Mayckol Guaipe

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #27 prospect in 2016
  Guaipe's patience was rewarded in 2015, as was the Mariners'. In his ninth professional season, after passing through several Rule 5 drafts unselected, Guaipe got past Double-A for the first time. He lost all seven of his decisions, but those numbers belied the progress he made, and three of them came in his first major league action. He retired all seven batters he faced in his debut against the Yankees on June 1 before being sent back to the minors, struggled in a short July look, then spent most of August and September back in Seattle. Guaipe is a hard-throwing sinker/slider reliever, capable of coming in to get a grounder when needed. His two-seam sinking fastball can reach 95 and sits around 93 mph, with his inconsistent slider thrown with good 82-84 mph power but inconsistent tilt. It's more of a groundball pitch than a swing-and-miss offering, and he doesn't have a good answer for lefthanded hitters because of his below-average changeup. Guaipe will contend for bullpen innings in Seattle again in 2016.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #26 prospect in 2015
  Guaipe serves as a reminder that patience is advised when it comes to young pitchers who struggle. He signed with the Mariners out of Venezuela back in 2006 but didn't make it to the U.S. until his fifth pro season in 2011, which meant he was first eligible for the Rule 5 draft before he even advanced past Rookie-level Pulaski. But through steady development, Guaipe has smoothed out his delivery to more consistently get to his velocity, which has jumped up to 91-93 mph more consistently now, and he touches 95. Guaipe's slider flashes plus as well, though it's more erratic. After pitching well in a late-season promotion to Double-A Jackson and in the Venezuelan League following the season, the Mariners added him to the 40-man roster. Guaipe could be a useful reliever if he can maintain his fine control--he walked 1.4 batters per nine innings in 2014--and if he can sit at the upper end of his velocity range.

• December, 2015 Scouting Report
  Guaipe's patience was rewarded in 2015, as was the Mariners'. In his ninth professional season, after passing through several Rule 5 drafts unselected, Guaipe got past Double-A for the first time. He lost all seven of his decisions, but those numbers belied the progress he made, and three of them came in his first major league action. He retired all seven batters he faced in his debut against the Yankees on June 1 before being sent back to the minors, struggled in a short July look, then spent most of August and September back in Seattle. Guaipe is a hard-throwing sinker/slider reliever, capable of coming in to get a grounder when needed. His two-seam sinking fastball can reach 95 and sits around 93 mph, with his inconsistent slider thrown with good 82-84 mph power but inconsistent tilt. It's more of a groundball pitch than a swing-and-miss offering, and he doesn't have a good answer for lefthanded hitters because of his below-average changeup. Guaipe will contend for bullpen innings in Seattle again in 2016.