Getting to Know: Eduardo Sanchez
February 8th, 2010 | by Ryan Boyer |Over the next several days I will be profiling some of the more interesting prospects that have been invited to the Cardinals’ major league camp.
First up is relief prospect Eduardo Sanchez.
| Year | Age | Level | W | L | ERA | G | SV | IP | BB | SO | WHIP | BB/9 | K/9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 17 | Rookie (Ven) | 1 | 2 | 8.71 | 19 | 0 | 31.0 | 24 | 38 | 2.29 | 7.0 | 11.0 |
| 2007 | 18 | Rookie | 2 | 2 | 1.27 | 19 | 8 | 21.1 | 9 | 29 | 0.89 | 3.8 | 12.2 |
| 2008 | 19 | Low-A | 5 | 1 | 2.86 | 24 | 1 | 56.2 | 25 | 55 | 1.15 | 4.0 | 8.7 |
| 2009 | 20 | High-A&AA | 2 | 1 | 2.28 | 60 | 13 | 75.0 | 25 | 82 | 0.92 | 3.0 | 9.8 |
Sanchez was signed out of Venezuela in 2006 as a 17-year-old. He struck out 38 batters in 31 innings that year, but that’s about all that went well, as he wound up with an 8.71 ERA and 2.29 WHIP. He’s made quite a rebound since then, though, which has allowed him to go from being unranked by Baseball America among Cardinals prospects all the way up to No. 6.
Over the last three seasons he has produced a combined ERA of 1.67 and WHIP of 1.00 to go along with a 9.8 K/9 rate. As you can see from the chart above, he was fantastic last year at High-A and after getting promoted to Double-A. Producing the kind of dominating numbers as he did at Double-A as a 20-year-old was quite a feat.
The slight of frame (5-foot-11, 155 pounds) Sanchez has the stuff to match the results, with a fastball that can reach the upper 90s and sits comfortably in the mid 90s, as well as a hard-biting curveball. Unlike other high-upside Cardinals relief prospects like Francisco Samuel and Adam Reifer, Sanchez generally knows where the ball is going after it leaves his hand (though he could still stand to develop his control further).
I think Sanchez will be the most interesting guy to watch this spring. It may be a a longshot, but if he pitches well this spring, I could see him breaking camp with the team. The Cardinals have some recent history of relievers skipping over Triple-A and starting the season in the big leagues following a strong spring training (see Kyle McClellan in 2008).
Sanchez has made such a fast rise through the organizational ranks in one year that we will need to see him duplicate his efforts again this season to know whether he is “for real” or not. If he is able to do just that, he ultimately profiles as the team’s likely “closer of the future.”
Could he possibly get a look in the ninth inning this season? I wouldn’t rule it out.
Ryan Franklin struggled mightily towards the end of last season and in the playoffs last year, and his career record of mediocrity pre-2009 means the team can’t be completely comfortable with him as the closer. Pitching coach Dave Duncan even said himself that he would like to see a late-inning reliever added this offseason to give Franklin some protection. That has yet to happen, and I think part of the reason why it hasn’t is because the front office thinks Sanchez could be that protection. Jason Motte, unless he develops a viable second offering, isn’t the solution.
Another reason why tracking Sanchez this spring will be interesting is because he could directly affect what the team does with McClellan. Kyle will be tried out as a starter this spring, and if Sanchez pitches well enough to be on the squad, I think that enhances the odds that McClellan wins the final spot in the team’s rotation.
Tags: Eduardo Sanchez, Kyle McClellan
