Luis Pena

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #20 prospect in 2018
  The Angels signed Pena for just $20,000 in 2013 and have seen him progress every year, topping out with a sterling second half in 2017 that ended in a promotion to Double-A Mobile. Pena does some Johnny Cueto-like things with his delivery--he'll quick-pitch at times and hold his leg kick before driving toward the plate at others--that the Angels have so far refrained from changing, because Pena has been able to disrupt the timing of hitters and had success with it. Though his ERA (5.00) and walks (67) were high in 151.1 innings across 29 starts at two levels in 2017, Pena struck out 167 and held hitters to a .213 average in four Double-A starts. He relies primarily on a late-riding fastball that sits between 90-93 with life and late rise up through the zone. His hard, late-breaking slider that can be wipeout quality at times, inducing a lot of swings and misses. Pena's feel for his changeup has been sporadic, but the pitch has flashed above-average. Pena pitched out of the bullpen his first two seasons and projects more as a reliever long-term, but if he continues to gain consistency with his changeup, he'll remain a starter.