Juan Carlos Sulbaran

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #12 prospect in 2012
  Ever since the Reds' gave him $500,000 as a 30th-rounder in 2008, Sulbaran has shown some of the better stuff in the system but not the performance to match. Maturity issues have been his biggest obstacle, and blister problems also haven't helped. In 2011, he finally took some steps forward, posting career bests in ERA (4.60) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.2) in the high Class A California League, a notorious hitter's haven. Cincinnati managed to get Sulbaran better directed toward home plate in his delivery last year. He still throws across his body but not nearly as much as in the past, and his improved mechanics gave him increased ability to locate pitches to his arm side. After sitting at 89-92 mph with his fastball in previous years, Sulbaran rang up a lot of 93s and 94s and touched 95 in 2011. His fastball has late sink, which makes it more effective. He's still working on his secondary pitches, an erratic curveball that's a plus offering at times and a fringy changeup that gives him a chance against lefthanders. Sulbaran has the stuff to be a No. 3 starter if he can continue to improve his command and mound presence. He'll work on that in Double-A this year.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #25 prospect in 2010
  Though he's one of the younger pitchers in the system, Sulbaran already has more experience facing elite-level hitters than any Reds farmhand. Before he ever threw a professional pitch, he had faced Cuba's powerful national team twice, once in the Beijing Olympics and once in the Haarlem Honkbal tournament. And before he made his pro debut in 2009, he struck out Ivan Rodriguez and retired Yadier Molina and Carlos Beltran while pitching out of the pen for the Dutch team at the World Baseball Classic. Unfortunately for Sulbaran, a $500,000 bonus baby, his international success has been the highlight of his young pro career and made the day-to-day grind of the minor league season seem mundane by comparison. His first pro season was hampered by a blister problem and his own lack of focus. He was held back in extended spring until May 1 because of blisters, then struggled with them throughout the second half of the season. Sulbaran needs to prove that he can win when he doesn't have his best stuff. He sometimes sits at 89-92 mph with his lively fastball and complements it with a plus curveball and an average changeup. But at other times, he struggles to top 90 mph, fails to locate his curveball and doesn't believe in his changeup. Those days became more and more common as the season went along, and he finished with a 5.80 ERA in his final 12 starts. Sulbaran still has one of the better assortments of pitches in the system, but he'll need to take a step forward in 2010.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #20 prospect in 2009
  On most high school teams, Sulbaran would have been the star. But last spring at American Heritage High in Plantation, Fla., he was overshadowed by teammates Eric Hosmer (No. 3 overall pick, Royals) and Adrian Nieto (fifth round, Nationals). The Reds were intrigued by Sulbaran's three-pitch mix and bought him out of his scholarship to Florida for $500,000 after taking a flier on him in the 30th round. A native of Curacao, Sulbaran made a convincing case for his bonus by holding Cuba's national team to one run in seven innings while pitching for the Dutch team at the Haarlem Honkbal tournament. After turning pro, he got a rematch against Cuba in the Olympics, allowing two earned runs in 42⁄3 innings. In that game, he struggled with his command but showed an ability to work out of jams against experienced hitters. He'll also pitch for the Dutch at this spring's World Baseball Classic. For a teenager, Sulbaran has an advanced approach and good control. He throws a 91-94 mph fastball and a promising curveball and changeup. At 6-foot-3, he gets a good downhill plane on his pitches. The Reds got their first up-close look at him in instructional league and think that his international experience will allow him to make his pro debut in low Class A.