Luis Gil

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #19 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: Gil was traded to the Yankees from the Twins in 2018 in a deal that sent outfielder Jake Cave to Minnesota. He made six big league starts in 2021 and one more in 2022 before suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament that required Tommy John surgery. He did not pitch in the big leagues in 2023 but made two rehab starts at Low-A Tampa.
  
  Scouting Report: At his best, Gil works with a three-pitch mix. Before the surgery his fastball showed the markings of a true plus pitch, with mid-90s velocity and high spin and hop through the zone. In his brief 2023 showing, the pitch averaged 96 mph. He backed it with a slider that also had a chance to rank as a 60 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. At Tampa, the pitch sat around 86 mph and got whiffs on the half the swings it induced. Gil completes his mix with a low-90s changeup that before the surgery showed fringe-average potential His command and control were fringe-average during his major league stint.
  
  The Future: Gil will be ready to start fresh come spring training, when he will battle for a spot on the big league staff. His time away will make a starter’s workload tricky, and he still needs to prove that his changeup and control need to come forward a bit to reach his former ceiling. His fastball and slider could make him a useful weapon out of the bullpen, especially if he gets a few more ticks of velocity when deployed in shorter bursts.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #11 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: Gil was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2014, then dealt to the Yankees in 2018 for outfielder Jake Cave. Gil began his Yankees career in Low-A Charleston, where he was part of a stacked rotation that also included the since-traded Luis Medina, Roansy Contreras and Alexander Vizcaino. Gil cut his way through the minor leagues before making his big league debut on Aug. 8, 2021. Gil spent the bulk of his 2022 season in Triple-A, save for one big league start, after which he was sent down. He made one more start with Triple-A before a torn ulnar collateral ligament required Tommy John surgery.
  
  Scouting Report: Gil works with a three-pitch mix fronted by a fastball that averages around 96 mph and can touch a few ticks higher. The pitch has plenty of spin and riding life through the zone, placing it among the organization's best fastballs. He backs the fastball with a potentially plus slider in the mid 80s. This past season was the first time since before the pandemic that baseball was played in the northeast in April, and Gil had early struggles finding a good feel for the slider in the cold weather. He rounds out his mix with a potentially fringe-average changeup in the low 90s. He has near-average control and command of his mix.
  
  The Future: For now, Gil will play the waiting game while he rehabs. Once he returns, the long layoff might make it tough to build him back into a starter's workload. If that's the case, his fastball-slider combo should play out of the bullpen.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 45
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #4 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Four years after signing with the Twins, Gil was dealt to the Yankees for outfielder Jake Cave in 2018. He entered 2019 as part of a pack of talented righthanders that also included Luis Medina, Roansy Contreras and Alexander Vizcaino. Contreras and Vizcaino have since been traded, while Medina continues to show flashes of dominance. Gil put together a strong season thanks to further development of his changeup and was rewarded with his first big league callup, where he posted a 3.07 ERA in six starts.
  
  Scouting Report: Gil is a hard-throwing starter with a classic pitcher’s frame built to withstand the rigors of a high workload. His hallmark is a lively fastball that averages 96 mph and his mid-80s slider continues to be his best secondary weapon and a potential plus pitch. One of the keys to his future will be the development of his low-90s changeup, which needs to show more movement and separation from his fastball to be an effective third pitch. His fringy control caught up with him at Triple-A, where he walked 15% of hitters, and remains a limiting factor.
  
  The Future: After a taste of the big leagues in 2021, Gil should battle for a spot on the Opening Day roster. If his changeup and control improve, he can be part of the starting rotation. If not, he could be an effective late-inning reliever.
  
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #4 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.
  Track Record: Gil signed with the Twins for $90,000 in 2014 and was traded to the Yankees for outfielder Jake Cave before the 2018 season. He took off after the trade and rose to high Class A Tampa in 2019, earning a place on the Yankees’ 40-man roster after the season. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site building on previous developmental gains.
  
