When No One Was looking The Atlanta Braves Quietly Found A Setup Man
By Fred Owens
Last December the Atlanta Braves picked up another former prospect who had not lived up to expectations. This season that prospect settled in as a dependable setup man.
On December 4th last year the Atlanta Braves made a trade with the Seattle Mariners for a 25-year-old relief pitcher No one paid much attention to it at the time and hidden by the Braves offensive and pitching struggles he went unnoticed most of the year.
Since returning from Gwinnett however Jose Ramirez ownership of the seventh inning. While Ian Krol gets the nod now and Shae Simmons is getting a look as well Ramirez doesn’t look like relinquishing it to anyone without a fight.
The Journey
In October 10, 2007 the Yankees signed Jose Altagracia Ramirez, a 17-year-old RHP out of Yaguate, Dominican Republic. He played the next summer in the Dominican Summer league as a starter with a 4.15 ERA and in 2009 he moved the Gulf Coast (Rookie) League. There made 10 starts throwing 61 innings with a 1.48 ERA. good enough that Baseball America ($) made him the Yankees #20 prospect going into 2010.
". . .Ramirez emerged as one of the (Yankee) system’s more electric arms . . . (and a fastball that) jumped to 92-95 mph on a consistent basis . . He has a quick arm and room to fill out physically, though his velocity isn’t likely to increase. . .)"
2012
The 2102 season saw him make 22 appearances – 21 starts – for Charleston (A) throwing 115 innings with a 3.60 ERA and striking out 105 while walking 42. BA slipped him to #24 on the Yankee prospect list but continued to say good things.
"Ramirez keeps the ball down and excels at limiting big innings, giving up just three homers in 115 innings . . .has bouts of wildness (his 20 wild pitches ranked second in the South Atlantic League last year) and may not ever have true command. Scouts like his loose arm and projectable body while lamenting his longer arm action and sloppy delivery. . .He throws strikes to his arm side but hasn’t shown he can command his fastball on the other side of the plate. . . needs innings and experience to improve his feel for pitching, as well as strength. . ."
The 2011 season didn’t go as well; his ERA blew up – 6.62 between A and A+ – and he suddenly gave up a rash of home runs. He lost his top 30 Yankee prospect ranking Yankee prospect list but reclaimed it and moved up to the #16 spot after 2012 finishing with a 2.11 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 73 IP in an injury shortened season.
Next: Promoted