Angel Rondon
| IP | 1 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 18 |
| WHIP | 2 |
| BB/9 | 9 |
| SO/9 | 18 |
- Full name Angel Miguel Rondón
- Born 12/01/1997 in Higuey, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- Debut 06/06/2021
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Track Record: Rondon steadily climbed up the minor league ladder after signing with the Cardinals in 2016 out of the Dominican Republic, making his full-season debut in 2018. He reached the upper minors in 2019, spent the 2020 summer at the alternate training site and reached Triple-A in 2021. He put up middling numbers at Memphis, and made his major league debut in June, striking out National League Rookie of the Year Jonathan India in his first appearance.
Scouting Report: Rondon doesn’t have a flashy arsenal, but he’s put up solid or better numbers at every level of the minor leagues, with a 3.29 career ERA in 424 innings. Rondon stands out for his confidence in his four-pitch mix, as he’s unafraid to throw all four of his pitches in any count. His fastball, which averaged 93.1 mph in the big leagues, sits in the low 90s, and he rounds out his arsenal with a slider, curveball and changeup. The slider is an above-average offering, with his curveball projecting as average and his changeup projecting as below-average. Rondon stands out to opposing scouts for his pitchability, but others are skeptical that he’ll make an impact in the big leagues due to his lack of a plus offering.
The Future: Although Rondon split time as a starter and reliever at Triple-A, he’s likely best suited for a bullpen role in the big leagues, where he could help the Cardinals as a middle reliever in 2022.
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TRACK RECORD: Yet another in a long line of savvy international signings by the Cardinals, Rondon was 18 when St. Louis signed him in 2016. Five years later, the Cardinals added him to their 40-man roster, further validating an impressive rise through the minors.
SCOUTING REPORT: Instead of an encore in games that count, Rondon had to settle for solid work at the club's alternate training site. Facing older hitters, his blend of savvy and stuff baffled once again. Rondon topped out at 93-94 at the ATS but has touched 96-97. He varies speeds well and is comfortable locating his fastball, slider, curveball and changeup at any point in the count. Rondon's slider is arguably his only above-average pitch, but he can make his average curve as big, slow or hard as he needs. His changeup, once average, has backed up. He has average control and lives at the edges of the zone.
THE FUTURE: After pitching with Aguillas in the Dominican League, Rondon should head to Triple-A to begin 2021. He's not overpowering, but evaluators rave about his feel for pitching. He could eventually be a multi-inning reliever, a back-end starter or even a setup man. -
TRACK RECORD: Rondon was already 18 when the Cardinals signed him for $25,000 out of the Dominican Republic in Jan. 2016. He made his age irrelevant with a quick ascent through the Cardinals system. After cruising through the low minors, Rondon earned All-Star honors in the high Class A Florida State League and jumped to Double-A Springfield in 2019. He finished second in the Cardinals system in ERA (2.93) and strikeouts (159) and was named their minor league pitcher of the year.
SCOUTING REPORT: Rondon has a potent mix of funk and power. He dials his fastball up and down anywhere from 90-97 mph, sitting 93, and keeps hitters off balance with a long, pronounced delivery. He complements his fastball with an above-average hard slider that drops under barrels. Rondon's delivery leads to scattered command and fringe-average control, but he keeps everything around the strike zone and has an advanced feel for throwing the right pitch in the right situation. He won the Texas League ERA title and finished second in the league with a 1.23 WHIP.
THE FUTURE: Rondon became a favorite of rival evaluators during the season, who mostly think he will end up a power reliever. He will move to Triple-A Memphis in 2020.
Scouting Reports
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Track Record: Rondon steadily climbed up the minor league ladder after signing with the Cardinals in 2016 out of the Dominican Republic, making his full-season debut in 2018. He reached the upper minors in 2019, spent the 2020 summer at the alternate training site and reached Triple-A in 2021. He put up middling numbers at Memphis, and made his major league debut in June, striking out National League Rookie of the Year Jonathan India in his first appearance.
Scouting Report: Rondon doesn’t have a flashy arsenal, but he’s put up solid or better numbers at every level of the minor leagues, with a 3.29 career ERA in 424 innings. Rondon stands out for his confidence in his four-pitch mix, as he’s unafraid to throw all four of his pitches in any count. His fastball, which averaged 93.1 mph in the big leagues, sits in the low 90s, and he rounds out his arsenal with a slider, curveball and changeup. The slider is an above-average offering, with his curveball projecting as average and his changeup projecting as below-average. Rondon stands out to opposing scouts for his pitchability, but others are skeptical that he’ll make an impact in the big leagues due to his lack of a plus offering.
The Future: Although Rondon split time as a starter and reliever at Triple-A, he’s likely best suited for a bullpen role in the big leagues, where he could help the Cardinals as a middle reliever in 2022.
-
TRACK RECORD: Yet another in a long line of savvy international signings by the Cardinals, Rondon was 18 when St. Louis signed him in 2016. Five years later, the Cardinals added him to their 40-man roster, further validating an impressive rise through the minors.
