Name: Alexander Vizcaino, RHP
Game Logged Date: 5/4/19, 5/30/19, 7/14/19, 7/20/19
Teams Faced: Greenville Drive, Lexington Legends, Columbia Fireflies
Game Notes: Observed Vizcaino across four starts over the course of the late spring and summer. One thing is consistent throughout all of his starts and that’s feel for a plus, possibly double plus changeup. His fastball features plus velocity sitting 94-96 touching 99 on occasion. I’ve heard he’s touched triple digits a few times on hotter guns. Despite premium velocity the pitch lacks significant movement, straightening out the deeper he gets into starts. This one-two punch keeps even the strongest competition Vizcaino faced off balance. As hitters often find themselves sitting between the fastball and the changeup.
Pitch Mix: Fastball, Changeup, Slider
Pitch One: Four-Seam Fastball
Velo: 94-96 mph touched 99 mph
Movement: Mostly flat but will show rise and late dip when elevated early in starts. As the pitch count climbs Vizcaino struggles to find a consistent release point and his fastball bleeds into the heart of the plate. Overall it’s a strong pitch but his ability to hold his command as he gets deeper into starts will certainly determine his ultimate role as starter or reliever.
Pitch Grade: 45/50
Pitch Two: Changeup
Velo: 87-91 mph
Movement: Ignore the velocity readings for a second and listen to me. It moves like a splitter. It comes in on similar tunnel to his fastball and just drops off a table. It’s Paddack-esque at its best. The movement is steep vertical drop that looks to be 10-11 inches or more. Late armside run helps it steal strikes versus left handed batters. Heavily used at 30-35%.
Pitch Grade: 60/70
Pitch Three: Slider
Velo: 83-85
Movement: Loopy almost curveball like movement, will flash some two plane break when he has his best feel. A definite third offering used 7-10% of the time.
Pitch Grade: 30/40
Mechanics: Easy loose delivery, with a slight leg lift, that features a slight hitch before his front foot plants. He is only 6-foot-2, but he’s high waisted and long limbed, built like a combo-guard. So he looks taller than he is. He puts his long limbs to good use getting above average extension. His arm action is a higher three quarters.
Overview: The stuff is there, with premium fastball velocity and a pitch that’s already plus with the ability to get to double plus. It’s really just a matter of him adding good weight and strength in order to hold his stuff deeper into starts. If not, he’ll be an easy fit in a major league bullpen with a nasty one-two combo that could play-up in a high leverage role.
Overall Grade: 45/50