Miguel De Los Santos Stats & Scouting Report

IP	387
ERA	3.837
WHIP	1.248
BB/9	5.023
SO/9	13.419

Full name Miguel De Los Santos
Born 07/10/1988 in La Romana, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Though de los Santos has been in the Rangers system for six seasons, he has logged just 274 innings in pro ball and only 28 above Class A. He had Tommy John surgery in 2007 and visa issues kept him in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in 2009. Last year, he came down with biceps tendinitis during spring training and a shoulder strain in May. De los Santos made up for lost time in the Arizona Fall League, but he still has a lot of work to do. His fastball sits at 89-92 mph and touches 94, but he doesn't command it consistently. He's most effective when he can pitch down in the zone with his fastball, which plays off his Bugs Bunny changeup with tornado action and two-plane depth. He has a tendency to use his devastating changeup too much, though. His sharp curveball was his best secondary offering when he signed, but it's now more of an 11-to-5 breaker than a true downer. De los Santos has the stuff to start, but he projects as a late-inning reliever because of command issues and funky mechanics. He'll get another shot at Double-A in 2012.
De los Santos' development was slowed by Tommy John surgery in 2007 and visa issues that kept him in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in 2009, but he made a splash back in the United States last season. He averaged 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings while reaching low Class A for the first time, and he fanned eight of the 15 batters he faced in the South Atlantic League playoffs. De los Santos has an exciting three-pitch mix, highlighted by the best changeup in the system, a plus-plus pitch with screwball action and two-plane depth. His fastball sits at 90-92 mph range and tops out at 94, but his fastball command comes and goes. He tends to fall in love with his heater at the expense of his other pitches. He also throws a sharp overhand curveball that rates as at least a solid-average pitch. Whether de los Santos can repeat his delivery and refine his fastball command will determine if his future is in a starting or relieving role, but he has the pure stuff to be a quality No. 3 starter. The Rangers added him to the 40-man roster this offseason. He's already 22 and has pitched just 179 innings in five pro seasons, so the Rangers will start pushing him in 2011. He'll probably open the season in high Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

The Rangers have been very patient with de los Santos, who has barely surfaced above high Class A in six years as a pro. He opened 2011 in Double-A, where he had an 8.04 ERA in six starts before missing nearly two months with shoulder issues. Under the tutelage of Myrtle Beach pitching coach Brad Holman, he started using his curveball more and finished the season with four double-digit strikeouts games in his final six starts. De los Santos' best pitch is a changeup that features screwball action and rates a 60-65 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He still needs to show more fastball velocity and life, because he often sits at 89-90 mph with a relatively straight heater. His curve and command also require further improvements.
For the third straight year, Spokane had the top lefthanded pitching prospect in the league. De los Santos followed in the footsteps of Martin Perez and Robbie Ross, sticking out with a 91-92 mph fastball that he can dial up to 94 and a big league-quality curveball with sharp, late break. He also has an effective changeup. While de los Santos has quality stuff, he has a tendency to fall in love with his fastball. He also needs to work on being more focused and mentally prepared for his starts. De Los Santos was slow getting to the United States after missing most of 2007 due to Tommy John surgery, but he has the ceiling of a mid-rotation starter and is a solid bet to become at least a late-inning reliever.