SCOUTING REPORT: Instead of an encore in games that count, Rondon had to settle for solid work at the club's alternate training site. Facing older hitters, his blend of savvy and stuff baffled once again. Rondon topped out at 93-94 at the ATS but has touched 96-97. He varies speeds well and is comfortable locating his fastball, slider, curveball and changeup at any point in the count. Rondon's slider is arguably his only above-average pitch, but he can make his average curve as big, slow or hard as he needs. His changeup, once average, has backed up. He has average control and lives at the edges of the zone.
THE FUTURE: After pitching with Aguillas in the Dominican League, Rondon should head to Triple-A to begin 2021. He's not overpowering, but evaluators rave about his feel for pitching. He could eventually be a multi-inning reliever, a back-end starter or even a setup man. -
TRACK RECORD: Yet another in a long line of savvy international signings by the Cardinals, Rondon was 18 when St. Louis signed him in 2016. Five years later, the Cardinals added him to their 40-man roster, further validating an impressive rise through the minors.
SCOUTING REPORT: Instead of an encore in games that count, Rondon had to settle for solid work at the club's alternate training site. Facing older hitters, his blend of savvy and stuff baffled once again. Rondon topped out at 93-94 at the ATS but has touched 96-97. He varies speeds well and is comfortable locating his fastball, slider, curveball and changeup at any point in the count. Rondon's slider is arguably his only above-average pitch, but he can make his average curve as big, slow or hard as he needs. His changeup, once average, has backed up. He has average control and lives at the edges of the zone.
THE FUTURE: After pitching with Aguillas in the Dominican League, Rondon should head to Triple-A to begin 2021. He's not overpowering, but evaluators rave about his feel for pitching. He could eventually be a multi-inning reliever, a back-end starter or even a setup man. -
TRACK RECORD: Yet another in a long line of savvy international signings by the Cardinals, Rondon was 18 when St. Louis signed him in 2016. Five years later, the Cardinals added him to their 40-man roster, further validating an impressive rise through the minors.
SCOUTING REPORT: Instead of an encore in games that count, Rondon had to settle for solid work at the club's alternate training site. Facing older hitters, his blend of savvy and stuff baffled once again. Rondon topped out at 93-94 at the ATS but has touched 96-97. He varies speeds well and is comfortable locating his fastball, slider, curveball and changeup at any point in the count. Rondon's slider is arguably his only above-average pitch, but he can make his average curve as big, slow or hard as he needs. His changeup, once average, has backed up. He has average control and lives at the edges of the zone.
THE FUTURE: After pitching with Aguillas in the Dominican League, Rondon should head to Triple-A to begin 2021. He's not overpowering, but evaluators rave about his feel for pitching. He could eventually be a multi-inning reliever, a back-end starter or even a setup man. -
TRACK RECORD: Rondon was already 18 when the Cardinals signed him for $25,000 out of the Dominican Republic in Jan. 2016. He made his age irrelevant with a quick ascent through the Cardinals system. After cruising through the low minors, Rondon earned All-Star honors in the high Class A Florida State League and jumped to Double-A Springfield in 2019. He finished second in the Cardinals system in ERA (2.93) and strikeouts (159) and was named their minor league pitcher of the year.
SCOUTING REPORT: Rondon has a potent mix of funk and power. He dials his fastball up and down anywhere from 90-97 mph, sitting 93, and keeps hitters further off balance with a long, pronounced delivery. He complements his fastball with an above-average hard slider that drops under barrels. Rondon’s delivery leads to scattered command and fringe-average control, but he keeps everything around the strike zone and has advanced feel for throwing the right pitch in the right situation. He won the Texas League ERA title and finished second in the league with a 1.23 WHIP.
THE FUTURE: Rondon became a favorite of rival evaluators during the season, who mostly think he will end up a power reliever. He will move to Triple-A Memphis in 2020. -
TRACK RECORD: Rondon was already 18 when the Cardinals signed him for $25,000 out of the Dominican Republic in Jan. 2016. He made his age irrelevant with a quick ascent through the Cardinals system. After cruising through the low minors, Rondon earned All-Star honors in the high Class A Florida State League and jumped to Double-A Springfield in 2019. He finished second in the Cardinals system in ERA (2.93) and strikeouts (159) and was named their minor league pitcher of the year.
SCOUTING REPORT: Rondon has a potent mix of funk and power. He dials his fastball up and down anywhere from 90-97 mph, sitting 93, and keeps hitters off balance with a long, pronounced delivery. He complements his fastball with an above-average hard slider that drops under barrels. Rondon's delivery leads to scattered command and fringe-average control, but he keeps everything around the strike zone and has an advanced feel for throwing the right pitch in the right situation. He won the Texas League ERA title and finished second in the league with a 1.23 WHIP.
THE FUTURE: Rondon became a favorite of rival evaluators during the season, who mostly think he will end up a power reliever. He will move to Triple-A Memphis in 2020.
