Juan Urbina
| IP | 88 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.909 |
| WHIP | 1.534 |
| BB/9 | 4.602 |
| SO/9 | 7.875 |
- Full name Juan Manuel Urbina
- Born 05/31/1993 in Ocumare Del Tuy, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: L / Throws: L
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
The Mets signed Urbina for $1.2 million in 2009, paying out a larger sum to him than any international amateur in club history save for Fernando Martinez, who signed for $1.3 million four years earlier. New York used Urbina's signing to make up for a lack of a first-round pick in the 2009 draft. He's the son of former all-star closer Ugueth Urbina, convicted and incarcerated in his native Venezuela on two counts of attempted murder. Juan's ERA jumped nearly a full run as he climbed a step up the ladder from the Gulf Coast League in 2010 to Rookie-level Kingsport in 2011, but the silver lining is that he improved dramatically after a rough start. He went 4-3, 4.00 in his final seven starts, notching 34 strikeouts and eight walks in 36 innings. Tall, lean and loose, Urbina pitches at 88-89 mph with the promise of more fastball velocity as he fills out. The Mets also project him to have a more consistent slider in time, but the pitch flattens out too much now when he gets around it. No such problems exist with his plus changeup, which he sells with his arm speed. Urbina leans heavy on the projection side of the scale now, with the upside of a No. 3 starter or more provided he finds more velocity and a tighter breaking ball. Not many international bonus babies spend three years in short-season leagues, so Urbina probably will head to low Class A on a strict pitch count in 2012. -
The Mets compensated for having no first-round pick in 2009 by signing Urbina for $1.2 million. New York hadn't approached that bonus figure with a foreign amateur since inking Fernando Martinez for $1.3 million in 2005. Urbina is the son of two-time all-star closer Ugueth Urbina, who is serving a 14-year prison sentence in Venezuela for two counts of attempted murder. Despite a 5.03 ERA, Juan made a promising pro debut in the Gulf Coast League last year, ranking as the circuit's top pitching prospect. He touches the low 90s now but mostly shows a fringe-average fastball at 87-88 mph. The Mets expect him to add velocity because he has plenty of room to fill out his 6-foot-2 frame and because of his loose, easy arm action. Urbina repeats his delivery well, which helps him sell the arm speed on a plus changeup that features late sink and fade. He shows precocious faith in the changeup, throwing it in any count. Urbina's slider features late downward action and two-plane break when it's right, but it's a work in progress that often sweeps more than breaks. If his fastball graduates more into the 90s and his slider comes up a grade or two, Urbina could be a rotation mainstay. He'll be 18 for all of 2011, so the Mets have time to bring him along slowly with another assignment to a short-season league. -
The son of former big league righthander Ugueth Urbina, who's serving a 14-year jail sentence in Venezuela, Juan signed with the Mets in July for $1.2 million. It was the largest bonus the Mets bestowed on any amateur player in 2009, as the organization had no first-round draft pick in June after signing free agent closer Francisco Rodriguez. Unlike his father, who made two all-star teams as a closer, Juan projects as a starter, at least at this early stage of his career. He threw a bullpen session in New York after signing but has yet to make his pro debut. Urbina has a loose, quick arm and already sits at 88-89 mph and tops out at 91 with his fastball. He has plenty of projection remaining in his lean, athletic frame and figures to develop at least a consistent low-90s heater. He commands his fastball well and sets it up with a changeup that features good sink. His clean mechanics should minimize his risk of injury. He pitches like the son of a former big league pitcher, as he shows advanced feel for pitching and the ability to throw strikes. Urbina's slider lags behind his other two pitches, though it does show some promise. Thanks to his bloodlines, he's more advanced than most pitchers his age, but he still has a long ways to go and will require a lot of innings to develop. He'll need all three of his pitches if he's to remain a starter. The Mets expect that Urbina likely will begin his pro career in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Whether the Mets will push him as quickly as they've moved other recent signees such as Jennry Mejia, Wilmer Flores, Fernando Martinez and Ruben Tejada remains to be seen.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
The son of former big league reliever Ugueth Urbina, Juan signed for $1.2 million in July 2009. He made his pro debut in the GCL this summer, and though he posted a 5.03 ERA, there was plenty to like. His fastball currently sits at 89 mph and tops out at 92, but it's easy to think more velocity will come because he has a projectable frame and an easy delivery. He repeats his mechanics well, which also will help him continue to throw strikes. Urbina maintains good arm speed on his changeup, his second-best pitch, which has good sink and fade. He also throws a slider, but it's a work in progress. At times it has sharp, two-plane break, but he gets around it too much, making it more sweepy.
