Eddie Gamboa
| IP | 13 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 1.385 |
| WHIP | 1.308 |
| BB/9 | 5.538 |
| SO/9 | 7.615 |
- Full name Eduardo Gamboa
- Born 12/21/1984 in Merced, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School UC Davis
- Debut 09/02/2016
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Drafted in the 21st round (626th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2008.
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Gamboa, a fifth-year senior, is the Aggies' ace and has excellent athletic ability and the best pickoff move in the state. His fastball runs and sinks in the upper 80s, and he's a tremendous competitor. He lacks a breaking ball but shows better feel for two different changeups. He fits a middle-relief profile.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Gamboa has grown accustomed to being overlooked. He played basketball and soccer in high school before focusing on baseball, and UC Davis was his only Division I scholarship offer. Gamboa had Tommy John surgery in 2006 and entered pro ball as a fifth-year senior who signed for $1,000 in 2008. He was so effective working out of the bullpen in Double-A in 2010 that he got a chance in the rotation in the second half, going 4-1, 3.98 in 11 starts. He attacks hitters with a fastball, cutter and changeup, and he gives them different looks by varying his arm angle. His fastball ranges from 88-91 mph with good sink, generating a lot of groundballs. His cutter is probably his second-best pitch, and his changeup also shows good sink. He throws a slider on occasion, but he lacks confidence in it. Gamboa throws strikes and is working on his command in the zone, as he has a tendency to nibble. He's a good athlete and should be able to handle a starter's workload. Gamboa's arsenal doesn't leave a lot of margin for error, but he has been effective with it and will compete for a spot in the Norfolk rotation this year. -
Gamboa doesn't have the same ceiling as most of the other pitchers on this list, but he's a great bet to get the most out of his ability. A 21st-round pick in 2008 as a fifth-year senior out of UC Davis, Gamboa is a durable pitcher who throws strikes. He jumped into full-season ball last year and blazed through the system, reaching Double-A and compiling a 1.08 ERA between three stops. He has walked just 31 batters in 146 pro innings and rates as the best strike-thrower in the system. Righthander Pat Egan has a similar profile, but Gamboa's stuff is a notch better. He has an 89-91 mph fastball with good life, also throws a changeup and has worked on both a curveball and slider as a pro. He relies heavily on his fastball, challenging opponents to hit it, and so far they haven't. He's athletic and fields his position well, and he has a good pickoff move. The Orioles love his makeup. Gamboa profiles strictly as a reliever, and at age 25 there's no reason to hold him back. He could open 2010 in Triple-A and get his first big league opportunity later in the year.
