IP | 10.1 |
---|---|
ERA | 5.23 |
WHIP | 1.16 |
BB/9 | 6.1 |
SO/9 | 6.97 |
- Full name Jacob Lopez
- Born 03/11/1998 in Granada Hills, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School College Of The Canyons
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Drafted in the 26th round (766th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2018 (signed for $150,000).
View Draft Report
Lopez led all JC players in the nation with 128 strikeouts this spring. A 6-foot-4 lefthander, Lopez succeeds more on deception and angle than stuff. He sits 84-87 mph with his fastball, touching 90, and his slurvy breaking ball is below-average. But Lopez is a tough at-bat for lefties with his size and angle and he spots his fastball enough to get righties to swing through it. He is committed to Texas Tech.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade: 40/Medium
Track Record: The Rays constantly churn their big league and minor league rosters, looking to figure out how to add talent in blockbuster trades, but just as much on less-noticed moves. Lopez was acquired by the Rays from the Giants for Joe McCarthy in 2019. He missed all of 2022 because of Tommy John surgery, but he sped from Double-A to the majors in 2023.
Scouting Report: An ideal outcome for Lopez is for him to become the Rays’ next Ryan Yarbrough. He’s a bulk-innings pitcher who may do better when a team can pick the spot for which 12-15 outs he’s set to get by following an opener. Lopez is not a fun at-bat for hitters because he has a deceptive delivery, excellent extension and he makes it hard for lefties to pick him up thanks to a low three-quarters arm slot. Nothing Lopez throws is sexy. He’s a sinker/slider lefty with below-average 89-91 mph velocity who lives at the very edges of the strike zone. He wants to get in just off the plate with his below-average fastball to lefties, and then get them to chase the slider out of the zone. Similarly, he nibbles on the outer edge against righthanded hitters with his fastball and slider, but will sneak a changeup down in the zone as well. If Lopez is in the top half of the strike zone, he’s missed his spot.
The Future: Lopez’s success relies on guile and command and he has a low margin of error. But he’s making it work, and should ride the Durham-Tampa Bay shuttle in 2024 as a multi-inning reliever/spot starter.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 40 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50
Scouting Reports
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Lopez used the 2020 layoff to get into better shape and his stuff has improved because of that. He's repeating his delivery well and dominated High-A to recently earn a promotion to Double-A Montgomery.