Yennsy Diaz Stats & Scouting Report

IP	5.2
ERA	12.71
WHIP	3.35
BB/9	9.53
SO/9	6.35

Full name Yennsy Manuel Díaz
Born 11/15/1996 in Azua, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut 08/04/2019

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Diaz out of the Dominican Republic for $70,000 when he was 17 in 2014. He reached the upper levels of the system in 2019, eventually making his major league debut on Aug. 4 before getting sent back down to the Double-A Eastern League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Diaz developed as a starter up through Double-A, though his future is likely in the bullpen. He made his major league debut in a relief role in 2019, though he didn't pitch in the big leagues in 2020. He throws a lively fastball that can reach 98 mph in short stints, but he lacks an effective secondary pitch to be able to miss bats, which shows in his pedestrian ratios. His control has improved over the years but he still needs to throw more strikes, especially without a true out pitch he can rely on.

THE FUTURE: Diaz will serve as low-leverage relief depth for the Mets. He will be on call in 2021 as needed.
TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Diaz out of the Dominican Republic for $70,000 when he was 17 in 2014. He reached the upper levels of the system in 2019, eventually making his major league debut on Aug. 4 before getting sent back down to the Eastern League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Diaz has a plus fastball, sitting at 92-96 mph, with the ability to reach back for 98 mph. He's able to get swing-and-miss with his fastball, thanks to the velocity and the life on that pitch. Despite that, Diaz's overall strikeout rate is modest, as he doesn't have a true out pitch among his secondary offerings. His changeup is a 45 to 50 on the 20-80 scouting scale, while his breaking ball has its moments but is a fringe-average pitch. Diaz has made strides with his control, but he throws across his body and needs to still throw more strikes, especially without a bat-missing secondary weapon to fall back on.

THE FUTURE: Diaz should head to Triple-A Buffalo to open 2020 and, while there's some chance he can develop enough to pitch as a back-end starter, it's more likely he ends up in the bullpen—possibly a multi-inning relief role—where his fastball could play up in shorter stints and he wouldn't have to work over a lineup multiple times.
After signing with the Blue Jays for $70,000 in 2014, Diaz pitched well enough the next year in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League that the Blue Jays jumped him to the United States later that season to pitch in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Diaz continued his ascent with by making his full-season debut with low Class A Lansing last year in June. An athletic pitcher with a quick arm, Diaz sits in the low-90s with his fastball with late riding life and he can gear up for 95 mph. His curveball and changeup are both a tick below-average pitches that will flash better at times, but he will need to continue to develop his secondary pitches. Better control and overall feel for pitching are also keys for Diaz, as he fell behind in too many counts last year and hitters were able to sit on his fastball. High Class A Dunedin will be Diaz's next test.
Diaz accelerated his development in 2015 with a strong pro debut, pushing his way to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League to end the season. The Jays thought he had enough fastball command to make the leap to Rookie-level Bluefield, and Diaz held his own there for half of the Appalachian League season. However, he struggled with control down the stretch en route to a 5.79 ERA, giving up seven home runs in his final five starts. Diaz still excited the organization with his raw stuff, including a 92-95 mph four-seamer he struggled to locate much of the season despite a balanced delivery and easy, clean arm action. Evaluators said he got on the side of the ball when he overthrew, flattening out his four-seamer and leaving him vulnerable to home runs. Diaz may have to lean on his 89-91 mph sinker more going forward. His curveball and changeup remain fringy to below-average pitches, though the curve has its moments. Still a plus raw arm, Diaz should graduate to short-season Vancouver in 2017 as a 20-year-old.
Diaz wasn't the highest-profile member of Toronto's 26-man international signing class in 2013-14, which was headlined by a $1.6 million bonus given to Venezuelan righthander Juan Meza. While Meza has struggled to throw strikes, Diaz has joined Hansel Rodriguez among the emerging power arms from that signing class. Diaz is short but athletic and has long limbs and extremities, with looseness in his arm that produces electric stuff. He's twitchy but has body control and has excellent arm speed, producing fastball velocity in the 95-97 mph range at its best. Diaz sits in the lower 90s, and he threw enough strikes with his fastball to dominate the Dominican Summer League in 2015 and move up to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He got better with each GCL outing, finishing with five scoreless innings against the Yankees. He's shown an ability to spin a curveball and flashes an average changeup, though both are raw. Some Jays officials are excited about Diaz despite his modest size. He should be advanced enough to jump to Rookie-level Bluefield for 2016 and is a strong breakout candidate.