  Scouting Report: Gil is a power-armed righthander with an upper-90s fastball. The Yankees worked with him at the alternate site to give the pitch riding life at the top of the zone while weeding out the version that bleeds into two-seam territory, helping it move toward its plus-plus potential. Gil’s slider is a new addition to his arsenal, replacing his curveball, and ranges from 82-88 mph while showing average promise with more development. The Yankees like the movement and shape of Gil’s low-90s changeup, but would like to see him execute the pitch more consistently. To that end, they asked him to shift the way he holds the changeup in an effort to make it more enticing to batters than it currently is. Gil has long struggled with walks and needs a lot of work to reach even average control.
  
  The Future: Gil gained valuable experience at the alternate training site. He has a chance to reach Double-A in 2021. .
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #4 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Gil was signed by the Twins in 2014 on the strength of a loose, live arm and a frame that projected to develop into that of a classic power pitcher. He was dealt to the Yankees in the winter of 2017 in a onefor- one deal for outfielder Jake Cave.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gil's calling card is his fastball, which sizzles into hitters in the upper 90s and touched as high as 101 mph in 2019. The pitch ranks as at least a 70 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale on velocity and movement, which has electric boring life in on the hands of lefthanders and extreme carry through the zone when he works to his gloveside. He backs up the fastball with a sweeping curveball in the low 80s and a changeup that averaged 91 mph. Scouts were uniformly impressed at the ease with which he produced that kind of velocity. Both offspeed pitches need considerable work in terms of command and consistency but each projects as a 50-to-55 grade pitch.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gil's season ended a little early after he reported tightness in his right biceps after a side session but he might have been ready to go again were the Florida State League's last few games not canceled due to threat of hurricane. He will return to high Class A Tampa. If both of his offspeed pitches take steps forward he has a chance to be a mid-rotation starter. If only one does, he fits as a dynamic weapon toward the back of a bullpen.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #26 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Gil signed with the Twins as a 16-year-old in 2014 and was dealt to the Yankees before the 2018 season in a one-for-one deal for outfielder Jake Cave. The Yankees skipped Gil over the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in favor of starting his stateside career in the Rookie-level Appalachian League.
  
  Scouting Report: The first thing that jumps out about Gil is his fastball. The pitch already sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and touches triple-digits. At its best, the pitch shows explosive riding life up and in to lefthanders. He pairs his heater primarily with a curveball in the 79-84 mph range that shows variable break. It is most effective when it shows more depth than sweep. With more consistency, the pitch could project as above-average. He also throws a firm, low-90s changeup in its nascent stages. Wiry and long-levered, Gil tends to lose the zone when his delivery gets out of sync, the reason behind an ugly 6.3 walk rate in 2018.
  
  The Future: Gil will head to low Class A Charleston in 2019 to keep sharpening his arsenal and command.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #14 prospect in 2019
  Gil was one of the toughest pitchers in the South Atlantic League to hit thanks to an exceptional 70-grade fastball. He's touched 100 mph and sits 93-98 mph from an easy, relaxed delivery that is short in the back. Gil can generate consistent swings and misses at the top of (and above) the strike zone. But some scouts see him as a future power reliever because his secondary pitches need work and his velocity will often tail off his second time through the lineup. Gil's slider is a slurvy pitch that sometimes looks more like a curve and sometimes shortens up into a slider. His average changeup has more potential. Like many of his RiverDogs teammates, it's a hard changeup that relies on late action to get swings and misses instead of deception to get weak contact. Gil has several paths to future MLB success. If he can develop better stamina and a better breaking ball he could be a mid-rotation starter. With less development he still should be a useful reliever.
• 
  Ranked American League #19 prospect in 2018
  A hard-throwing righthander, Gil had impressive results in his first stint in the United States with a 1.37 ERA and 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings this summer in the Appy League. That success came in spite of a high walk rate (5.7 BB/9) and allowed the 20-year-old pitcher to get promoted to low Class A Staten Island. Gil's best pitch is a fastball that sits in the mid 90s and touches triple digits, exploding in the zone late on hitters out of a loose arm action. He throws a fringe-average curveball in the low 80s and is still in the early stages of developing a changeup. Throwing strikes will always be the issue with Gil, as scouts put 30 grades on his control, with some optimistically giving him 40-grade control in the future.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: Gil was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2014, then dealt to the Yankees in 2018 for outfielder Jake Cave. Gil began his Yankees career in Low-A Charleston, where he was part of a stacked rotation that also included the since-traded Luis Medina, Roansy Contreras and Alexander Vizcaino. Gil cut his way through the minor leagues before making his big league debut on Aug. 8, 2021. Gil spent the bulk of his 2022 season in Triple-A, save for one big league start, after which he was sent down. He made one more start with Triple-A before a torn ulnar collateral ligament required Tommy John surgery.
  
