Alfredo Figaro

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #15 prospect in 2010
  The Dodgers originally signed Figaro in 2004 but released him after his first pro season. The Tigers signed him the following spring and he joined his cousin, Fernando Rodney, on their big league pitching staff last year. Figaro probably didn't gain many fans in Detroit, as he was thrust into the spotlight and was one of the goats in the Tigers' late-season collapse, but he has the stuff to warrant another chance. He has a power arm, with a sinker that sits at 92-95 mph and tops out at 98. He throws two hard breaking balls: a curveball that peaks at 80 mph, and a mid-80s slider that can get a little short and look more like a cutter at times. He also throws a changeup, but he doesn't use it much because it's his fourth-best offering. Figaro's offspeed stuff and command can be inconsistent, but he has a power arsenal and can get swings and misses with three of his pitches. While he has spent most of his career starting, the Tigers have a crowded rotation, so he could come out of the bullpen and get an occasional spot start until things clear out. Otherwise he'll move into the Triple-A rotation. He has the ceiling of a back-end starter.
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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #16 prospect in 2009
  Figaro originally signed with the Dodgers, but when Los Angeles released him after his first pro season, Detroit grabbed him the following spring. He has been a starter but seems destined to move to the bullpen--the same career path traveled by his cousin, Tigers reliever Fernando Rodney. Figaro has a strong, wiry body and an arm that works well. He's capable of whipping fastballs at 93-96 mph and has touched 98. He seems to have his best velocity when he focuses on throwing strikes rather than lighting up radar guns. Figaro is animated on the mound, which makes it difficult to predict how he'll perform over the course of each start. Shorter relief stints would give him a better chance to repeat his delivery. His effective changeup bears a slight resemblance to Rodney's signature pitch, though it doesn't have the same devastating movement. Figaro has a pair of hard breaking balls but struggles to throw either his curveball or slider for strikes. In many respects, he has a similar profile to Freddy Dolsi, who performed well for the Tigers in 2008 despite little prior experience in the high minors. Figaro had a strong showing in instructional league last year, which could allow him to open 2009 in Double-A. Detroit added him to its 40-man roster in November.