Jose Berrios

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #2 prospect in 2016
  Not only did the Twins grab Byron Buxton second overall in 2012, but at No. 32 overall they signed Berrios for $1.55 million as the highest-drafted pitcher ever from Puerto Rico. He opened eyes with an April no-hitter against a Puerto Rican all-star team led by Carlos Correa. Named Twins minor league pitcher of the year the past two seasons, he also started the past two Futures Games. The Twins strongly considered inserting him into a pennant race in September, even if just in a bullpen role, but ultimately decided to limit his innings. An excellent athlete who fields his position and holds runners well, Berrios tops out at 97 mph with his fastball, which typically sits 93-95 mph and shows late life. Throwing from a three-quarters arm slot, he sharpened his 80-82 mph curveball, varying its speed and break. His changeup is an out pitch that allows him to keep lefties in check. Berrios led the minors with 175 strikeouts while continuing to slice his walk rate. He gave up 12 homers, double his previous career high, and some worry that his fastball may lack sufficient plane. Highly competitive and a workout fiend, Berrios should bid for a rotation spot out of spring training. It's possible he will open the year back at Triple-A. At worst, he projects as a mid-rotation starter.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #3 prospect in 2015
  Selected 32nd overall out of high school in 2012, Berrios signed for $1.55 million as the highest-drafted pitcher ever from Puerto Rico. The organization's minor league pitcher of the year in 2014, he struck out Robinson Cano in the 2013 World Baseball Classic and started for the World team at the 2014 Futures Game at Target Field. Working closely with pitching coach Gary Lucas the past two seasons at low Class A Cedar Rapids and high Class A Fort Myers, Berrios has seen his confidence and mound presence blossom. An excellent athlete who fields his position and holds runners well, Berrios topped out at 98 mph, and his fastball typically sits at 92-94 and shows late life. Throwing from a three-quarters arm angle, Berrios' slurvy breaking ball comes in at 80-82 mph, but he can vary the speed and break on it. Fully committing to his changeup for the first time, Berrios used it as an out-pitch, throwing as many as 20 per game. He skipped a start in early August with shoulder stiffness, but he established a career high with 140 innings. Bumped up to Triple-A Rochester for one start at the end of 2014, Berrios figures to return there in 2015. If he continues to progress, then he projects as a No. 3 starter with control of three average or better pitches. Did not play
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #5 prospect in 2014
  Signed for $1.55 million as the 32nd overall pick in 2012, Berrios is the highest-drafted pitcher ever from Puerto Rico. An April no-hitter that year against a Puerto Rican all-star team led by No. 1 overall pick Carlos Correa helped boost his stock. Berrios took dominant turns in two Rookie-ball stops in 2012, then opened 2013 in Puerto Rico's bullpen at the World Baseball Classic. Carrying himself with a confidence that borders on brashness, Berrios has a strong competitive streak that he typically keeps under control. He brandishes an above-average fastball at 91-93 mph that touches 95, though he needs to be more aggressive in the strike zone after walking 3.5 per nine innings at low Class A Cedar Rapids in 2013. His changeup is advanced, shows good fade and has the potential to be a plus pitch. His slider flattens out at times but can be a power breaking ball. Because of the WBC, Berrios opened the year in extended spring training as the Twins sought to stretch him back out. He received more than four days of rest between starts all season, skipping at least one turn in late June, but the Twins said injury concerns weren't the cause. After skipping winter ball at the Twins' request, Berrios should open 2014 at high Class A Fort Myers. He ultimately profiles as a No. 2 or No. 3 starter.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #7 prospect in 2013
  Berrios boosted his draft stock with an April no-hitter against a Puerto Rican all-star team featuring No. 1 overall pick Carlos Correa, helping him become the 32nd overall pick and the highest-drafted pitcher ever out of Puerto Rico. After signing for $1.55 million, he helped Elizabethton to the Appy League title with 36 strikeouts in 24 innings (counting the postseason). Berrios has the best fastball of any Twins farmhand who profiles as a starter. He can sit at 92-95 mph while throwing strikes to both sides of the plate, and his strong frame helps him maintain his velocity. He commands a changeup with fade that's already solid and should become a plus pitch in time. His slider has its moments as well, showing power and sharpness at 78-81 mph. At times his slider flattens out, and Berrios will have to be diligent about staying tall in his delivery to create plane and angle with his pitches. He needs to mix his pitches better, too. He has the arm action and delivery to project average or better command down the line. Confident to the point of being cocky, Berrios will be on Minnesota's idea of a fast track. He'll open his first full season in low Class A and has the upside of a No. 2 starter.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #49 prospect in 2012 draft
  In the history of the draft, only two pitchers from Puerto Rico have been drafted in the top two rounds--Jorge Lopez, who went in the second round to the Brewers last year and Luis Atilano, a Braves supplemental first-round pick from 2003. This year, there may be two more on that list and Berrios will likely be the first off the board. Berrios worked with a conditioning coach this fall and spring and added 20-25 pounds to his frame since the summer and now has a muscular, athletic 6-foot-1, 180-pound physique. The added muscle has allowed him to smooth things out and has boosted his fastball velocity. His fastball now sits in the 93-95 mph range and some scouts have seen him touch 98. He throws his fastball down in the zone, mixes in a sharp, 80-81 mph slider and shows the makings of a solid changeup with fading action. Berrios is getting buzz as high as the back of the first round, and it's unlikely he'll wind up honoring his commitment to Miami Dade JC.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked International League #15 prospect in 2016
  While Berrios' year with Rochester was a continuation of his strong performance throughout the minors, his time in the big leagues has been dismal. He had one of the best statistical seasons of any IL pitcher, but he struggled mightily to make the final jump when called up to the Twins. Berrios has been known for his control and polish, and that showed again this year. He pounded the strike zone with his three-pitch mix and recorded 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings at Rochester. But his command abandoned him in the big leagues, and he became susceptible to the long ball, possibly in part because his fastball lacks plane. Despite his struggles, Berrios' stuff remains solid. His fastball sits around 93 mph and touches 98. His changeup and curveball are both above-average offerings and, when he's right, he throws them all for strikes. If Berrios can find his command and confidence, his upside remains considerable.
