Yosver Zulueta Stats & Scouting Report

IP	16.1
ERA	4.96
WHIP	1.35
BB/9	3.86
SO/9	11.02

Full name Yosver Jose Zulueta
Born 01/23/1998 in Remedios, Cuba
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 50/Extreme

Track Record: Signed out of Cuba during the 2019 international signing period for $1 million, Zulueta had Tommy John surgery shortly after signing. Upon returning in 2021, Zulueta tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee covering first base in his first game and missed the remainder of the season. Zulueta returned in 2022, moving up four levels and reaching Triple-A. He returned to Triple-A Buffalo for 2023 and made 45 appearances, primarily as a reliever.

Scouting Report: Zulueta is a true power pitcher who transitioned to a relief role full time in 2023. He mixes four pitches in a sinker, slider, curveball and changeup. Zulueta’s sinker sits 95-96 mph and touches 100 with sink and heavy armside run. Despite the excellent velocity, Zulueta fails to miss many bats with the pitch, in large part due to his below-average command. His slider is plus and sits 83-85 mph with moderate sweep and slight depth. When he commands the pitch, it is rarely barreled and drives a high rate of chase swings. Against lefthanded hitters, Zulueta mixes in his low-80s curveball and a firm upper-80s changeup he rarely lands in the zone. He has premium stuff but his below-average command limits his overall profile. Zulueta showed hints of turning the corner over his final three months of 2023, posting a 2.88 ERA with 29 strikeouts to 12 walks over 25 innings with Buffalo to finish the season.

The Future: Zulueta is a ready-made relief option for the Blue Jays in 2024, with high-leverage upside if his command continues to improve.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 65 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 40
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High

Track Record: Zulueta signed with the Blue Jays out of Cuba for $1 million in 2019 but had a run of bad luck that kept him off the mound for nearly three years. He had Tommy John surgery shortly after signing, spent the 2020 pandemic rehabbing and faced only one batter in 2021 before he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee covering first base in his first game back for Low-A Dunedin. Finally healthy in 2022, Zulueta began the year in Low-A and rocketed up four levels to Triple-A in a breakout campaign. He earned a selection to the Futures Game and was frequently requested by opposing teams in trade negotiations.

Scouting Report: Zulueta is a high-powered righthander with a fastball that can reach triple-digits with ease. His fastball comfortably sits at 96-97 mph as a starter and repeatedly reaches 100 with heavy armside run, making it particularly effective against lefthanded hitters. His fastball can play down at times and be hittable, especially against righthanded batters, but he's able to offset that with a plus, mid-80s slider that features a foot of horizontal break. Zulueta throws his slider nearly as often as his fastball against righthanded hitters and commands his slider better, landing it for strikes more consistently. Zulueta's arsenal is built around his fastball and slider. He has a mid-80s changeup that will flash above-average, but he struggles to execute it consistently. His curveball is a softer variation of his slider with greater depth at 78-80 mph. Zulueta split 2022 between starting and relieving. He has below-average control and may profile best as a reliever, but the Blue Jays say they were just managing his innings.

The Future: Zulueta's power stuff and feel for sequencing give him a chance to start. His powerful fastball/slider combination gives him a fallback as a high-leverage reliever.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 40
TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Zulueta at 21 for $1 million near the end of the 2018-19 international signing period, but he needed Tommy John surgery shortly afterward. He spent the 2020 season rehabbing in Florida and began showing his previous big velocity during live batting practice sessions in December.

SCOUTING REPORT: Zulueta's fastball ranges from 93-97 mph and tops out at 98. He's an athletic pitcher with a loose, quick arm and has late life on his four-seam fastball. Zulueta throws a hard, power curveball in the low 80s with good bite and three-quarters action. It's more advanced than his changeup, which has some depth. Zulueta's command remains scattered as he goes through the early stages of returning from surgery.

THE FUTURE: Zulueta is a wild card as an electric arm with a lot of uncertainty and a wide range of outcomes. He will develop as a starter and pitch his first official games in 2021.

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High

Track Record: Zulueta signed with the Blue Jays out of Cuba for $1 million in 2019 but had a run of bad luck that kept him off the mound for nearly three years. He had Tommy John surgery shortly after signing, spent the 2020 pandemic rehabbing and faced only one batter in 2021 before he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee covering first base in his first game back for Low-A Dunedin. Finally healthy in 2022, Zulueta began the year in Low-A and rocketed up four levels to Triple-A in a breakout campaign. He earned a selection to the Futures Game and was frequently requested by opposing teams in trade negotiations.

Scouting Report: Zulueta is a high-powered righthander with a fastball that can reach triple-digits with ease. His fastball comfortably sits at 96-97 mph as a starter and repeatedly reaches 100 with heavy armside run, making it particularly effective against lefthanded hitters. His fastball can play down at times and be hittable, especially against righthanded batters, but he's able to offset that with a plus, mid-80s slider that features a foot of horizontal break. Zulueta throws his slider nearly as often as his fastball against righthanded hitters and commands his slider better, landing it for strikes more consistently. Zulueta's arsenal is built around his fastball and slider. He has a mid-80s changeup that will flash above-average, but he struggles to execute it consistently. His curveball is a softer variation of his slider with greater depth at 78-80 mph. Zulueta split 2022 between starting and relieving. He has below-average control and may profile best as a reliever, but the Blue Jays say they were just managing his innings.