  Scouting Report: Gil works with a three-pitch mix fronted by a fastball that averages around 96 mph and can touch a few ticks higher. The pitch has plenty of spin and riding life through the zone, placing it among the organization's best fastballs. He backs the fastball with a potentially plus slider in the mid 80s. This past season was the first time since before the pandemic that baseball was played in the northeast in April, and Gil had early struggles finding a good feel for the slider in the cold weather. He rounds out his mix with a potentially fringe-average changeup in the low 90s. He has near-average control and command of his mix.
  
  The Future: For now, Gil will play the waiting game while he rehabs. Once he returns, the long layoff might make it tough to build him back into a starter's workload. If that's the case, his fastball-slider combo should play out of the bullpen.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 45
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: Gil was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2014, then dealt to the Yankees in 2018 for outfielder Jake Cave. Gil began his Yankees career in Low-A Charleston, where he was part of a stacked rotation that also included the since-traded Luis Medina, Roansy Contreras and Alexander Vizcaino. Gil cut his way through the minor leagues before making his big league debut on Aug. 8, 2021. Gil spent the bulk of his 2022 season in Triple-A, save for one big league start, after which he was sent down. He made one more start with Triple-A before a torn ulnar collateral ligament required Tommy John surgery.
  
  Scouting Report: Gil works with a three-pitch mix fronted by a fastball that averages around 96 mph and can touch a few ticks higher. The pitch has plenty of spin and riding life through the zone, placing it among the organization's best fastballs. He backs the fastball with a potentially plus slider in the mid 80s. This past season was the first time since before the pandemic that baseball was played in the northeast in April, and Gil had early struggles finding a good feel for the slider in the cold weather. He rounds out his mix with a potentially fringe-average changeup in the low 90s. He has near-average control and command of his mix.
  
  The Future: For now, Gil will play the waiting game while he rehabs. Once he returns, the long layoff might make it tough to build him back into a starter's workload. If that's the case, his fastball-slider combo should play out of the bullpen.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 45
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 55/Extreme
  
  Midseason Update: Gil had struggled through the first couple of months at Triple-A, which served as his first real exposure to cold-weather baseball, but earned a call back to the big leagues May 12. He tore the ulnar collateral ligament in that outing, however, and had Tommy John surgery.
  
  Track Record: Four years after signing with the Twins, Gil was dealt to the Yankees for outfielder Jake Cave in 2018. He entered 2019 as part of a pack of talented righthanders that also included Luis Medina, Roansy Contreras and Alexander Vizcaino. Contreras and Vizcaino have since been traded, while Medina continues to show flashes of dominance. Gil put together a strong season thanks to further development of his changeup and was rewarded with a six-start look in the big leagues.
  
