Wilfredo Boscan

WILFREDO BOSCAN, RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: October 26, 1989
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 175
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Signed: Int’l free agent, 2006 (Rangers)
How Acquired: Minor League Free Agent
Country: Venezuela
Agent: N/A

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

Boscan is a finesse pitcher who throws an 88-92 mph fastball, along with a curve and change.  He got impressive results early in his career with the Rangers, but he hasn’t done especially well above the low A level and has only limited experience in AAA.  He was a fairly strong groundball pitcher in the lower minors, but he’s been more of a flyball pitcher the last two years.  His K rate has mostly been very low in AA and AAA.  The Pirates signed him to a minor league deal for 2015 with an invitation to major league spring training, then did the same thing for 2016.

2007
DSL:  2-1-0, 1.75 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 56.2 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 9.7 K/9

Boscan had a strong debut at age 17 in the DSL, both starting and relieving.  His fastball, which was 82-83 when he signed, was up to 86-92.

2008
A-:  9-1-0, 3.12 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 69.1 IP, 1.4 BB/9, 9.1 K/9

At age 18, Boscan made the jump to the Northwest League, which is mainly for college players.  He again put up strong numbers, mostly as a starter, and Baseball America ranked him the Rangers’ 11th best prospect after the season.

2009
A:  6-8-0, 3.59 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 105.1 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 9.4 K/9

Boscan had a solid season, again mostly as a starter, as a teenager in low A.  BA ranked him 27th in the Texas system after the season.

2010
A+:  9-14-0, 4.67 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 163.2 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 7.1 K/9

The California League gave Boscan more of a challenge, although he had a passable season given the extreme hitters environment.  He was still a good age for the level.

2011
A+:  4-12-0, 4.69 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 119.0 IP, 2.3 BB/9, 5.4 K/9
AA:  1-3-0, 6.95 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 22.0 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 6.1 K/9

The Rangers sent Boscan to AA to open the season, but he struggled badly through five starts.  They moved him down to high A after that, this time the Carolina League, but the easier environment didn’t help, as he struggled there.  His K rate was down sharply at both levels.

2012
AA:  7-5-0, 3.75 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 98.1 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 8.1 K/9

Boscan spent the season in AA, mostly pitching in relief.  He rebounded well, including his K rate.  After the season, the Rangers sent him to San Diego in a minor deal.

2013
AA:  0-1-0, 4.26 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 19.0 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 5.2 K/9
AAA:  1-3-1, 6.70 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 43.0 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 4.6 K/9

Boscan opened the season in AA and didn’t pitch especially well, but the Padres moved him up to AAA after four starts.  He split his time there between starting and relieving, and got hit hard.  His K rate also dropped a lot at both levels.  The team moved him back down to AA at the end of June, but after one game there he went out for the year with a shoulder strain.  He became a free agent after the season.

2014
AA:  1-7-1, 3.88 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 62.2 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 6.3 K/9
AAA:  2-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.55 WHIP, 3.2 IP, 4.9 BB/9, 9.8 K/9

Boscan signed with the Red Sox late in spring training.  He pitched twice in AAA in mid-April, then missed a month.  When he returned, he went to AA and spent the rest of the season there.  He got better results there than the previous year, mostly pitching in relief, but opponents still hit .299 against him.

2015
AAA:  10-3-0, 3.07 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 126.0 IP, 3.2 BB/9, 6.1 K/9

Given his track record, Boscan looked more like a candidate for Altoona than Indianapolis, but the Pirates not only sent him to AAA, they put him in the rotation.  He started for Indianapolis most of the year and was mostly effective despite a fairly low K rate and opponents hitting .270 against him.  He had trouble with left-handed batters, who had an .803 OPS against him.  Right-handed hitters managed only .599.  The Pirates added him to the 40-man roster and called him up briefly in mid-May when they needed relief depth.  They recalled him two other times for the same reason, but he never got into a major league game.  When Cleveland’s waiver claim of Deolis Guerra was rescinded due to a pre-existing injury, the Pirates designated Boscan for assignment.  He cleared waivers and went to Indianapolis.

Boscan became a free agent after the season, but he re-signed with the Pirates.  He’ll again provide depth in AAA.

UPDATE:  With the Pirates’ pitching staff a complete shambles, and with Boscan again pitching well in AAA, the team called him up in mid-May to pitch out of the bullpen.

CONTRACT INFORMATION
2016: Major league minimum
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: $15,000
MiLB Debut: 2007
MLB Debut: 5/19/16
MiLB FA Eligible: N/A
MLB FA Eligible: 2022
Rule 5 Eligible: Protected
Added to 40-Man: 5/16/2015
Options Remaining: 1 (USED:  2015, 2016)
MLB Service Time: 0.006
TRANSACTIONS
July 10, 2006: Signed with the Texas Rangers as an international free agent.
November 28, 2012:
Traded by the Texas Rangers to the San Diego Padres for Cory Burns.
November 12, 2013: Became a free agent.
March 22, 2014: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Boston Red Sox.
November 4, 2014: Became a free agent.
January 9, 2015: Signed as a minor league free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
May 16, 2015: Contract purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
August 7, 2015: Designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates; outrighted to AAA on August 11.
October 14, 2015: Elected free agency.
December 7, 2015: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as a minor league free agent.
May 19, 2016: Called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates.