Hector Rondon Stats & Scouting Report

IP	436
ERA	3.489
WHIP	1.202
BB/9	2.766
SO/9	9.103

Full name Héctor Luis Rondón
Born 02/26/1988 in Guatire, Venezuela
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut 04/03/2013

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Rondon moved quickly, reaching Triple-A in 2009 as a 21-year-old. So far that has been the highlight of his professional career. He struggled when he returned to Columbus in 2010 before injuring his elbow. After trying rehab, he finally had Tommy John surgery after the 2010 season, which essentially wiped out his 2011 campaign. Rondon pitched in the Venezuelan League this winter and struggled with his command before he suffered a setback. He had a second surgery on his elbow to repair a fracture and isn't expected to be ready for the start of the 2012 season. At his best, Rondon has shown good command of a lively low-90s fastball that has touched 96 mph. He flashes an average changeup, though his fringy slider never has developed into a legitimate weapon. Rondon is a good athlete who repeats his delivery and fields his position well. When he's healthy again, the Indians will ease him back as a reliever at a Class A stop with the hope that he can be stretched out into a starter's role later in the year. They removed him from the 40-man roster in December.
Rondon has emerged as one of the Indians' most promising Latin American pitching prospects, but his development took a step backwards in 2010. He posted an 8.53 ERA in seven Triple-A starts, the last of which came on May 12, when he went on the disabled list with a right elbow injury. After attempting to rehab his elbow, he eventually had Tommy John surgery after the season, which likely will cost him all of 2011. When healthy, Rondon pitched off a lively low-90s fastball that peaked at 96 mph. He had yet to develop another offering that would qualify as an out pitch. His second-best weapon was his changeup, an average pitch at times. His slider was fringy and inconsistent. Rondon is a good athlete who repeats his delivery and fields his position well. Missing nearly two full seasons hurts, because he needs more time to refine his secondary pitches. He'll be 24 when he returns to the mound in 2012.
A Futures Gamer in 2008, Rondon cruised through his first five Double-A starts last year before the Indians moved him to the Akron bullpen, with an eye toward finding help for a beleaguered bullpen in Cleveland. He made just two relief appearances before the Indians nixed the experiment, sending him back into the rotation and giving him a promotion to Triple-A in July at age 21. Rondon's best pitch is his fastball, a lively low-90s heater that touches 96 mph. He commands it well to both sides of the plate and it has late life through the zone, making it a swing-and-miss pitch. His second-best offering is his average changeup, which could be a future 55 pitch on the 20-80 scouting scale. He repeats a clean delivery, and his athleticism helps him field his position well. Rondon has made strides with his secondary pitches, but he'll have to prove that they're good enough to keep big league hitters off his impressive fastball. His mid-80s slider is a fringe-average pitch. He experienced mild biceps soreness in June but didn't miss much time. Rondon profiles as a potential mid-rotation starter. He'll likely begin 2010 in the Columbus rotation and should be in line for a callup at some point.
Despite being one of the youngest pitchers in the Carolina League last year, Rondon was also one of its best. He pitched in the Futures Game and led all Indians farmhands with 145 strikeouts. He works mostly off a lively fastball that he commands well to both sides of the plate. His heater ranges from 89-94 mph with running life, occasionally touching 95. His changeup is an average to plus pitch that could be consistently above average with more work. His breaking ball improved during the season but is still a work in progress. The pitch went from a high-70s slurve to a low-80s true slider more often as he learned to stay behind the ball more rather than getting around on it. Working from a low- to mid-three-quarters arm slot with a loose, easy delivery, Rondon improved his ability to locate his pitches down in the zone as the season progressed. After being added to the 40-man roster in November, he should continue his ascent in Double-A this year.
The highlight of Rondon's first full season came on July 3 when he combined with Neil Wagner on a no-hitter against Delmarva. Signed out of Venezuela in 2004, Rondon has a wiry frame with a lively 90-93 mph fastball. He has a loose, easy delivery and his projectable body could add more velocity. He pounds the zone aggressively and has good mound presence. His curveball grades as average, and he can get around on it at times. He has decent feel for a changeup, but it's definitely his third-best pitch. His arm speed isn't quite where it needs to be, as he'll slow it down too much and miss his spots as a result. Despite having good life to his arm, Rondon doesn't miss a lot of bats. That should change in time as his breaking ball develops. Rondon will start 2008 in the high Class A rotation.

Minor League Top Prospects

Rondon was the best pitcher on the league's best team. He won his first five decisions for the Aeros and stumbled only in May, when the Indians shifted him briefly to the bullpen in preparation for a big league promotion. The organization then changed its mind and Rondon had a bit of trouble rediscovering his rhythm until June, when he got rolling again and earned a promotion to Triple-A. Rondon does it with power. Managers and scouts agreed he can overpower hitters by commanding his heater, which has late life through the strike zone, sits at 92 mph and touches 94. "Hitters just don't seem to pick his fastball up," Akron manager Mike Sarbaugh said. Rondon still has room to fill out physically and could throw a bit harder down the line. In addition, Rondon threw his secondary pitches more consistently for strikes this year. His slider has become a solid-average pitch, and his changeup is improving steadily. He also earns kudos for his mound presence.
After reaching Triple-A for the first time in July at the age of 21, Rondon responded with 11 scoreless innings. He tired late in the year, but not before showing that he's on the verge of helping the Indians' decimated pitching staff. a Cleveland pitching staff that has collapsed in the wake of the trades of former Cy Young Award winners Sabathia and Cliff Lee. Rondon's go-to pitch is a lively 92-94 mph fastball that he can throw to both sides of the plate and dial up to 96. He uses it to set up an average changeup that would be more effective with a little less velocity. His mid-80s slider is average at times but lacks consistency. Some scouts wonder if Rondon's secondary pitches are enough for him to start in the big leagues. The Indians briefly moved him to the bullpen in Double-A in May to see if they could fast-track him for some instant relief help, but plan on keeping him in the rotation.
Rondon had one of the more electric arms in the league, overpowering hitters primarily with a 92-95 mph fastball that seemed to gain extra life as it exploded out of his long, wiry frame. He showed an ability to locate his heater to both sides of the plate while featuring armside run and sink. Rondon struggled early, posting a 5.57 ERA in April and not earning his first victory until his 10th start, but he finished the season on a roll. The improvement was a credit to the development of his secondary pitches, a hard-breaking curveball and a serviceable changeup. He does a good job of attacking the strike zone.