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JJ Cooper @jjcoop36 · 25mNationals rhp Reynaldo Lopez 4 ip 1 h 0 r 0 bb 8 ks. 97-99 and showing feel. Started 2 of 3 hitters in 4th with offspeed for strikes.
JJ Cooper @jjcoop36 · 5mLopez walked first batter of game in fifth. Dropped to 95-96 mph. Only one K. Now 9 Ks for game. Pen starting to loosen up. May be done
So when do we find out he's really 25?
Charles Bartlett (Shelburne, Vermont): Where would you rank Reynaldo Lopez in the Nationals top prospects and what do you thin his ultimate ceiling is?J.J. Cooper: Near the top. He’s got one of the better arms in the minors and some signs he should be able to remain as a starter.
Andrea (Rainville): Who are some of the prospects that have made big jumps this year?J.J. Cooper: The Nationals RHP Reynaldo Lopez who we just mentioned is one. Came into this year with less than 10 innings of stateside experience and less than 15 innings of pro experience in total. Now he’s dominating the Sally League with a fastball that sits at 95-99 mph and two solid secondary pitches.
From BaseballAmerica chat...http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2014-minor-league-player-year-chat/
Lopez signed for just $17,000 out of the Dominican Republic, then missed most of 2013 with a sore arm that was eventually diagnosed as bone weakness. He exploded onto the prospect scene in the NYPL, allowing two or fewer runs in each of his seven starts, then continuing to dominate after a promotion to low Class A.Lopez blew hitters away with a fastball that often sits at 96-99 mph early in games, and still sits comfortably in the mid-90s in the middle innings. He also made a crucial mechanical adjustment with his front side, helping him work top to bottom rather than side to side. That allowed him to leverage the ball better and gave him more hard bore with his fastball. His curveball took a step forward, showing 11-5 shape and better depth than it had in the past.“It was absolutely electric stuff: hammer, good changeup, exploding fastball,” Connecticut manager Mike Rabelo said. “That game against us, he was like fastball/breaking ball the first time through the lineup. Then he started mixing that changeup in, and if he wanted to, he could have thrown that changeup every pitch, and we weren’t going to hit it.”His changeup has good bottom, and while he’s still honing his feel for the pitch, it is very promising. And he is comfortable throwing his changeup or curveball in any count, for a strike or a chase pitch. Lopez has a compact frame, but his delivery features surprisingly little effort, giving him a chance to stick as a starter and become a top-of-the-rotation arm down the road.
jda (New York): If Reynaldo Lopez hadn't needed a bit of time this year to hit his stride and had been lights out from the start, would he still have ranked behind Molina for you guys?Aaron Fitt: We debated Lopez vs. Molina for quite a while, ultimately siding with Molina because he’s bigger, a bit younger and a bit more polished. Lopez has the more electric raw stuff, though, and perhaps the slightly higher ceiling. I think both guys could wind up being front-end starters.
Bump. At Potomac now. 1st start today.
Looks like he is scheduled for the start in game one of the doubleheader. Starts at 4.
Impressive. Thanks for the report in PWC
The changeup will be what decides whether or not he's a major leaguer.
He's already a major leaguer, barring injury, and he's already a major league starting pitcher, barring stamina issues. The change up may determine whether he's a #1/2 or a #4 type, I guess. But has any non-injured pitcher who throws upper 90s in the strike zone ever NOT made the majors?
Not only that, but the floor isnt even a #4. If he doesn't develop secondary pitches, the pen is still a landing spot.I'd feel very comfortable saying hell play at the big league level, barring injuries .
His FB is going to be a true 75-80 offer and the curve can get there. The changeup will be what decides whether or not he's a major leaguer.
Ryan Sullivan@NatsGMdotcom#Nats prospect Reynaldo Lopez sitting 96-97mph with a 78mph CV. #Rig