  Scouting Report: Gil is a hard-throwing starter with a classic pitcher&#39s frame built to withstand the rigors of a high workload. He was excellent in Double-A for seven starts before moving to Triple-A, where his spotty control started to catch up with him and he walked 15% of hitters. Gil&#39s hallmark is a lively fastball that averaged 96 mph in the big leagues and roughly the same in Triple-A, where he spent part of the season pitching through a stiff neck. His mid-80s slider continues to be his best secondary weapon and a potential plus pitch. The key to his future will be his low-90s changeup, which needs to show more movement and separation from his fastball to be an effective third pitch.
  
  The Future: After a taste of the big leagues in 2021, Gil should battle for a spot on the Opening Day roster. If his changeup reaches his ceiling, he can be part of a rotation. If not, he could be an effective late-inning reliever.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Four years after signing with the Twins, Gil was dealt to the Yankees for outfielder Jake Cave in 2018. He entered 2019 as part of a pack of talented righthanders that also included Luis Medina, Roansy Contreras and Alexander Vizcaino. Contreras and Vizcaino have since been traded, while Medina continues to show flashes of dominance. Gil put together a strong season thanks to further development of his changeup and was rewarded with his first big league callup, where he posted a 3.07 ERA in six starts.
  
  Scouting Report: Gil is a hard-throwing starter with a classic pitcher’s frame built to withstand the rigors of a high workload. His hallmark is a lively fastball that averages 96 mph and his mid-80s slider continues to be his best secondary weapon and a potential plus pitch. One of the keys to his future will be the development of his low-90s changeup, which needs to show more movement and separation from his fastball to be an effective third pitch. His fringy control caught up with him at Triple-A, where he walked 15% of hitters, and remains a limiting factor.
  
  The Future: After a taste of the big leagues in 2021, Gil should battle for a spot on the Opening Day roster. If his changeup and control improve, he can be part of the starting rotation. If not, he could be an effective late-inning reliever.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.
  Track Record: Gil signed with the Twins for $90,000 in 2014 and was traded to the Yankees for outfielder Jake Cave before the 2018 season. He took off after the trade and rose to high Class A Tampa in 2019, earning a place on the Yankees' 40-man roster after the season. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site building on previous developmental gains.
  
  Scouting Report: Gil is a power-armed righthander with an upper-90s fastball. The Yankees worked with him at the alternate site to give the pitch riding life at the top of the zone while weeding out the version that bleeds into two-seam territory, helping it move toward its plus-plus potential. Gil's slider is a new addition to his arsenal, replacing his curveball, and ranges from 82-88 mph while showing average promise with more development. The Yankees like the movement and shape of Gil's low-90s changeup, but would like to see him execute the pitch more consistently. To that end, they asked him to shift the way he holds the changeup in an effort to make it more enticing to batters than it currently is. Gil has long struggled with walks and needs a lot of work to reach even average control.
  
  The Future: Gil gained valuable experience at the alternate training site. He has a chance to reach Double-A in 2021. .
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.
  Track Record: Gil signed with the Twins for $90,000 in 2014 and was traded to the Yankees for outfielder Jake Cave before the 2018 season. He took off after the trade and rose to high Class A Tampa in 2019, earning a place on the Yankees’ 40-man roster after the season. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site building on previous developmental gains.
  
  Scouting Report: Gil is a power-armed righthander with an upper-90s fastball. The Yankees worked with him at the alternate site to give the pitch riding life at the top of the zone while weeding out the version that bleeds into two-seam territory, helping it move toward its plus-plus potential. Gil’s slider is a new addition to his arsenal, replacing his curveball, and ranges from 82-88 mph while showing average promise with more development. The Yankees like the movement and shape of Gil’s low-90s changeup, but would like to see him execute the pitch more consistently. To that end, they asked him to shift the way he holds the changeup in an effort to make it more enticing to batters than it currently is. Gil has long struggled with walks and needs a lot of work to reach even average control.
  
  The Future: Gil gained valuable experience at the alternate training site. He has a chance to reach Double-A in 2021. .
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.
  Track Record: Gil signed with the Twins for $90,000 in 2014 and was traded to the Yankees for outfielder Jake Cave before the 2018 season. He took off after the trade and rose to high Class A Tampa in 2019, earning a place on the Yankees’ 40-man roster after the season. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site building on previous developmental gains.
  
