Ian Snell
| IP | 803 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.808 |
| WHIP | 1.55 |
| BB/9 | 4.169 |
| SO/9 | 7.162 |
- Full name Ian Dante Snell
- Born 10/30/1981 in Dover, DE
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Ceasar Rodney
- Debut 08/20/2004
- Drafted in the 26th round (779th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2000.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Snell has been known as Ian Oquendo at various points in his career, but went back to his birth name prior to last season and intends to stick with it. He finished second in the Eastern League in strikeouts and might have won the title had he not been promoted to Pittsburgh in August. Snell has a lively fastball that sits around 93 mph and touches 95-96. He also throws a sharp curveball with such a late break that some opposing hitters and scouts call it a slider. He doesn't back down from anyone. Snell needs to stay on top of his fastball, which tends to flatten out and become hittable. His changeup is improving, but he needs better command of it before he's ready for major league hitters. His small stature leads to questions about his durability. He also could use a dose of maturity. Snell will pitch in the rotation this season at Triple-A and likely will receive a promotion to the majors at some point. If he doesn't prove strong enough to remain a starter, he has the arm to be a fine set-up man. -
Snell was known as Ian Oquendo for three seasons, taking his wife's last name after the couple had a child in 2000. He changed back to Snell this offseason. A small Delaware high school righthander, he drew scant attention from scouts when the father of Pirates lefthander Dave Williams recommended him to the team. Snell has gone on to be almost unbeatable, going 36-9, 2.48 in 31⁄2 pro seasons. He led the system with 14 wins and was Pittsburgh's minor league pitcher of the year in 2003. He has a lively fastball that reaches 95 mph and sits comfortably at 91-92. His best pitch is a hard curveball that has such late break that many confuse it for a slider. He's also an outstanding athlete who fields his position well. Snell's changeup needs work. He was suspended for two weeks in 2002 after an argument with Hickory pitching coach Scott Lovekamp but showed newfound maturity in 2003. He spent the final month of 2003 in Double-A and needs at least another half-season there. It's conceivable he could be ready for the major leagues late in 2004, but the following season seems more likely. With his slight stature and two above-average pitches, he could wind up as a closer in the big leagues. -
Known as Ian Snell when drafted by the Pirates, Oquendo took his wife's surname when he got married after the 2000 season. By any name, Oquendo is a winner as he has compiled a 22-6 record as a pro, including 11-0 in his first two seasons. Oquendo is a battler who challenges hitters. His fastball routinely reaches 95 mph and looks deceptively faster because of his smooth delivery. He also throws an outstanding curveball, along with a changeup. Oquendo is considered one of the top athletes in the system and fields his position well. Oquendo occasionally loses focus in games and can be prone to big innings. Maturity is an issue with him, though the Pirates hope he can grow out of it. He's also on the smallish side, causing some to wonder if he can handle a starter's workload over the long haul. Oquendo will move up to high Class A, where Pittsburgh wants to see him take another step forward. Because of his youth, the Pirates won't rush Oquendo and he may not see the majors until 2006.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Stereotypes against undersized righthanded pitchers are beginning to carry less weight in assessments of Snell. At 5-foot-10, 160 pounds, Snell packs impressive velocity in his slight stature. He pitches at 92-93 mph but has the ability to reach back for some extra zip when he needs it, and touches 96 mph. Managers love his mound demeanor and the way he competes, attacking hitters with his live stuff and he is aggressive in the strike zone. His secondary stuff rates average. His late-breaking curveball has shown flashes of being a legitimate major league out pitch but lacks consistency. He is reluctant to use his changeup and would benefit from further developing his complete arsenal. Snell is durable, logging at least 140 innings in each of the past three seasons. "He has a loose arm, the ball just jumps out of his hand," Reading manager Greg Legg said. "And it didn't look like he was putting any effort into it." -
The only three-time winner of league pitcher-of-the-week honors in 2003, Oquendo stayed longer than most of the top arms. He was ready for Double-A when he got there in August because he went 4-0, 1.96 in six Eastern League starts. Oquendo's top pitch is a curveball that managers rated the best in the league. He has a second plus pitch in his low-90s fastball, and he has no problem finding the strike zone. Though he didn't miss a start, some scouts questioned his durability because he's just 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds. "People will say that he's too small," Lovullo said, "but I think you can throw all that out the window. He's a poor man's version of Pedro Martinez for me."
