Genesis Cabrera

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #4 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Cabrera pitched for the Astros on a tryout basis in the Dominican Republic's informal Tricky League in the summer of 2013. Rays international director Carlos Rodriguez liked what he saw when Cabrera threw against the Rays and signed him for $34,000. Cabrera rose swiftly through Tampa's system, and the Cardinals acquired him as one of three prospects for Tommy Pham at the 2018 trade deadline. Cabrera made his major league debut with the Cardinals in May as a starter but later settled into the bullpen.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cabrera has long drawn comparisons with all-star closer Felipe Vazquez for his electric stuff, violent delivery and shoddy control. Cabrera's fastball sits 94-97 mph as a starter and ticks up to 99 as a reliever. He hides the ball well and it explodes out of his hand, inducing swings and misses even when he leaves it over the plate. Cabrera's power mid-80s breaking ball waffles between a curveball and slider, but it has the depth and snap to be an above-average, swing-and-miss pitch. His hard, upper-80s changeup plays up to average off his fastball. Cabrera is highly athletic, but his inconsistent delivery and violent arm action yield bouts of extreme wildness.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Cardinals plan to bring Cabrera to spring training as a starter. If his control doesn't take a step forward, he has a solid fallback option as an impact reliever.
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #6 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Cabrera signed with the Rays for $34,000 in 2013 and quickly surpassed his peers who signed for more. He skipped over the Gulf Coast League at 18 and reached Double-A by age 20 while touching 97 mph with his fastball. The Cardinals, facing an organizational need for lefthanders with velocity, acquired Cabrera with fellow prospects Justin Williams and Roel Ramirez in exchange for outfielder Tommy Pham at the 2018 trade deadline.
  
  Scouting Report: Cabrera is an athletic lefty with power stuff but below-average control due to a violent delivery. His plus-plus fastball sits 94-96 mph, touching 98 mph, and he holds his velocity deep into starts. His short, upper-80s slider has above-average potential, and his third pitch is a firm, upper-80s changeup with solid depth and late fade that plays well off his fastball. He also has a curveball he shows feel to spin, though it's inconsistent because he cuts it off. Because of his delivery, Cabrera struggles to repeat his arm slot and locate consistently, especially with his secondary pitches. He also gets too cocky at times, resulting in poor pitch selection and overthrowing.
  
  The Future: Cabrera reminds many of Pirates closer Felipe Vasquez with his power stuff but questionable control from the left side. The Cardinals plan to keep Cabrera as a starting pitcher at Tripe-A Memphis, but they won't hesitate to call him up in relief, if needed.
• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #14 prospect in 2018
  In his four seasons with the Rays, Cabrera has made tremendous strides with his pitchability while maintaining one of the more electric arms in the organization. A 2016 all-star in the Midwest League at age 19, Cabrera made the jump from high Class A Charlotte to Double-A Montgomery midway through the 2017 campaign. He opened the season trying to overpower hitters, and allowed 10 earned runs on seven hits and six walks in his first two starts, totaling five innings. His fastball touched 97 mph, but he had no command of the pitch. Tampa Bay's pitching coaches convinced the southpaw his heater had enough movement at a lower velocity, and he proceeded to rediscover his command while sitting in the 92-93 mph range. He also added a nasty cutter in the upper 80s, as well as a changeup with improving fade and depth, giving him the potential for three above-average offerings. Cabrera could emerge as a starter or setup man once he adds more strength to his wiry frame.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Southern League #14 prospect in 2018
  Cabrera signed with the Rays as a 17-year-old and made rapid progress by reaching Double-A in the second half of 2017, his fourth pro season. The live-armed southpaw returned to Montgomery in 2018 and ranked second in the league in strikeouts on July 31, when Tampa Bay traded him and two other prospects to the Cardinals for Tommy Pham. The top lefthander in the SL, Cabrera fires 94-96 mph fastballs with a long but fluid arm action. He maxes out at 98 and holds his velocity deep into starts, presenting lefthanded batters with a major challenge when he’s locating his secondary pitches. His firm high-80s changeup features plus late fade and plays up when he locates it in the zone because batters have to gear up for his fastball. To mix things up, he throws a cutter/slider that projects to average. Cabrera’s delivery is violent and he struggles to repeat his arm slot, leading to below-average control and inconsistent results with his secondary pitches. Some have compared him with Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez as a Dominican lefty with huge velocity and questionable control as a starter.

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Cabrera pitched for the Astros on a tryout basis in the Dominican Republic’s informal Tricky League in the summer of 2013. Rays international director Carlos Rodriguez liked what he saw when Cabrera threw against the Rays and signed him for $34,000. Cabrera rose swiftly through Tampa’s system, and the Cardinals acquired him as one of three prospects for Tommy Pham at the 2018 trade deadline. Cabrera made his major league debut with the Cardinals in May as a starter but later settled in the bullpen.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cabrera has long drawn comparisons with all-star closer Felipe Vazquez for his electric stuff, violent delivery and shoddy control. Cabrera’s fastball sits 94-97 mph as a starter and ticks up to 99 as a reliever. He hides the ball well and it explodes out of his hand, inducing swings and misses even when he leaves it over the plate. Cabrera’s power mid-80s breaking ball waffles between a curveball and slider, but it has the depth and snap to be an above-average, swing-and-miss pitch. His hard, upper-80s changeup plays up to average off his fastball. He is highly athletic, but his inconsistent delivery and violent arm action yield bouts of extreme wildness.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Cardinals plan to bring Cabrera to spring training as a starter. If his control doesn’t take a step forward, he has a solid fallback option as an impact reliever.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Cabrera pitched for the Astros on a tryout basis in the Dominican Republic's informal Tricky League in the summer of 2013. Rays international director Carlos Rodriguez liked what he saw when Cabrera threw against the Rays and signed him for $34,000. Cabrera rose swiftly through Tampa's system, and the Cardinals acquired him as one of three prospects for Tommy Pham at the 2018 trade deadline. Cabrera made his major league debut with the Cardinals in May as a starter but later settled into the bullpen.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Cabrera has long drawn comparisons with all-star closer Felipe Vazquez for his electric stuff, violent delivery and shoddy control. Cabrera's fastball sits 94-97 mph as a starter and ticks up to 99 as a reliever. He hides the ball well and it explodes out of his hand, inducing swings and misses even when he leaves it over the plate. Cabrera's power mid-80s breaking ball waffles between a curveball and slider, but it has the depth and snap to be an above-average, swing-and-miss pitch. His hard, upper-80s changeup plays up to average off his fastball. Cabrera is highly athletic, but his inconsistent delivery and violent arm action yield bouts of extreme wildness.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Cardinals plan to bring Cabrera to spring training as a starter. If his control doesn't take a step forward, he has a solid fallback option as an impact reliever.