The Future: Zulueta's power stuff and feel for sequencing give him a chance to start. His powerful fastball/slider combination gives him a fallback as a high-leverage reliever.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 40
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High

Track Record: Zulueta signed with the Blue Jays out of Cuba for $1 million in 2019 but had a run of bad luck that kept him off the mound for nearly three years. He had Tommy John surgery shortly after signing, spent the 2020 pandemic rehabbing and faced only one batter in 2021 before he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee covering first base in his first game back for Low-A Dunedin. Finally healthy in 2022, Zulueta began the year in Low-A and rocketed up four levels to Triple-A in a breakout campaign. He earned a selection to the Futures Game and was frequently requested by opposing teams in trade negotiations.

Scouting Report: Zulueta is a high-powered righthander with a fastball that can reach triple-digits with ease. His fastball comfortably sits at 96-97 mph as a starter and repeatedly reaches 100 with heavy armside run, making it particularly effective against lefthanded hitters. His fastball can play down at times and be hittable, especially against righthanded batters, but he's able to offset that with a plus, mid-80s slider that features a foot of horizontal break. Zulueta throws his slider nearly as often as his fastball against righthanded hitters and commands his slider better, landing it for strikes more consistently. Zulueta's arsenal is built around his fastball and slider. He has a mid-80s changeup that will flash above-average, but he struggles to execute it consistently. His curveball is a softer variation of his slider with greater depth at 78-80 mph. Zulueta split 2022 between starting and relieving. He has below-average control and may profile best as a reliever, but the Blue Jays say they were just managing his innings.

The Future: Zulueta's power stuff and feel for sequencing give him a chance to start. His powerful fastball/slider combination gives him a fallback as a high-leverage reliever.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 50. Control: 40
BA Grade: 50/High

Track Record: Signed for $1 million out of Cuba during the 2019 international signing period, Zulueta underwent Tommy John surgery subsequently after signing and spent the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 rehabbing. He emerged in training camp of 2021, and had generated significant buzz leading up to the 2021 season. Assigned to Dunedin out of camp, Zulueta suffered a torn ACL covering the first base bag during his first batter faced of the season. He missed the remainder of 2021 recovering and was assigned to Low-A Dunedin out of camp this spring. There “Zulu” dominated over three starts before seeing promotion to High-A Vancouver where he again impressed.

Scouting Report: A four-pitch mix with plenty of power, led by his high-90s four-seam fastball that will sit 96-98 mph touching triple digits. His most used secondary is his slider, a harder, sweepy breaking ball that&#39s been up to 87 mph with a spin rate up to 2,600-plus rpm. His changeup is arguably his best pitch as he generates heavy armside run, and kills vertical movement on the pitch to play off his fastball. His changeup sits 85-86 and gives him good velocity separation off of the fastball. He uses a upper-70s curveball with regularity an 11-5 breaking ball with heavy drop. Overall it&#39s a strong four pitch mix, that plays off of his fastball&#39s power. His command is fringe-average, but will show flashes of average or better for stretches.

The Future: A strong good overall profile with starter traits but the high octane stuff for the bullpen. Zulueta has made up for lost time by climbing three levels over the first half of 2022.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 60. Control: 45.
TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Zulueta at 21 for $1 million near the end of the 2018-19 international signing period, but he needed Tommy John surgery shortly afterward. He spent the 2020 season rehabbing in Florida and began showing his previous big velocity during live batting practice sessions in December.

SCOUTING REPORT: Zulueta's fastball ranges from 93-97 mph and tops out at 98. He's an athletic pitcher with a loose, quick arm and has late life on his four-seam fastball. Zulueta throws a hard, power curveball in the low 80s with good bite and three-quarters action. It's more advanced than his changeup, which has some depth. Zulueta's command remains scattered as he goes through the early stages of returning from surgery.

THE FUTURE: Zulueta is a wild card as an electric arm with a lot of uncertainty and a wide range of outcomes. He will develop as a starter and pitch his first official games in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Zulueta at 21 for $1 million near the end of the 2018-19 international signing period, but he needed Tommy John surgery shortly afterward. He spent the 2020 season rehabbing in Florida and began showing his previous big velocity during live batting practice sessions in December.

SCOUTING REPORT: Zulueta's fastball ranges from 93-97 mph and tops out at 98. He's an athletic pitcher with a loose, quick arm and has late life on his four-seam fastball. Zulueta throws a hard, power curveball in the low 80s with good bite and three-quarters action. It's more advanced than his changeup, which has some depth. Zulueta's command remains scattered as he goes through the early stages of returning from surgery.

THE FUTURE: Zulueta is a wild card as an electric arm with a lot of uncertainty and a wide range of outcomes. He will develop as a starter and pitch his first official games in 2021.