Carlos Duran

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #28 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Duran sprouted to 6-foot-7 as a teenager and signed with the Dodgers for $300,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. He progressively grew into more stuff as he filled out his frame and began to harness it at High-A Great Lakes in 2022, posting his lowest ERA since he was in the DSL. Duran's season had opposing teams targeting him heavily in trades, but he suffered an elbow injury and had Tommy John surgery after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran is physically huge at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds and has power stuff befitting his frame. His two-seam fastball sits 93-96 mph and touches 98 with huge run to stay off barrels and get weak contact from righthanded hitters. His four-seam fastball sits in the same velocity band, but he lacks extension or movement on the pitch and it gets crushed. Duran's primary weapon is a plus-plus, mid-80s slider that may be the best individual pitch in the Dodgers system. Duran hides the ball well behind his big body and the pitch turns hard with power sweep and dive to get consistent swings and misses off the plate. Duran's firm, 87-90 mph changeup is a below-average pitch, but he has improved his command of it to become more competitive against lefties. He is a power pitcher with fringy control and is best in short bursts.
  
  The Future: Duran will miss the entire 2023 season recovering from surgery. He has a chance to be a slider-heavy, power reliever if his stuff returns intact.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider: 70. Changeup: 40. Control: 40
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #29 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Duran stood 6-foot-7 by the time he was 17 years old and signed with the Dodgers for $300,000 in 2018 out of the Dominican Republic. He made his full-season debut in 2021 and posted an unsightly 5.56 ERA across both Class A levels, but he finished tied for fourth in the organization with 115 strikeouts and flashed one of the best sliders in the minor leagues.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran previously threw a four-seam fastball that stayed straight and got crushed up in the zone, so he switched to a 92-95 mph two-seamer that gets plus sink and run and still has room to improve. In any form, his fastball is merely a setup pitch for his plus-plus, mid-80s slider. Duran hides the ball well behind his big frame and the pitch turns hard with late sweep and dive, repeatedly getting righties to chase it down and away. Duran’s sinker-slider combination dominates righthanded batters, but his well below-average changeup leaves him vulnerable to lefties. He has good body control for his size and throws enough strikes to project fringe-average control.
  
  The Future: Duran’s ability to dominate with his slider bodes well for a situational relief role in the majors. He’ll remain a starter for now to work on his entire arsenal.
  

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Duran sprouted to 6-foot-7 as a teenager and signed with the Dodgers for $300,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. He progressively grew into more stuff as he filled out his frame and began to harness it at High-A Great Lakes in 2022, posting his lowest ERA since he was in the DSL. Duran's season had opposing teams targeting him heavily in trades, but he suffered an elbow injury and had Tommy John surgery after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran is physically huge at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds and has power stuff befitting his frame. His two-seam fastball sits 93-96 mph and touches 98 with huge run to stay off barrels and get weak contact from righthanded hitters. His four-seam fastball sits in the same velocity band, but he lacks extension or movement on the pitch and it gets crushed. Duran's primary weapon is a plus-plus, mid-80s slider that may be the best individual pitch in the Dodgers system. Duran hides the ball well behind his big body and the pitch turns hard with power sweep and dive to get consistent swings and misses off the plate. Duran's firm, 87-90 mph changeup is a below-average pitch, but he has improved his command of it to become more competitive against lefties. He is a power pitcher with fringy control and is best in short bursts.
  
  The Future: Duran will miss the entire 2023 season recovering from surgery. He has a chance to be a slider-heavy, power reliever if his stuff returns intact.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider: 70. Changeup: 40. Control: 40
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Duran sprouted to 6-foot-7 as a teenager and signed with the Dodgers for $300,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. He progressively grew into more stuff as he filled out his frame and began to harness it at High-A Great Lakes in 2022, posting his lowest ERA since he was in the DSL. Duran's season had opposing teams targeting him heavily in trades, but he suffered an elbow injury and had Tommy John surgery after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran is physically huge at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds and has power stuff befitting his frame. His two-seam fastball sits 93-96 mph and touches 98 with huge run to stay off barrels and get weak contact from righthanded hitters. His four-seam fastball sits in the same velocity band, but he lacks extension or movement on the pitch and it gets crushed. Duran's primary weapon is a plus-plus, mid-80s slider that may be the best individual pitch in the Dodgers system. Duran hides the ball well behind his big body and the pitch turns hard with power sweep and dive to get consistent swings and misses off the plate. Duran's firm, 87-90 mph changeup is a below-average pitch, but he has improved his command of it to become more competitive against lefties. He is a power pitcher with fringy control and is best in short bursts.
  
  The Future: Duran will miss the entire 2023 season recovering from surgery. He has a chance to be a slider-heavy, power reliever if his stuff returns intact.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider: 70. Changeup: 40. Control: 40
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Duran stood 6-foot-7 by the time he was 17 years old and signed with the Dodgers for $300,000 in 2018 out of the Dominican Republic. He made his full-season debut in 2021 and posted an unsightly 5.56 ERA across both Class A levels, but he finished tied for fourth in the organization with 115 strikeouts and flashed one of the best sliders in the minor leagues.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran previously threw a four-seam fastball that stayed straight and got crushed up in the zone, so he switched to a 92-95 mph two-seamer that gets plus sink and run and still has room to improve. In any form, his fastball is merely a setup pitch for his plus-plus, mid-80s slider. Duran hides the ball well behind his big frame and the pitch turns hard with late sweep and dive, repeatedly getting righties to chase it down and away. Duran&#39s sinker-slider combination dominates righthanded batters, but his well below-average changeup leaves him vulnerable to lefties. He has good body control for his size and throws enough strikes to project fringe-average control.
  
  The Future: Duran&#39s ability to dominate with his slider bodes well for a situational relief role in the majors. He&#39ll remain a starter for now to work on his entire arsenal.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Duran stood 6-foot-7 by the time he was 17 years old and signed with the Dodgers for $300,000 in 2018 out of the Dominican Republic. He made his full-season debut in 2021 and posted an unsightly 5.56 ERA across both Class A levels, but he finished tied for fourth in the organization with 115 strikeouts and flashed one of the best sliders in the minor leagues.
  
  Scouting Report: Duran previously threw a four-seam fastball that stayed straight and got crushed up in the zone, so he switched to a 92-95 mph two-seamer that gets plus sink and run and still has room to improve. In any form, his fastball is merely a setup pitch for his plus-plus, mid-80s slider. Duran hides the ball well behind his big frame and the pitch turns hard with late sweep and dive, repeatedly getting righties to chase it down and away. Duran’s sinker-slider combination dominates righthanded batters, but his well below-average changeup leaves him vulnerable to lefties. He has good body control for his size and throws enough strikes to project fringe-average control.
  
  The Future: Duran’s ability to dominate with his slider bodes well for a situational relief role in the majors. He’ll remain a starter for now to work on his entire arsenal.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Duran has emerged as the most promising pitcher on a prospect-laden Rancho Cucamonga staff. His fastball velocity has jumped to 96-97 mph with plus sink and run and his slider has been a devastating pitch against righthanded hitters. Duran struggles against lefties and has trouble maintaining his intensity, but his pure arm strength gives him a chance to be a hard-throwing middle reliever.