Gabriel Encinas
| IP | 341 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.513 |
| WHIP | 1.534 |
| BB/9 | 5.648 |
| SO/9 | 8.604 |
- Full name Gabriel Victor Encinas
- Born 12/21/1991 in Whittier, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Saint Paul
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Drafted in the 6th round (205th overall) by the New York Yankees in 2010 (signed for $300,000).
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Between showcase events last summer and fall and the spring season, Encinas boosted his stock significantly by improving his conditioning and mechanics. At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, he now looks the part of the classic lanky and projectable high school righthander. His stuff didn't significantly improve, but he can maintain it deep into starts now. Encinas delivers a fastball that sits comfortably in the 90-92 mph range, and he shows a nice feel for mixing in a crisp curveball and changeup, which is probably the best changeup among Southern California prepsters. With smooth mechanics and an advanced feel for pitching, Encinas does an excellent job of mixing pitches, speeds and locations, and altering pitch sequences from at-bat at-bat. The large flock of scouts who started following Encinas this spring--particularly in games against top prospects Angelo Gumbs and Austin Wilson--did not seem to faze him. He profiles as a mid-rotation starter, and a future bump in velocity could even improve that outlook. He's committed to Loyola Marymount.
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While the Yankees focused mainly on hitters in the 2010 draft, they spent $1.25 million on a trio of prep pitchers. Encinas ($300,000) has emerged as the best of the lot, surpassing lefthander Evan Rutckyj ($500,000) and righty Taylor Morton ($450,000). He hasn't put up big numbers as a pro yet because he's still learning to harness his newfound power stuff. He sat at 90-92 mph with his fastball in high school and has added velocity since signing, at times reaching 97 with his two-seamer and working at 92-95. At times Encinas loses his release point, resulting in 5.0 walks per nine innings last season. As his arm slot wanders, so does the consistency of his curveball. His changeup has its moments but remains inconsistent. Encinas encouraged the club with his progress in instructional league. He's slated for his first full-season assignment at Charleston in 2013.