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  Ranked International League #9 prospect in 2015
  Berrios advanced to Rochester in early July after breezing through the Southern League at Double-A Chattanooga and just a couple of weeks before appearing in the Futures Game for a second straight year. He looked like a future all-star during his 12 starts with the Red Wings, and he finished with 175 strikeouts that led all minor league pitchers. At his best, Berrios works in the low- to mid-90s with a fastball that he can get hitters to wave at up in the zone or chase by sinking it at their knees. A changeup with late fade is his best offspeed pitch, and he mixes a slurvy curveball that bores in on lefthanded hitters. He still leaves too many fastballs over the plate and his arm action can get long in the back.
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  Ranked Southern League #9 prospect in 2015
  Berrios spent the second half of 2014 at Double-A New Britain, but he struggled to miss as many bats as he had at the Class A levels. He remedied the situation at Chattanooga in the first half of 2015, striking out 9.1 per nine innings and finishing with a minor league-leading 175 whiffs, counting his time at Triple-A Rochester following an early-July promotion. "You could tell when he was throwing his changeup last year--he telegraphed it a lot," Chattanooga manager Doug Mientkiewicz said. "It's a good pitch, but older hitters pick up on that. Now he throws his changeup with the same arm speed and tempo as his fastball and slider."" Berrios also enhanced his pitchability in 2015, learning to compete with his secondary pitches even when losing the handle on his plus 92-95 mph fastball. While Berrios throws strikes consistently, evaluators think he catches too much of the plate at time. His changeup grades as at least solid-average, and his slider ranges from fringy to average, but he generated more swings and misses with the pitch this season by changing speeds and learning to back-foot lefthanded batters. Just three baserunners attempted to steal against Berrios in his 15 starts at Chattanooga, and scouts universally laud his toughness on the mound, making him a good bet to reach his ceiling as a No. 3 starter.
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  Ranked Florida State League #6 prospect in 2014
  Berrios started the FSL all-star game and struck out two while touching 97 mph, cementing his place as one of the league's top power arms. He lacks Glasnow's physicality but is more complete and polished, with the ability to throw three pitches for strikes. He also showed durability, throwing 140 innings overall on the season. Berrios' fastball averaged 94 mph in the FSL, and he can locate both his two- and four-seamer well in the bottom of the zone. His strikeout rate dropped after his promotion to Double-A because he throws his hard curveball as more of a chase pitch, but he has shown the ability to land it for strikes as well. His solid-average changeup sinks and gives him another potential swing-and-miss offering.
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  Ranked Midwest League #13 prospect in 2013
  In most years, Berrios? youth would stand out, but in a league with 17-year-old wunderkind Julio Urias, his advanced feel for setting up hitters seemed less spectacular. But scouts were very impressed with Berrios? ability to mix his three pitches in both pitcher?s and hitter?s counts. He also fills the zone with many more strikes than the average teenager. Berrios? fastball sits at 91-93 mph, though he?ll add and subtract for anything ranging from 87 to 95. He mixes in a solid-average changeup and a hard curveball that he can vary in power and tilt. He got hot early, pitching for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, then wore down in the second half, which is understandable considering his age and reasonably heavy workload.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #28 prospect in 2016
• Ranked Baseball America's #36 prospect in 2015

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Berrios boosted his draft stock with an April no-hitter against a Puerto Rican all-star team featuring No. 1 overall pick Carlos Correa and finished the spring strong. That helped make Berrios the 32nd overall pick and the highest-drafted pitcher ever out of Puerto Rico. After signing for $1.55 million, he helped Elizabethton to the Appy League title with 36 strikeouts in 24 innings (counting the postseason). Scouting Report: Berrios' has the best fastball of any Twins farmhand who profiles as a starter. He can sit at 92-95 mph while throwing strikes to both sides of the plate, and his strong frame helps him maintain his velocity. He commands a changeup with fade that's already solid and should become a plus pitch in time. His slider has its moments as well, showing some power and sharpness at 78-81 mph. At times his slider flattens out, and Berrios will have to be diligent about staying tall in his delivery to create some plane and angle with his pitches. He needs to mix his pitches better, too. He has the arm action and delivery to project average or better command down the line. The Future: Confident to the point of being cocky, Berrios will be on Minnesota's idea of a fast track. He'll open his first full season in low Class A and has the upside of a No. 2 starter.