Twins Round 1, Pick 27

by Jesse on Jun 5, 2008 4:38 PM EDT in Draft Coverage Comment 13 comments

Minnesota Twins select Carlos Gutierrez, RHP, University of Miami, 09/22/1986

Now this is the biggest surprise of the first round so far. Gutierrez is another college closer whose fastball tops out at 94 with sink. But he doesn't have a viable second pitch, not even a breaking ball. I don't think a team should take a player with only one pitch in the first round. But the Twins have always had success with power arms out of their bullpen.

Stats at the University of Miami

Season	W	L	SV	ERA	IP	H	K	BB	BA	WHIP	WP	HBP	APP	CG	SO	R	ER
2008	5	2	12	2.70	43.1	34	64	17	.206	1.18	11	3	34	0	0	16	13
2007	Did not pitch - Recovering from Tommy John Surgery
2006	9	7	0	4.40	88.0	81	62	33	.245	1.30	9	17	17	0	0	48	43

From John Manuel at BA:

Count on Mike Radcliff and the Twins to make waves. After taking Aaron Hicks as an outfielder at 14, the Twins took BA’s No. 82 ranked player in our Top 200, with Carlos Gutierrez, the Hurricanes’ righthander. No. 1-ranked and top-seeded Miami has now placed three players in the first round.

Gutierrez is the biggest surprise in the first round but honestly I like Gutierrez as much as several of the other closers taken ahead of him. He doesn’t have Ryan Perry’s pure velocity, but I’d take Gutierrez’s fastball due to its superior movement, sink and command, plus he’s no soft-tosser at 90-93 mph. Plus his slider can be an average pitch at times. He’s had Tommy John surgery but he’s also been money for Miami this year.

That said, Gutierrez likely would have been available later. The Twins obviously were convicted in Gutierrez, but it’s a surprising pick, one of a string of surprises in the last five picks.

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Comments

Wow

Where will this guy start out? Is he an option for the bullpen soon? As in late this year or next?

by wcooley on Jun 5, 2008 4:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No

He only has one pitch. Which sounds like a nasty fastball. It seems like the Twins feel they can develop a decent breaking ball with him. So i’m sure he’ll be in the minors until that develops.

by .mnqwerd on Jun 5, 2008 4:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Lol

I heard that his only pitch is a fastball with a little sink.

Lol, late this year? This guy sounds like he needs four or five years…at least. You CANNOT make it as a major league reliever with only one pitch. And you NEED both a good fastball and solid changeup.

With only a sinking fastball, he wouldn’t make it a day in the majors now. He will start out the lowest level, and MAYBE advance one level a year.

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by Andersklasen on Jun 5, 2008 4:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

well

I know of a reliever with essentially one pitch that has made a very good living. In fact, he is a shoe in for the hall of fame being one of the greatest closers of all time. Mariano Rivera and his cutter.

by Milt on Tilt on Jun 5, 2008 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs