Renyel Pinto
| IP | 231 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.623 |
| WHIP | 1.463 |
| BB/9 | 5.922 |
| SO/9 | 8.649 |
- Full name Renyel Pinto
- Born 07/08/1982 in Miranda, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 280 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School U.E. Ocho De Diciembre
- Debut 05/18/2006
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Acquired from the Cubs in the Juan Pierre deal, big league pitching coach Rick Kranitz knows Pinto well from their time in that organization. If he ever harnesses his physical gifts, he could have a long career. For now the trouble seems to be determining whether he should be a starter or a reliever. He worked in the former role exclusively at Triple-A Albuquerque, but the Marlins used him only in long relief in the majors, where he was promoted three separate times last year. A big-bodied slinger with a 91-93 mph fastball, Pinto handled lefties and righties equally well. Pinto has a putaway slider against lefties and an underrated changeup he needs to use more. Command remains a problem, but he did strike out more than a batter per inning at both levels. He does a good job of holding runners but sometimes gets into trouble by being too quick to the plate. The Marlins would like to see him be more aggressive in general as he reprises his role in the big league bullpen. -
Pinto should have carried a lot of positive momentum into 2005. He was coming off a breakout season in which he led the Southern League in ERA and was the Cubs minor league pitcher of the year. But visa problems made him the last man on Chicago's 40-man roster to report to big league camp, and when he arrived he wasn't in good shape. He wasn't able to handle a jump to Triple-A and had to return to Double-A. Before the Cubs included him in the Juan Pierre trade, Pinto had arguably the best stuff in their system. He has a darting 91-94 mph fastball, a plus changeup with sink and fade, and a hard breaking ball that's closer to a slider than a curveball. His low three-quarters delivery makes his pitches difficult to pick up. What he doesn't have is control and command. Pinto has trouble finding the strike zone, and even when he does he doesn't always put the ball where he wants. Triple-A hitters pounded him by refusing to chase pitches and then teeing off when he laid one over the plate. If he figures everything out, Pinto could pitch toward the front of a big league rotation. But he still has a great deal of work to do. Like most of the pitchers the Marlins acquired during the offseason, Pinto has yet to prove himself in Triple-A but could be pressed into big league duty in 2006. -
Pinto went 21-31, 4.22 over his first five pro seasons and spent 2001- 03 in Class A before he broke out last season. He led the Double-A Southern League in ERA and strikeouts, and was the Cubs' minor league pitcher of the year. Pinto's best pitch is a plus changeup with good deception, sink and fade. His lively 92-94 mph fastball darts in and out of the strike zone. He may throw harder as he fills out his lanky frame, and even if he doesn't, hitters have trouble picking up his pitches from his low three-quarters delivery. His slider shows flashes of becoming a third above-average pitch. Pinto's biggest need is to keep his fastball in the zone, because when hitters don't chase it he gives up too many walks. He needs added consistency with his slider. Some scouts think his stuff grades better than he pitches and question whether he can win in the majors without better command. Pinto will return to the Triple-A Pacific Coast League after pitching well there in the playoffs. Chicago has several lefty relief options, so he'll probably stay in the Iowa rotation all year. -
Pinto's 2003 season started on the wrong foot. He missed the first four weeks with a sprained ankle, then gave up a total of three earned runs in his first four starts--and had a 0-2 record to show with it. Though his run support never came around, he finished the year on a positive note when the Cubs added him to the 40-man roster for the first time. Pinto throws his fastball in the low 90s and misses bats because hitters have a hard time picking up his pitches from his low three-quarters arm angle. He's still turning his curveball and changeup into consistently effective pitches, but he shows pretty good command. If his secondary pitches don't come around, he'd make a good lefty reliever. Pinto will pitch in the Double-A rotation this year. -
Pinto has some power in his left arm but doesn't display it consistently. Julio Garcia, his Midwest League manager the last two years, has seen him touch 93-94 mph. One member of the Cubs front office says he never has seen Pinto show that kind of velocity, while another has watched him top out at 96. Pinto recovered from mild elbow problems that bothered him in 2001, but he wasn't able to handle high Class A at the beginning of last season because his secondary pitches aren't effective. Throwing from a deceptive, low three-quarters delivery, he's tough for lefthanders to pick up. They batted .224 and went homerless in 98 at-bats against Pinto in 2002. If he can't develop a couple of pitches to complement his fastball, a move to the bullpen may be in his future. That could happen as early as 2003, because competition for spots in the high Class A rotation will be spirited.
Minor League Top Prospects
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After leading the SL in ERA and strikeouts last year, Pinto began 2005 in Triple-A and got hit hard before being sent back to West Tenn. He quickly returned to his 2004 form, though he still struggled to find the strike zone from time to time. That has always been the knock on Pinto, who has very good stuff but doesn't know how to command it. He possesses three plus pitches: a 91-94 mph fastball, a mid-80s slider and a deceptive changeup with good sink and fade. "He has as good an arm as there is in the league," Snitker said. "Pinto's stuff is as good as any of them, but he's just erratic." -
In a Cubs system stocked with arms, Pinto tends to get overlooked. He got attention this season, however, winning the league ERA (2.92) and strikeout (179 in 142 innings) titles in his first shot at Double-A and earning a late promotion to Triple-A, where he pitched well in the Pacific Coast League playoffs. One scout said Pinto was the second-best pitcher in the league behind Capellan. Managers liked his arm strength and he showed electric stuff at times, featuring a lively 92-94 mph fastball that moved everywhere. His changeup was probably his second-best pitch, and he also showed a good feel for pitching and a competitive approach. Pinto does need to cut down on his walks, but scouts said he can be effectively wild and could dial down his fastball a bit if needed to gain better control. "He could pitch at 90 or lower with that kind of movement and be successful," one said.
