Martin Agosta
| IP | 303 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.099 |
| WHIP | 1.33 |
| BB/9 | 3.832 |
| SO/9 | 9.683 |
- Full name Martin Lennon Agosta
- Born 04/07/1991 in Sacramento, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Saint Mary's
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Drafted in the 2nd round (84th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2012 (signed for $612,500).
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Agosta pitched to Andrew Susac at Jesuit High (Carmichael, Calif.) before going on to have a successful career at St. Mary's, where he'll finish among the school's career wins and strikeouts leaders. He has won nine games this season, the Gaels' first nine-game winner since Toby Foreman won 10 in 1991, though he has been up and down from a scouting perspective. He showed above-average velocity in the fall, but has mostly pitched in the 90-92 mph range this spring. When he does reach back for 94-96, he usually leaves the ball up in the zone. His main secondary pitch is a cutter, and he mixes in a slider. He would need to add a changeup to profile as a back-of-the-rotation starter. That's why some scouts prefer him as a reliever in pro ball, where he can air out his fastball for an inning or two and just focus on his cutter and slider. Agosta has an average build at 6-foot-1 and 178 pounds, the ball comes out of his hand easily and his fastball shows good life. He has good control, but still needs to work on his command.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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Agosta's solid numbers at low Class A Augusta in 2013--including a 2.06 ERA and 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings--obscured what otherwise was a difficult season in which he battled a dead arm and dealt with a blister issue. Worn down at the end of his first full season, he competed well despite a fastball that dipped to the upper 80s. But a few weeks of rest did him good and he was throwing crisper again during instructional league. Agosta's fatigue issues lend credence to scouts who pegged him as a reliever out of St. Mary's. His fastball and plus slider were enough to succeed against South Atlantic League hitters, but he'll need better command of his low-90s heat. He'll also need to find a changeup grip to his liking if he wants to continue developing as a starter. He has tried using a cutter grip to change speeds, but the blister forced him to tinker most of the season. Agosta, who threw to Giants Double-A catcher Andrew Susac when both attended Sacramento's Jesuit High, figures to open 2014 in the high Class A San Jose rotation. -
Agosta's size scared off some scouts, so it's no surprise that he lists Tim Lincecum as his favorite pitcher. San Francisco liked Agosta's feel for pitching and his competitiveness, going back to their reports on him at Jesuit High in Sacramento--where his catcher for a time was current Giants minor leaguer Andrew Susac. Signed for $612,500 as a second-round pick in 2012, Agosta throws a 91-93 mph fastball that tops out at 96, although he makes more location mistakes when he tries to reach back. He's better off letting his sinking, running fastball do its own thing. It gets on hitters because he has some deception and hides the ball well in his delivery. Agosta throws an average slider and uses a cutter that serves as a change of pace and was a plus pitch at times while he became the first nine-game winner for the Gaels since 1991. His lack of a true changeup might limit him to relief, but the Giants plan to try him as a starter. There's a good chance he and Susac will unite again as batterymates, perhaps as soon as 2013 in the California League if Susac repeats high Class A.
Draft Prospects
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Agosta pitched to Andrew Susac at Jesuit High (Carmichael, Calif.) before going on to have a successful career at St. Mary's, where he'll finish among the school's career wins and strikeouts leaders. He has won nine games this season, the Gaels' first nine-game winner since Toby Foreman won 10 in 1991, though he has been up and down from a scouting perspective. He showed above-average velocity in the fall, but has mostly pitched in the 90-92 mph range this spring. When he does reach back for 94-96, he usually leaves the ball up in the zone. His main secondary pitch is a cutter, and he mixes in a slider. He would need to add a changeup to profile as a back-of-the-rotation starter. That's why some scouts prefer him as a reliever in pro ball, where he can air out his fastball for an inning or two and just focus on his cutter and slider. Agosta has an average build at 6-foot-1 and 178 pounds, the ball comes out of his hand easily and his fastball shows good life. He has good control, but still needs to work on his command.
