Jason Jaramillo

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #28 prospect in 2009
  Ronny Paulino fell out of favor with the Pirates when he slumped offensively and put on weight after he lost the big league catching job to Ryan Doumit in 2008. After Paulino attracted interest with a strong winter in the Dominican League, Pittsburgh swapped him to the Phillies for Jaramillo. He doesn't have an especially quick bat but he should hit for a decent average while providing gap power from both sides of the plate. He doesn't have much home run power and is a well-below-average runner, though he'll draw a few walks. Jaramillo stands out more with his defense. He has a slightly above-average arm and threw out 36 percent of basestealers last season. He has good receiving skills and moves well behinid the plate. Jaramillo, who played for Pirates manager John Russell at Triple-A Ottawa in 2007, profiles as a backup and will compete with Robinzon Diaz for that role in spring training.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #10 prospect in 2008
  The Phillies first took Jaramillo out of a Wisconsin high school as a 42nd-round pick in 2001, then signed him three years later as a second-rounder out of Oklahoma State. He hit .304 in his first full pro season, then had 2006 ruined by a broken right hand. He bounced back in 2007, holding his own offensively and defensively at Triple-A Ottawa. A solid hitter from both sides of the plate, Jaramillo has gap-to-gap power and sprays line drives to all fields. He also has a sound approach. Defensively, he has slightly above-average arm strength and quick feet. He threw out 30 percent of basestealers in the International League. Jaramillo has below-average power and well below-average speed. His receiving and game-calling skills got sloppy in 2006, but he righted the ship in Triple-A. He doesn't have the offensive or defensive ceiling of Lou Marson, but Jaramillo can become a reliable backup in the major leagues. He has a chance to serve in that role behind Carlos Ruiz in 2008.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #24 prospect in 2007
  The Phillies have been on Jaramillo since 2001, when they selected him in the 42nd round out of high school. Three years later, they signed him in the second round for $585,000 out of Oklahoma State. Jaramillo broke a bone in his right hand in Double-A last May, costing him three weeks. He never really got on track after that, but finished with a strong showing offensively in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .379 with a pair of homers in 66 at-bats. Jaramillo started switch-hitting in high school, and he's equally adept from either side of the plate. He has a line-drive stroke that produces gap power, and he'll probably never hit for much pop in the majors. While Jaramillo was rated the best defensive catcher in the South Atlantic League in 2005, scouts were less impressed during his AFL stint, criticizing his game-calling ability as well as his receiving skills. Jaramillo has the best arm in the system behind the plate, and should play in Triple-A this year.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #10 prospect in 2006
  The Phillies initially drafted Jaramillo in the 42nd round out of a Wisconsin high school in 2001. Three years later, they picked him 40 rounds earlier and were able to sign him for $585,000. Older brothers Frankie and Lee both played in the minors. Managers rated him the best defensive catcher in the South Atlantic League, though his 20 errors led all minor league catchers. His agility helps him block balls well, and his above-average arm helped him throw out 34 percent of basestealers. He made strides in game-calling and handling pitchers. He's a line-drive hitter who started switch-hitting in high school and is equally adept from either side. Jaramillo doesn't offer much power and may not hit more than 10-15 homers in a big league season. He projects as a bottom-of-the-order hitter on a contender, though his defense should make up for what he lacks offensively. He has below-average speed. Philadelphia's catcher of the future, Jaramillo will open 2006 in high Class A. He reminds some club officials of former Phillies farmhand Johnny Estrada.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #13 prospect in 2005
  Jaramillo's older brothers both played in the minors, with Frankie playing shortstop for the Rangers and Lee a catcher for the Brewers. The Phillies drafted Jaramillo in the 39th round out of high school in Franksville, Wis., in 2001 but he instead went to college, as each of his brothers had. His college career included a championship summer with Orleans of the Cape Cod League, where he teamed with fellow 2004 Phillies pick Anthony Buffone (22nd round). Jaramillo's catch-and-throw skills combined with above-average arm strength allow him to rate as the best defensive catcher in the organization, though he managed to gun down just two of 15 basestealers at Batavia. He moves well behind the plate to block balls and does a good job calling games since gaining practice with that type of autonomy as a junior at Oklahoma State. Pitchers like throwing to him. Jaramillo won't be a power hitter; he's more likely to make solid contact and shoot doubles alley to alley. The natural righthanded hitter began to switch-hit in high school and now swings the bat just as well from either side. He profiles as a solid major league catcher who bats in the lower portion of the order. He'll begin 2005 working with a talented staff in low Class A.