Jhonleider Salinas
| IP | 325 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.655 |
| WHIP | 1.415 |
| BB/9 | 5.788 |
| SO/9 | 8.806 |
- Full name Jhonleider Alexander Salinas
- Born 09/25/1995 in Caracas, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 6'7" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Salinas was a promising basketball prospect in Venezuela and had less exposure to baseball than most of his peers prior to signing with the Indians in 2014. He's surprisingly athletic on the mound and has made quick adjustments as he's acclimated to baseball. The Rays recognized Salinas's considerable upside in the Rookie-level Arizona League and added him in the Brandon Guyer trade at the deadline. Salinas's best asset is his intimidating fastball, which usually works in the low-to-mid 90s and has reached as high as 99 mph. His breaking ball is raw, and he struggles to repeat its release and shape, but at its best the pitch shows hard, slurvy break and works at 82-84. Given his limited baseball experience and below-average control, Salinas is somewhat of a lottery ticket for the Rays with excellent upside. Tampa Bay's track record of developing young pitching is encouraging, though. Salinas is likely to spend 2017 at a short-season affiliate as he aims to get stronger and gain reps.
