J.J. Trujillo

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked San Diego Padres #30 prospect in 2001
  Trujillo hopes to follow in the footsteps of Brian Tollberg, who started his pro career in the independent Frontier League and climbed to San Diego last season. A second baseman/righthander in college at Dallas Baptist, Trujillo posted a 1.58 ERA and finished third in the Frontier League with 14 saves in 1999. He was sensational in his first year in Organized Baseball, leading minor league relievers in hits per nine innings (4.7) and saves while setting a Midwest League mark in the latter category. Interestingly, Trujillo performed so poorly in minor league spring training that he feared he would be released. A submariner, he has more velocity (83-84 mph on his sinker) and control than most pitchers who throw from that angle. His slider eats up righthanders because they can't pick it up, and they hit just .128 against him with 61 strikeouts in 149 at-bats last year. He also throws a changeup that is improving. It's almost impossible to put the ball in the air against Trujillo, who had an unfathomable 103-23 ground ball-fly ball ratio in 2000. He could skip a level this season and pitch in Double-A.