Francisco Liriano Stats & Scouting Report

IP	1813
ERA	4.155
WHIP	1.36
BB/9	4.051
SO/9	9.01

Full name Francisco Liriano
Born 10/26/1983 in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Americo Pere
Debut 09/05/2005

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

A former outfielder who converted to the mound shortly after signing with the Giants, Liriano has exceeded all expectations. That includes those that accompanied his arrival as an overlooked part of a three-player package sent to the Twins in exchange for catcher A.J. Pierzynski in November 2003. While Joe Nathan has become an all-star closer and Boof Bonser a solid Triple-A starter, Liriano could turn out to be the best of the bunch. He missed part of 2002 and most of 2003 with shoulder problems, but Twins scout Sean Johnson recommended the team grab him after seeing him during instructional league. Liriano has been healthy since switching organizations and was spectacular in 2005, when he was Minnesota's minor league pitcher of the year. He led the minors in strikeouts while ranking as the No. 1 prospect in the Double-A Eastern League and No. 2 (behind Minor League Player of the Year Delmon Young) in the Triple-A International League. Some scouts say Liriano's stuff is better than that of Twins teammate Johan Santana because Liriano throws harder, has a better slider and owns a changeup that is equal in quality. When he gets rolling, Liriano can dominate for long stretches behind a 94-96 mph fastball that has reached 98 mph and a hard, tight slider that comes in at 89 mph. The fastball and slider grade out as the best in the system. He has thrown a curve in the past, but has pushed it aside for now. Liriano has a reserved personality and shows good baseball aptitude, a strong work ethic and solid makeup. It's not uncommon for him to beat his teammates to the ballpark and start running and long-tossing well before the others arrive. He has learned English well and has no trouble communicating with teammates and coaches. Liriano's history of shoulder woes means his durability must be monitored. He battled mechanical issues early in 2005, failing to repeat and flying open too often, which caused him to labor noticeably. Once he got to Triple-A, Rochester pitching coach Bobby Cuellar did a good job of keeping Liriano's delivery on track and showing him the benefits of maintaining a smooth motion. He has bouts where he doesn't command or trust his fastball as he should. After striking out 33 in 24 innings during his first taste of the majors in September, Liriano has been penciled into Minnesota's rotation to begin 2006. Just as the Twins hope location-first righthander Scott Baker will gain from working alongside Brad Radke, they believe Liriano will benefit from pitching with Santana. The pair seemed to hit it off last year. Barring a spring surprise, Liriano's minor league seasoning is complete and he should be on his way to becoming a No. 1 starter.
The least known of the three players Minnesota received in last winter's A.J. Pierzynski trade, Liriano could wind up as the jewel of the deal. Considering Joe Nathan was an all-star closer in 2004, that's saying something. Liriano missed most of 2003, but Twins scout Sean Johnson recommended him after seeing him in instructional league. After two years of shoulder woes, Liriano stayed healthy in 2004 and flashed a package that made the Twins daydream about having another Johan Santana. Liriano pitches at 93-95 mph and has hit 97. He has a plus changeup and a big-breaking curveball. His makeup and work ethic are excellent. A former outfielder who converted to the mound shortly after signing with the Giants, Liriano is still raw, both in terms of experience and his build. He still must prove he can stay healthy over the long haul. He has trouble at times commanding his fastball, his curve can be inconsistent and his slider is a work in progress. Added to the 40-man roster, Liriano should begin 2005 in Double-A and could help Minnesota by the end of the year.
Liriano headed into last season regarded as one of the best lefthanders in the minors. But after leaving his first outing of the year, he didn't return to the mound except for making four rehab stars in the Rookie-level Arizona League in August. It was the second straight season he broke down with shoulder trouble. Liriano registered 93-97 mph gun readings in instructional league last fall, enough to convince Twins scout Sean Johnson that his arm was sound and worth pursuing in the A.J. Pierzynski trade. Liriano arrived at a Dominican tryout camp in 2000 as an outfielder, but the Giants immediately moved him to the mound. His hammer curveball is a second potential out pitch, but his changeup and control aren't very advanced. While he has tremendous upside, his durability presents a serious red flag at this point. The Twins probably will send him to high Class A, and he could advance quickly if he stays healthy.
Liriano showed up at a Dominican tryout camp as an outfielder, but the Giants immediately moved him to the mound. He was just 18 when he began his first full season at low Class A Hagerstown last year. He pitched well and was selected for the Futures Game, but he didn't make the trip because of shoulder problems that prevented him from pitching after July 21. Liriano cranks his fastball up to 97 mph and throws consistently at 93-94 with good life. His slider and changeup are outstanding for his age, and he may have three big league-ready pitches right now. He's intelligent and mature beyond his years on the mound. The biggest issue for now is the health of his shoulder. Liriano will have to prove he can stay healthy and be durable after going more than five innings just five times in 16 starts last year. He needs more consistency with his secondary pitches and his control. He also needs to learn pitching strategy to better attack hitters. The Giants will be cautious with Liriano because he's so young and so talented. If he's healthy, he'll probably open 2003 at high Class A San Jose.
The Giants have put a greater emphasis (read: more money) into Latin America since 1998, and the results are starting to percolate up through the system. Felix Diaz is the best example, but Liriano could surpass him with a strong performance in a full-season league in 2002. Several club officials describe his arm as special, which must have been obvious when the Giants first worked him out. They immediately moved him to the mound after he showed up as an outfielder. Liriano has added two inches and 25 pounds to his athletic, lithe frame and has touched 96 mph with his fastball. He pitched regularly at 91-92 in Rookie ball and in a brief stint with short-season Salem-Keizer. His curveball is a plus pitch and he has shown a good feel for pitching. Liriano has a sound delivery and may move faster than Hannaman, though both will start this year in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

