Chi Chi Gonzalez Stats & Scouting Report

IP	288.333
ERA	5.681
WHIP	1.503
BB/9	3.746
SO/9	5.4

Full name Alexander González
Born 01/15/1992 in Delray Beach, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Oral Roberts
Debut 05/30/2015
Drafted in the 1st round (23rd overall) by the Texas Rangers in 2013 (signed for $2,215,000).

View Draft Report

The best Oral Roberts pitching prospect since No. 1 overall pick Mike Moore in 1981, Gonzalez steadily has improved since the Orioles made him an 11th-round pick out of a Florida high school three years ago. He doesn't garner a lot of national attention pitching for the Golden Eagles, but he could sneak into the first round and has a realistic ceiling of a No. 3 starter in the big leagues. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder usually deals at 90-94 mph with his fastball, and batters can't square it up because he throws it with natural cut and sink to both sides of the plate. His true slider, which runs as hot as 87 mph, is one of the best in the draft and gives him a second swing-and-miss offering. He's making progress with a changeup, and he can mix in an occasional curveball as a show-me pitch. Gonzalez pounds the strike zone, has a sound delivery and exhibits good mound presence.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Nicknamed "Chi-Chi", Gonzalez signed for $2.215 million as the No. 23 pick in the 2013 draft. He has looked the park of a polished college pitcher, moving quickly through the system to Double-A Frisco in 2014. Gonzalez commands his plus fastball to both sides of the plate, operating at 92-95 mph and touching 97. Gonzalez can cut and sink his fastball, giving it above-average movement and helping him get an abundance of grounders. He has another weapon in his plus slider, a sharp mid-80s offering that he adds and subtracts from depending on the situation. One of the focal points for Gonzalez this year was to improve his changeup, a pitch that flashes good action and sink. It has the makings of an average to a tick better offering, though he's not as consistent with the changeup yet as he is with his slider. He also started to use a solid curveball to get early-count called strikes, giving him a four-pitch mix to attack hitters. Gonzalez has all the attributes to be a mid-rotation starter. He could open 2015 at Frisco or Triple-A Round Rock, but by midseason he should be in Texas, with crisp command that should allow for a smooth transition.
An unsigned Orioles 11th-round pick out of high school in 2010, Gonzalez's draft stock jumped after a dominant junior season at Oral Roberts, becoming the school's best prospect since righthander Mike Moore went No. 1 overall to the Mariners in 1981. With two first-round picks in 2013, the Rangers' used their top selection (No. 23 overall) on Gonzalez, who signed for $2.215 million. He reached high Class A Myrtle Beach in his pro debut, though he looked a little run down at the end of the year. Gonzalez is a strike-thrower with a sound delivery who uses both sides of the plate with two above-average pitches, including a lively 90-94 mph fastball. He can cut and sink his fastball, resulting in an abundance of groundballs. Once Gonzalez gets to two strikes, he uses his plus slider as a put-away pitch. He can manipulate the speed of his slider, cranking it up to 87 mph with sharp bite to finish hitters or dialing it down for a strike earlier in the count. His changeup has improved, flashing average at times, and he'll sprinkle in an occasional show-me curveball as well. Gonzalez has the makings of a potential No. 3 starter who shouldn't need too much time in the minors. He'll likely start 2014 at high Class A Myrtle Beach, but he has a chance to be in Double-A quickly and reach Texas by 2015.

Draft Prospects

The best Oral Roberts pitching prospect since No. 1 overall pick Mike Moore in 1981, Gonzalez steadily has improved since the Orioles made him an 11th-round pick out of a Florida high school three years ago. He doesn't garner a lot of national attention pitching for the Golden Eagles, but he could sneak into the first round and has a realistic ceiling of a No. 3 starter in the big leagues. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder usually deals at 90-94 mph with his fastball, and batters can't square it up because he throws it with natural cut and sink to both sides of the plate. His true slider, which runs as hot as 87 mph, is one of the best in the draft and gives him a second swing-and-miss offering. He's making progress with a changeup, and he can mix in an occasional curveball as a show-me pitch. Gonzalez pounds the strike zone, has a sound delivery and exhibits good mound presence.

Minor League Top Prospects

Less than two years after the Rangers drafted him 23rd overall, Gonzalez made his major league debut. He didn't allow a run in his first two starts for the Rangers, including a three-hit shutout against the Royals. But throughout the season, both with Texas and Round Rock, he saw both his walk rate climb and his strikeout rate decrease, leaving him less margin for error. Gonzalez has a good feel for his low-90s fastball, which can get up to 95 mph. He is able to add cut and sink to the pitch to help him create groundball outs. His best secondary weapon is his slider, which can be a swing-and-miss pitch. He also can show a changeup and a curveball, but he doesn't use either pitch often. Before this season, Gonzalez had pitched with at least average control. If he can get that back, he has the arsenal and understanding of his craft to develop into a solid mid-rotation starter.
Gonzalez, the 23rd pick in the 2013 draft who signed for $2.215 million, built on the five starts he made for Myrtle Beach late last year. In that stretch, he had a 2.84 ERA in 19 innings. This year, it took Gonzalez 11 starts to move up to Double-A Frisco, where he continued to look like a future mid-rotation starter. He throws a four-seamer up to 95 mph and he also can cut his fastball to work his glove side. He throws a boatload of strikes to both sides of the plate with his fastball, while mixing in a plus changeup and the occasional slider. "He's got great stuff," Lynchburg manager Luis Salazar said. "He has a good slider and a good fastball with location. He pitches in and out, to both sides of the plate."
Gonzalez arrived in Frisco in early June after spending just two months at high Class A Myrtle Beach during his full-season debut. He posted a 1.27 ERA in July, including a 10-inning scoreless streak, and earned Frisco's lone postseason victory against eventual champion Midland. Gonzalez throws two plus pitches: a 91-93 mph fastball with tremendous lateral movement and natural cut that rides in on hitters' hands, and a slider with good depth and left-to-right tilt that induces both swing-and-misses and groundballs. His curveball is hard-breaking offering that that gives hitters another look. Gonzalez's changeup lags behind his other pitches but is much improved, and he's confident throwing it in any sequence. He repeats his delivery well and thrives when keeping the ball down. He has great control, but he ran into trouble when he missed his spots within the strike zone. He's polished on the mound and knows how to set up hitters.

Top 100 Rankings

Best Tools List

Rated Best Control in the Texas Rangers in 2014
Rated Best Slider in the Texas Rangers in 2014

Career Transactions

Miami Marlins sent RHP Chi Chi González outright to Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Miami Marlins sent RHP Chi Chi González outright to Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Miami Marlins designated RHP Chi Chi González for assignment.
Miami Marlins selected the contract of RHP Chi Chi González from Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Miami Marlins selected the contract of RHP Chi Chi González from Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.