Jacobo Sequea

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #14 prospect in 2005
  Most of former general manager Syd Thrift's deals didn't amount to much for the Orioles, but the 1999 trade of Juan Guzman to the Reds has already paid dividends with B.J. Ryan, and could pay more if Sequea continues the progress he has made in the last season and a half. The progress has come after he moved to the bullpen, where his two-pitch mix has been much more effective. Sequea's best pitch is his slider, and he complements it with a fastball that has average velocity (90-92 mph) but good life. He doesn't have a power arm but he misses bats, works both sides of the plate consistently and has command of all his stuff. As a closer he has been aggressive and consistent from outing to outing. The only things he has left to work on are refinements such as holding runners better and getting quicker outs. He probably doesn't have the pure stuff to project as a major league closer, but he should develop into an effective middle reliever. He was added to the 40-man roster and will compete for a big league job in the spring, but it will be a surprise if he doesn't open the season in Triple-A.
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #10 prospect in 1999
  Background: Sequea was the youngest player in professional baseball in 1998. He originally was expected to report to Billings, but pitched so well in an emergency stint in Class A Charleston that he stayed with the club the rest of the season. Strengths: Sequea has a power arm. His fastball was hitting 94 mph in his first few starts before he began to tire. He also throws a good curveball and was not intimidated facing hitters several years older than he was. Weaknesses: Sequea quickly wore down under the pressure of pitching against advanced competition. The Reds, who must carefully monitor his workload, shut him down late in the season with arm fatigue. Like all young pitchers, Sequea must learn to pitch down in the strike zone, change speeds and refine his pitches. The Future: Sequea grew at least 2 inches and gained 15-20 pounds from his listed size during the summer. Because he would be only a senior in high school if he grew up in the United States, the Reds can afford to bring him along slowly.