Danys Baez
| IP | 697 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.248 |
| WHIP | 1.349 |
| BB/9 | 3.719 |
| SO/9 | 6.521 |
- Full name Danys G. Baez
- Born 09/10/1977 in Pinar Del Rio, Cuba
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- Debut 05/13/2001
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Baez, who defected from the Cuban national team during the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, was the Tribe's first big-money gamble on the international market. The Tribe signed him to a four-year, $14.5 million contract last winter, expecting him to be in their rotation in 2000. But one look in spring training told club officials he was going to be a project. His mechanics needed a major overhaul, and it took him time to adjust culturally. Baez' fastball just keeps getting better. He threw 94-95 mph early in the 2000 season, and in the Arizona Fall League he was at 97 mph with life. He gets great leverage on his fastball, which helps him keep it down in the zone. He has an above-average curve, mental toughness and desire. Baez lacks a third pitch and needs more consistent mechanics. He struggles working out of the stretch and controlling his emotions. He needs more innings to allow him to refine everything. Following his AFL performance, Baez will get a chance to win a spot on the big league staff in spring training. A better bet is that he starts the season in the Triple-A Buffalo rotation.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The Indians signed Baez to a major league contract worth $14.5 million last November, anticipating that he could help their rotation quickly. That didn’t happen right away, but his occasional brilliance for Akron suggests he may do so in the very near future. As with C.C. Sabathia, Baez's statistics seem lacking. But the Cuban defector made people notice when he unleashed a mid-90s fastball or pounced on a grounder near the mound. "He's 93, 94 with a pretty good breaking ball that looks like it could be tightened up and made better," Sisson said. "He was much better the second time we saw him. He looks like he's fairly polished. What he has, I think, is going to work in a big-league rotation." "He's going to have a plus breaking ball and he has a feel for a changeup, but the big thing that sticks out for me is a live fastball," Wedge said. "He's put together very well. He has a very strong lower half, which translates into a guy we feel can get the job done every fifth day."
Top 100 Rankings
Scouting Reports
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The Indians signed Baez to a major league contract worth $14.5 million last November, anticipating that he could help their rotation quickly. That didn’t happen right away, but his occasional brilliance for Akron suggests he may do so in the very near future. As with C.C. Sabathia, Baez's statistics seem lacking. But the Cuban defector made people notice when he unleashed a mid-90s fastball or pounced on a grounder near the mound. "He's 93, 94 with a pretty good breaking ball that looks like it could be tightened up and made better," Sisson said. "He was much better the second time we saw him. He looks like he's fairly polished. What he has, I think, is going to work in a big-league rotation." "He's going to have a plus breaking ball and he has a feel for a changeup, but the big thing that sticks out for me is a live fastball," Wedge said. "He's put together very well. He has a very strong lower half, which translates into a guy we feel can get the job done every fifth day."
