Pedro Viola

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #22 prospect in 2010
  Originally signed by the Giants for $20,000 as an outfielder, Viola was cut after it was discovered that he had forged his birth certificate to appear three years younger. The Reds signed him as a 22-year-old lefthander for $1,000 and he quickly displayed one of the best arms in the system. But what once looked like a coup has proven to be less of one because his scouting report has changed little in his three seasons in the United States. Viola still displays a fastball that sits at 92-94 mph and runs up to 96. But he shows little feel for pitching, and his fringy slider and changeup haven't shown much improvement. His command is extremely inconsistent. He has outings where he can hit his spots, but too often he struggles to find the strike zone. Viola has tried starting, but his lack of secondary stuff and polish make him more suited for a bullpen role. Viola had his first taste of major league action in 2009 as a September callup, but he'll need to show more than just a blazing fastball to fit into Cincinnati's long-term plans. He's 26 now, and the Reds are starting to wonder if he'll ever add more polish.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #25 prospect in 2009
  The Giants originally signed Viola for $20,000 as an outfielder, but they voided the deal when they learned he forged a birth certificate to make himself appear three years younger. The Reds later picked him up as a 22- year-old pitcher for $1,000. He has been inconsistent and hasn't gotten past Double-A at age 25, though he has spent just two full seasons in the United States. At his best, Viola has a 92-95 mph fastball, a slider with bite and a changeup that has a chance to be an average pitch. At his worst, he throws an 89-91 mph heater and a sloppy breaking ball while struggling with his command. Some club officials think his problems may have been tied to him still getting acclimated to life in the States, and he did post a 2.25 ERA after the all-star break. He also pitched better after moving to the rotation, going 3-1, 2.45, and the Reds now say he could be a No. 3 or 4 starter down the road. As a reliever, Viola doesn't really fit as a lefty specialist because lefthanders actually have hit him better than righties. He'll compete for a rotation spot in Triple-A during the spring.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #15 prospect in 2008
  Viola took a long and winding road to prospectdom. He originally used a cousin's birth certificate to shave three years off his age when he originally signed for $20,000 as an outfielder with the Giants, but they released him after discovering his subterfuge. The Reds subsequently signed him for $1,000 as a 22-year-old lefthander and quickly discovered they had nabbed an intriguing arm. Because he's older, Cincinnati was aggressive in promoting Viola during his U.S. debut in 2007, and he rocketed all the way to Double-A while posting a 1.42 ERA. His calling card is a 92-95 mph fastball with some life, and he complements it with an average slider and fringy changeup. He was especially nasty against lefties last year, holding them to a .167 average with 45 strikeouts in 107 at-bats, and righties weren't much more successful. Viola did show signs of fatigue in the Arizona Fall League and he sometimes drops down and struggles to maintain his release point, but he established himself as a promising reliever who isn't that far away from the big leagues. If he were younger he would get a shot as a starter, because he has three pitches and a solid frame, but the Reds are going to move him quickly as a reliever. He could open 2008 in Triple-A and make his major league debut later in the year.