed him.  He hasn’t drawn much attention as a prospect, although he’s put up good numbers so far, apart from low K rates.  He throws a 90-93 mph fastball, along with a slider and a change.  The Pirates acquired him as one of two players to be named later in a trade for Arquimedes Caminero.

2015
DSL:  8-2-0, 2.08 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 91.0 IP, 1.0 BB/9, 7.0 K/9

In his debut, Vasquez put up strong numbers through 15 starts.

2016
R:  2-2-0, 2.22 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 28.1 IP, 1.6 BB/9, 7.0 K/9
A:  3-2-0, 2.28 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 43.1 IP, 0.8 BB/9, 6.2 K/9

The Mariners sent Vasquez to rookie ball at first, but after he made five appearances there, four of them starts, Seattle evidently decided he needed more of a challenge and moved him up to full season ball.  He continued to pitch well there, with few baserunners allowed but also a low K rate.  Hitters managed only a 229/254/345 line against him.  Vasquez was designated as a PTBNL in the Caminero trade on September 1 and didn’t get into action with the Pirates.

2017
A+:  9-7-0, 3.73 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 137.2 IP, 2.0 BB/9, 7.0 K/9

Vasquez spent the season in the Bradenton rotation.  On the plus side, he greatly increased his inning total with no apparent injury problems.  He also posted an ERA of 2.19 through the end of June.  Over the last two months of the season, though, his ERA was 5.67 as he got hit much harder.  His control remained very good all year.  Left-handed hitters posted an OPS of .773 against him, right-handed hitters .651.

2018
A+:  0-3-0, 4.21 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 25.2 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 6.7 K/9
AA:  2-6-0, 5.12 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 63.1 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 6.5 K/9

Vasquez was out with an illness at the beginning of the season.  He joined the Altoona rotation in early May, but struggled throughout his time there.  He got hit hard, with opponents batting .287 against him and slugging .488.  Vasquez went out with an arm injury in mid-July and, when he returned three weeks later, went to Bradenton.  He didn’t pitch well there, either, with uncharacteristic control problems that may have indicated he wasn’t fully healthy yet.

2019
AA:  8-5-0, 2.71 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 123.0 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 6.7 K/9
AAA:  1-1-0, 7.71 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 9.1 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 9.6 K/9

Vasquez returned to Altoona and pitched very well, making it likely that his 2018 illness had a lasting effect.  The Pirates moved him up to Indianapolis in late May and he made two appearances, getting bombed in one and throwing six, one-hit innings in the other.  The Pirates sent him back down, seemingly due to a numbers game.  He continued to pitch well there, with a low K rate but not allowing many baserunners.  On the season, he had a big platoon split, giving up a .769 OPS to left-handed hitters and .514 to right-handed hitters.

Vasquez is eligible for the Rule 5 draft.  He presents the same situation as Domingo Robles:  A finesse pitcher who may not have a great upside but who’s generally been effective in the minors.

CONTRACT INFORMATION
2020: Minor League Contract
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: N/A
MiLB Debut: 2015
MLB Debut: N/A
MiLB FA Eligible: 2021
MLB FA Eligible: N/A
Rule 5 Eligible: 2019
Added to 40-Man: N/A
Options Remaining: 3
MLB Service Time: 0.000
TRANSACTIONS
April 8, 2015: Signed by the Seattle Mariners as an international free agent.
August 6, 2016: Traded by the Seattle Mariners with Jake Brentz to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Arquimedes Caminero; designated as player to be named later on September 1.