Cesar Carrillo Stats & Scouting Report

IP	10
ERA	13.5
WHIP	2.8
BB/9	10.8
SO/9	3.6

Full name Cesar Carrillo
Born 04/29/1984 in Chicago, IL
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Miami (FL)
Debut 08/13/2009
Drafted in the 1st round (18th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2005 (signed for $1,550,000).

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Carrillo projected as a possible early draft pick coming out of high school in 2002, but his commitment to Miami and a bout with biceps tendinitis scared off scouts. The Hurricanes are overjoyed he made it to school. He had won 24 straight decisions, two off the NCAA Division I record tied just two years ago by Wake Forest's Kyle Sleeth, and had not lost in two seasons at Miami (the Canes were 34-0 when he started). He did not play his freshman year as a partial qualifier academically because of an ACT flap. While the year off the field didn't help him get much bigger--scouts say he's closer to 6-foot-2 and 165 pounds than his listed size--he matured and harnessed a power repertoire. Carrillo throws his fastball anywhere from 90-95 mph (touching 96-97), depending on the need, and he has shown scouts the ability to maintain his velocity deep into games. His fastball has excellent sink and life down in the zone from a three-quarters arm slot, and he went more than 80 innings between home runs allowed this spring. His curveball and changeup both can be plus pitches, though he pitches off his fastball so much that he tends to lose the feel for them at times. He's athletic and quick-armed and should always have good command. Carrillo's stuff won't get much better, but it's plenty good now, making him a candidate to move quickly through the minors.

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In a distinguished college career at Miami, Carrillo won the first 24 decisions of his career, two shy of the NCAA Division I record. The Padres selected him 18th overall in 2005 and signed him for $1.55 million with the hope he could move quickly. Because of elbow trouble, that hasn't happened. A strained elbow ligament limited him to 10 starts in 2006 and when the condition didn't improve, Carrillo had Tommy John surgery in June 2007. He returned to the hill last June, and his stuff is still recovering. He sat at 85-88 mph during the season before reaching 88-92 by the end of his stint in the Arizona Fall League. He throws his fastball in on righthanders as well as anyone in the system, and the Padres were encouraged that he began hitting his spots away late in the season. Before the surgery, Carrillo showed a 90-94 mph fastball that touched 96 and featured late life and natural sink. His curveball shows tight downward break, and his changeup has average potential. Carrillo profiles as a mid-rotation starter or power reliever, but the Padres won't make that decision until he shows he's fully healthy again.
Carrillo's strong commitment to Miami and a bout with biceps tendinitis dropped him into the 33rd round of the 2002 draft, when the Royals took him out of a Chicago high school. After sitting out 2003 in a dispute between Miami and the NCAA over his ACT score, he won the first 24 decisions of his college career, two shy of the NCAA Division I record. The 18th overall pick in 2005 and the recipient of a $1.55 million bonus, Carrillo made it to Double-A in his 2005 debut, but made just 10 starts in 2006 before straining an elbow ligament in June. The condition did not improve in 2007 and Carrillo had Tommy John surgery in June after five ineffective starts in Triple-A. When healthy he throws an above-average 90-94 mph fastball that can reach 96 and features late life and natural sink. His curveball has tight downward break and the potential to become a plus pitch. Using a three-quarters delivery, he pitches in on righthanders as well as anyone in the system. He doesn't command his fastball to the other side of the plate with the same aplomb. He also needs to improve his changeup to reach his ceiling as a mid-rotation starter, though he also could be used as a power reliever. Carrillo's delivery is a little herky-jerky, but the deception it provides makes it tough for hitters to pick the ball up. He experienced no setbacks in his rehab and should return to the mound by mid-2008.
Carrillo's strong commitment to Miami and a bout with biceps tendinitis dropped him into the 33rd round of the 2002 draft. After sitting out 2003 in a dispute between the university and the NCAA over his ACT score, he won the first 24 decisions of his college career, two shy of the NCAA Division I record. The 18th overall pick in 2005 and the recipient of a $1.55 million bonus, he made just 10 starts last season before straining an elbow ligament in June. Carrillo possesses an above-average 90-94 mph fastball that can reach 96 and features late life and natural sink. His curveball has tight downward break, with the potential to become a plus pitch. Using a three-quarters delivery, he pitches in on righthanders as well as anyone in the system, but doesn't command his fastball to the other side of the plate with the same aplomb. His delivery is a little herky-jerky but the deception it provides makes it tough for hitters to pick the ball up. He's a tough competitor. Though Carrillo didn't need surgery, his elbow didn't heal in time for him to attend instructional league or the Arizona Fall League. Because he didn't need it in college, his changeup still is developing. The Padres hope that Carrillo will be 100 percent after an offseason of rest. If he is, he'll open the season at Triple-A Portland with a chance for a big league callup later in the year. If he isn't, he could be headed for surgery.
Carrillo was a star both on the mound and as a shortstop at Chicago's Mount Carmel High, which has a rich athletic track record. It has produced pro football stars Donovan McNabb and Simeon Rice, basketball's Antoine Walker and baseball's last 30-game winner, Denny McLain. Scouts knew about Carrillo when he was in high school, but he dropped to the Royals in the 33rd round in 2002 because he committed to Miami and had a bout of biceps tendinitis. After sitting out 2003 in a dispute between the school and the NCAA over his ACT score, Carrillo was the Hurricanes' top pitcher for the next two years, beginning his career with a 24-game winning streak, the fourth-longest in NCAA Division I history. The 18th overall pick in the 2005 draft, he signed for $1.55 million and hopped on the fast track. He started his career at high Class A Lake Elsinore before going 4-0 in five starts for Double-A Mobile. When he returned to Lake Elsinore to pitch out of the bullpen in the California League playoffs, Carrillo was hit hard as the impact of pitching since January took its toll. Between college, the regular season and those playoffs, Carrillo pitched 192 innings in 2005. Some scouts believe Carrillo could get major leaguers out right now, as he combines the arsenal of a power pitcher with the command of a finesse specialist. His fastball is regularly clocked at 91-94 mph with late life and sinking action, and he can ratchet it up to 96 at times. Despite his slender build, he carries his velocity deep into games, hitting 96 on his 100th pitch in a college game last spring. His curveball has tight downward break, and Carrillo has the ability to drop it into the zone for a strike or bury it in the dirt as a chase pitch. His changeup has the makings of a plus pitch and he throws it with good arm action. He not only throws each of his offerings for strikes, but also works them down in the zone, generating lots of grounders. His arm is loose and quick, and his delivery is effortless. He displays a mature mound presence, pitches with confidence and isn't easily flustered. He's an excellent athlete who fields his position well. Carrillo lacks the physicality of a classic power pitcher, and his skinny frame offers little in the way of projection. He can become too enamored with his fastball at times, causing him to lose touch on his secondary pitches, both of which can be above-average when he keeps them in the mix. While his changeup is deceptive, it could use a greater difference in velocity from his fastball to keep hitters more off balance. The Padres targeted a polished college pitcher who could provide help quickly with their first-round pick, and Carrillo is poised to rocket through the system. He'll begin 2006 in Double-A and could make his big league debut later in the year. He should be a fixture in San Diego's rotation for years to come, possibly as a No. 2 starter.