  Scouting Report: Gil is a power-armed righthander with an upper-90s fastball. The Yankees worked with him at the alternate site to give the pitch riding life at the top of the zone while weeding out the version that bleeds into two-seam territory, helping it move toward its plus-plus potential. Gil’s slider is a new addition to his arsenal, replacing his curveball, and ranges from 82-88 mph while showing average promise with more development. The Yankees like the movement and shape of Gil’s low-90s changeup, but would like to see him execute the pitch more consistently. To that end, they asked him to shift the way he holds the changeup in an effort to make it more enticing to batters than it currently is. Gil has long struggled with walks and needs a lot of work to reach even average control.
  
  The Future: Gil gained valuable experience at the alternate training site. He has a chance to reach Double-A in 2021. .
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Gil was signed by the Twins in 2014 on the strength of a loose, live arm and a frame that projected to develop into that of a classic power pitcher. He was dealt to the Yankees in the winter of 2017 in a onefor- one deal for outfielder Jake Cave.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gil’s calling card is his fastball, which sizzles into hitters in the upper 90s and touched as high as 101 mph in 2019. The pitch ranks as at least a 70 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale on velocity and movement, which has electric boring life in on the hands of lefthanders and extreme carry through the zone when he works to his gloveside. He backs up the fastball with a sweeping curveball in the low 80s and a changeup that averaged 91 mph. Scouts were uniformly impressed at the ease with which he produced that kind of velocity. Both offspeed pitches need considerable work in terms of command and consistency but each projects as a 50-to-55 grade pitch.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gil’s season ended a little early after he reported tightness in his right biceps after a side session but he might have been ready to go again were the Florida State League’s last few games not canceled due to threat of hurricane. He will return to high Class A Tampa. If both of his offspeed pitches take steps forward he has a chance to be a mid-rotation starter. If only one does, he fits as a dynamic weapon toward the back of a bullpen.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Gil was signed by the Twins in 2014 on the strength of a loose, live arm and a frame that projected to develop into that of a classic power pitcher. He was dealt to the Yankees in the winter of 2017 in a onefor- one deal for outfielder Jake Cave.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Gil's calling card is his fastball, which sizzles into hitters in the upper 90s and touched as high as 101 mph in 2019. The pitch ranks as at least a 70 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale on velocity and movement, which has electric boring life in on the hands of lefthanders and extreme carry through the zone when he works to his gloveside. He backs up the fastball with a sweeping curveball in the low 80s and a changeup that averaged 91 mph. Scouts were uniformly impressed at the ease with which he produced that kind of velocity. Both offspeed pitches need considerable work in terms of command and consistency but each projects as a 50-to-55 grade pitch.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gil's season ended a little early after he reported tightness in his right biceps after a side session but he might have been ready to go again were the Florida State League's last few games not canceled due to threat of hurricane. He will return to high Class A Tampa. If both of his offspeed pitches take steps forward he has a chance to be a mid-rotation starter. If only one does, he fits as a dynamic weapon toward the back of a bullpen.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Gil was one of the toughest pitchers in the South Atlantic League to hit thanks to an exceptional 70-grade fastball. He's touched 100 mph and sits 93-98 mph from an easy, relaxed delivery that is short in the back. Gil can generate consistent swings and misses at the top of (and above) the strike zone. But some scouts see him as a future power reliever because his secondary pitches need work and his velocity will often tail off his second time through the lineup. Gil's slider is a slurvy pitch that sometimes looks more like a curve and sometimes shortens up into a slider. His average changeup has more potential. Like many of his RiverDogs teammates, it's a hard changeup that relies on late action to get swings and misses instead of deception to get weak contact. Gil has several paths to future MLB success. If he can develop better stamina and a better breaking ball he could be a mid-rotation starter. With less development he still should be a useful reliever.