Ambiorix Burgos
| IP | 160 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.613 |
| WHIP | 1.481 |
| BB/9 | 4.331 |
| SO/9 | 8.775 |
- Full name Ambiorix Burgos
- Born 04/19/1984 in Nagua, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 245 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School San Jose De Villa
- Debut 04/23/2005
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Burgos features the best fastball in the system. It tops out at 98 mph, 10 mph more than it did when he signed as a 16-year-old. His heater sits in the low to mid-90s and moves away from righthanders with some cutting action. He struggles to locate his changeup and slider consistently, but can dominate if either is working. More often than not, he can't command them--which led to his ranking second in the low Class A Midwest League in walks last year. Burgos may throw more strikes once he does a better job of maintaining his delivery, which could happen soon because he finally has stopped growing and begun to get used to his body. He showed an average splitter late in the year, and it could become a key pitch if Burgos ends up in the bullpen. That's a move he'd favor because of his strong ambition to become a closer. To succeed as a starter, he'll need to trust his stuff more and do more than simply trying to blaze fastballs by hitters. Burgos also needs to show more maturity and focus. He'll remain in the rotation in high Class A this year. -
Burgos is the only other player in the system with a pure power arm that can rival Colt Griffin's. Burgos made his U.S. debut last year after two seasons in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. He threw 87-88 mph when he signed in 2002, climbed to 94- 95 a year later and now unleashed 96-97 mph heat. Burgos already shows an advanced feel for his changeup and is working on a slider and curveball. He has solid mechanics but still is adjusting to having grown four inches since signing. His high waist and long arms lead to effortless velocity. He just needs to maintain a more consistent release point and overall focus. Burgos can dominate on the mound with his physical stature and raw stuff, but he has really struggled with cultural adjustments, including learning English. He grew up in a rough area of the Dominican and can be tough to coach at times. Burgos shows the baseball skills to move to low Class A, but his maturity will dictate whether he goes to Burlington or Rookie-level Idaho Falls. Though he has a front-of-the-rotation ceiling, he's a long way from reaching it.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
Extremely similar to Jepsen, Burgos finished right behind him in terms of having the top fastball (91-98 mph) as well as in walks (75 in 134 innings). While Jepsen was fairly consistent before tiring late in the season, Burgos rode a roller coaster. He lost his first six decisions, then allowed one earned run or less in nine of his next 10 starts. Most MWL observers projected Burgos as a future setup man or closer because he doesn't spin a breaking ball well. His slider is iffy and his changeup is average at best, but this year he did add a splitter that has potential. Along with his command and secondary pitches, he also must improve his focus and maturity.
