Jorge De Leon

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Houston Astros #22 prospect in 2012
  DeLeon signed as a shortstop but never hit, batting .213/.283/.323 in four pro seasons. His arm strength and athleticism made more an easy transition to the mound, and he earned a spot on the 40- man roster after working just 28 innings in his pitching debut in 2010. His performance and stuff varied in 2011, when he served as the closer on a bad Lexington team. When he's on, DeLeon's fastball sits at 93-97 mph and peaks at 98. In other outings, he operates in the low 90s. His slider is even more inconsistent, but at times it's a short downer that grades as an average pitch. More often it's a spinner, and he generally lacks feel for spinning the ball. He has started using a changeup that's too firm but gives hitters something else to think about. DeLeon has a quick arm and high-energy delivery that add some deception. He'll need to prove he can get outs at higher levels when working back-to-back nights, but his 40-man roster spot and big fastball make a call to Houston possible by September. He'll likely start 2012 in high Class A but could open in Double-A if he has a good spring.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #20 prospect in 2011
  DeLeon was converted to pitching in 2010 and finished the season on the 40-man roster. A shortstop for his first four pro seasons, he hit .213 with just six home runs and 173 strikeouts in 653 at-bats. He showed the biggest arm in the system this year, running his fastball up as high as 98 mph and sitting at 94-96 out of the bullpen. DeLeon dominated the New York-Penn League essentially with one pitch, though he showed more confidence in his short, show-me slider as the season wore on. The Astros stretched DeLeon out late in the season, as he threw 82⁄3 innings in his final four outings, including a save in Tri-City's NY-P championship run. There's nothing subtle about DeLeon, who has a quick arm and lets it fly. He's athletic enough to project him to have average control down the line, but his lack of experience could be more exposed as he heads to full-season ball as a pitcher. He could begin the year in low Class A with a chance to skip a level to Corpus Christi if he gets off to a strong start.