No pitcher was as dominant in the IL this season than Liriano, who allowed a total of eight earned runs in his final 10 starts. He throws three plus pitches for strikes, and several managers said his mid-90s fastball might be his third-best option. Liriano throws two different changeups, both with the same arm action as his fastball. He has a circle change that drops straight down and a three-finger version that breaks away from righthanders. At 87-88 mph, his wipeout slider is his best pitch and is the biggest reason he led the minors with 204 strikeouts in 168 innings. After arriving from the Double-A Eastern League, where he ranked as the No. 1 prospect, Liriano improved the overall balance in his delivery. That adjustment took strain off his arm--an important consideration for someone who missed nearly two years in the Giants system with shoulder trouble--and allowed him to consistently vary his release point. He repeats his delivery well and draws comparisons to Johan Santana.
Liriano made the last of his 13 EL starts on June 10, but those who saw him never forgot him. He graduated to Triple-A, where he was the International League rookie of the year and led the minors in strikeouts (204 in 168 innings) before making his big league debut in September. He's a true power lefty with the potential to become a No. 1 starter. Liriano unleashes mid-90s fastballs from an effortless delivery and loose arm action. With the help of Rock Cats pitching coach Stu Cliburn, he eliminated a slight recoil that truncated his follow-through, allowing him to fully extend and add velocity. His mid-80s slider is a put-away pitch, with tight rotation that makes it difficult to pick up before it breaks sharply. EL observers thought Liriano's changeup was primarly a show-me pitch, but those in the IL thought it was a true weapon. He'll also come at righthanders with a hard cutter, and his repertoire includes a curveball as well.
Liriano came into the season with some serious durability concerns. He had pitched only 160 innings in three seasons in the Giants system before being included in an offseason trade for A.J. Pierzynski. But Liriano was able to make his scheduled turn every five days for Fort Myers, even if he rarely worked more than five or six innings. He showed a loose, live arm, unleashing fastballs that sat at 92-93 mph and touched 97, though he could use a little more movement to go with that heat. Liriano also throws a potentially above average, if still a little erratic, changeup and a 12-to-6 curveball that has potential. Liriano has the arm and the arsenal of pitches to be a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter. His violent delivery and history of arm problems may make him better suited to be a late-inning reliever.
Shoulder injuries prevented Liriano from pitching after July 21, but he showed enough before that to convince all observers that he has a bright future. He's yet another blue-chip mound prospect in a Giants organization loaded with them. Liriano succeeds with a 92-94 mph fastball and a plus curveball. A former outfielder, he also has smooth mechanics and an impressive feel for pitching for an 18-year-old. Durability remains the biggest question mark for Liriano, who threw more than five innings just five times in 16 starts. His shoulder wasn't expected to keep him from participating in instructional league.
A former outfielder who's just learning to pitch, Liriano made huge strides in his professional debut. He tied his teammate Hannaman for second in the league in strikeouts. "He had no feel for pitching at the start of the year," Comstock said, "but he made huge strides. He showed great improvement with his mechanics and breaking ball." Lezcano contended that Liriano, not Hannaman or Santana, had the best fastball in the league. Liriano normally threw at 91-92 mph but occasionally popped a 96.