Juan Rincon
| IP | 507 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.03 |
| WHIP | 1.379 |
| BB/9 | 3.87 |
| SO/9 | 8.325 |
- Full name Juan Manuel Rincon
- Born 01/23/1979 in Maracaibo, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School U.E. Instituto Cervantes
- Debut 06/07/2001
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Rincon had a rough, brief major league debut in 2001, but it looked good compared to how he pitched in 2002. He performed like he was in front of a firing squad last year, unable to establish any sense of consistency. As a spot starter for the Twins in June and July, Rincon pitched just four times during a 26-day period before returning to Triple-A in August. He rejoined Minnesota as a reliever in September. Though Rincon has spent most of his career as a starter, scouts now project him as more of a reliever. He looks more comfortable pitching in shorter outings, where he can rely on his two best pitches--a fastball that tops out at 94 mph and a nasty slider--and less on his below-average changeup. Rincon will have a tough time getting a spot on a crowded staff in spring training, but he has provided glimpses of dominance in the past. It's now a matter of showing consistency from outing to outing. -
Rincon has always tended to be advanced for his age, though he repeated the low Class A Midwest League after an uninspiring 1998 season. His first trip to Double-A also produced undesirable results, but he returned in 2001 and finished among the Eastern League leaders in wins, ERA and strikeouts. After his rough half-season in New Britain in 2000, the Twins were unsure Rincon would last as a starter. Then he bolstered his threepitch attack last year by pumping his fastball up to 94 mph and honing his nasty slider and changeup. He can throw strikes with all three pitches and is durable. He became too dependent on his slider before learning to mix up his pitch sequence last season and needs to avoid falling into that trap again. He doesn't have prototypical size for a starter. There always will be concerns about the stamina of undersized starters. There are exceptions such as Pedro Martinez and Roy Oswalt, and others like Octavio Dotel and Ugueth Urbina who became successful relievers. Rincon will remain a starter for now and move up to Triple-A. -
Stuck in the haze of a horrible New Britain season, Rincon took a step back after leading the Midwest League in strikeouts and ranking second in wins and third in ERA a year earlier. He had no such success after his promotion to the Eastern League last June. He had been his usual self at Fort Myers, holding opponents to a .238 average. It took him two tries to figure out the Midwest League, and he'll have the same catching up to do this year in Double-A. His offspeed stuff has yet to complement his 92-95 mph fastball and sharp slider. He also must improve his command, though his ceiling remains high.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Rincon rebounded from his worst season as a pro with his best. All without leaving New Britain, except for a midseason stay with Minnesota. After going 3-9, 4.65 in 15 starts last season with the Rock Cats, Rincon ranked third in the EL in victories and eighth in ERA. Cliburn likened Rincon to a hard-throwing version of Rick Reed, whom the Twins acquired from the Mets in July for Matt Lawton. "He's going to start and relieve on the big league level," Cliburn said. "He has a 91-mph fastball with movement. He has a real good changeup and he loves to compete. He's pretty solid, but you don't find too many guys in this league who are 5-10, 5-11 in size who are starters down the road." -
After moving into the rotation part way through last year at Fort Wayne, Rincon became a full-time starter in '99 and blossomed. He led the league in strikeouts despite having only one double-digit outing. He was second in the league in wins and third among all starters in ERA. "Juan is a good young pitcher with very good stuff, but he'll need to learn how to pitch at the next level to be successful," Quad City pitching coach David Perez said.