Minor League Top Prospects

Diaz ranked as the No. 19 prospect in the Blue Jays system heading into the season thanks to his elite arm speed and projectable athleticism. Though he ran up a 5.79 ERA in 56 innings this season, but he remains projectable. Diaz's best pitch is his fastball, which works at 92-95 mph and shows late finish, jumping on hitters late. He throws his fastball early and often, and his secondary stuff remains raw as he aims to figure out his delivery. Diaz has a slingshot-like arm action, with his pitching hand cocking backwards as he extends his glove hand forward. He has a tendency to rush off the rubber and cut off his front side, and his arm can be late as a result, costing him command as he struggles to repeat his release point. That in turn makes Diaz's curveball, which shows average spin, more inconsistent and easier for hitters to pick up. As he irons out his delivery and learns stay online and pitch downhill, he has a chance to develop an arsenal of three average pitches, though neither his curveball nor his changeup plays as average at present.

Scouting Reports

TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Diaz out of the Dominican Republic for $70,000 when he was 17 in 2014. He reached the upper levels of the system in 2019, eventually making his major league debut on Aug. 4 before getting sent back down to the Double-A Eastern League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Diaz developed as a starter up through Double-A, though his future is likely in the bullpen. He made his major league debut in a relief role in 2019, though he didn't pitch in the big leagues in 2020. He throws a lively fastball that can reach 98 mph in short stints, but he lacks an effective secondary pitch to be able to miss bats, which shows in his pedestrian ratios. His control has improved over the years but he still needs to throw more strikes, especially without a true out pitch he can rely on.

THE FUTURE: Diaz will serve as low-leverage relief depth for the Mets. He will be on call in 2021 as needed.
TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Diaz out of the Dominican Republic for $70,000 when he was 17 in 2014. He reached the upper levels of the system in 2019, eventually making his major league debut on Aug. 4 before getting sent back down to the Double-A Eastern League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Diaz developed as a starter up through Double-A, though his future is likely in the bullpen. He made his major league debut in a relief role in 2019, though he didn't pitch in the big leagues in 2020. He throws a lively fastball that can reach 98 mph in short stints, but he lacks an effective secondary pitch to be able to miss bats, which shows in his pedestrian ratios. His control has improved over the years but he still needs to throw more strikes, especially without a true out pitch he can rely on.

THE FUTURE: Diaz will serve as low-leverage relief depth for the Mets. He will be on call in 2021 as needed.
TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Diaz out of the Dominican Republic for $70,000 when he was 17 in 2014. He reached the upper levels of the system in 2019, eventually making his major league debut on Aug. 4 before getting sent back down to the Eastern League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Diaz has a plus fastball, sitting at 92-96 mph, with the ability to reach back for 98 mph. He’s able to get swing-and-miss with his fastball, thanks to the velocity and the life on that pitch. Despite that, Diaz’s overall strikeout rate is modest, as he doesn’t have a true out pitch among his secondary offerings. His changeup is a 45 to 50 on the 20-80 scouting scale, while his breaking ball has its moments but is a fringe-average pitch. Diaz has made strides with his control, but he throws across his body and needs to still throw more strikes, especially without a bat-missing secondary weapon to fall back on.

THE FUTURE: Diaz should head to Triple-A Buffalo to open 2020 and, while there’s some chance he can develop enough to pitch as a back-end starter, it’s more likely he ends up in the bullpen—possibly a multi-inning relief role—where his fastball could play up in shorter stints and he wouldn’t have to work over a lineup multiple times. BA GRADE 40 Risk: High BA GRADE 40 Risk: High
TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Diaz out of the Dominican Republic for $70,000 when he was 17 in 2014. He reached the upper levels of the system in 2019, eventually making his major league debut on Aug. 4 before getting sent back down to the Eastern League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Diaz has a plus fastball, sitting at 92-96 mph, with the ability to reach back for 98 mph. He's able to get swing-and-miss with his fastball, thanks to the velocity and the life on that pitch. Despite that, Diaz's overall strikeout rate is modest, as he doesn't have a true out pitch among his secondary offerings. His changeup is a 45 to 50 on the 20-80 scouting scale, while his breaking ball has its moments but is a fringe-average pitch. Diaz has made strides with his control, but he throws across his body and needs to still throw more strikes, especially without a bat-missing secondary weapon to fall back on.

THE FUTURE: Diaz should head to Triple-A Buffalo to open 2020 and, while there's some chance he can develop enough to pitch as a back-end starter, it's more likely he ends up in the bullpen—possibly a multi-inning relief role—where his fastball could play up in shorter stints and he wouldn't have to work over a lineup multiple times.