SARASOTA, Fla. – Whether the Orioles’ late-offseason acquisition of right-hander Gabriel Ynoa in a trade nine days ago ends up netting the team a major league contributor remains to be seen, but the team is encouraged the 23-year-old has a high ceiling and will have the opportunity to develop with the Orioles, a chance he might not have received with pitching-rich New York Mets.
“I thought it was a great opportunity,” Ynoa said through Orioles interpreter Ramon Alarcon about receiving news of the Feb 10 trade that landed him in Sarasota with the Orioles. “I thought they did it because they needed me, so I’m going to take this opportunity and try to do the best job I can do.”
After putting up solid numbers in the minors, Ynoa struggled in his brief major league debut last season, posting a 6.38 ERA over 18 1/3 innings with the Mets. He allowed 26 hits over that span, but averaged 8.3 strikes per nine innings and owned a 2.43 strikeouts-to-walk ratio.
“I had a great experience last year, a great learning experience for me last year,” Ynoa said about his first major league stint. “I’m looking forward to learning from this experience and putting it together to do a good job.”
The Orioles like the fact that he can be used as both a starter or a reliever, and given the teams need for optionable pitchers, that will serve him well. But the club would rather groom him as a starter, especially given the durability he showed in the minor leagues. Ynoa pitched at least 148 innings in each of his last three minor league seasons.
Over seven minor league seasons, Ynoa was 59-30 with a 3.36 ERA. He’s seen success at every level of the minors, most recently a 12-5, 3.97 campaign in 25 starts with Triple-A Las Vegas.
He owns a mid-90s four-seam fastball, a mid-80s slider, as well as a sinker, curveball and changeup. But the Orioles believe refining his breaking ball could be the difference in seeing big league success.
“Yes I am making an adjustment on that,” Ynoa said. “I’ve heard that comment before and I’m definitely working on that every day.”
Ynoa posted a respectable 3.18 ERA in three big league starts in September with the Mets last season – throwing no more than 76 pitches in each one — but owned a 11.58 ERA in seven relief innings with the Mets.
Pitchers and catchers reported for duty on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017. The Orioles begin the 2017 season at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 3.
Opposing hitters batted .308 against Ynoa, a mark that goes up to.359 against left-handed hitters. And opponents hit well against his two predominant pitchers – batting .333 against his four-seamer, which he used 38.7 percent of the time and .357 off his slider, which he used 28.2 percent of the time.
“I learned how to pitch better. Hopefully I’ll continue to learn that over here with the pitching coaches, their teachings. I’m also trying to get quick outs. I see something—that’s an area I can improve upon.”
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