The Bradenton Marauders have some pitching talent.
Anthony Solometo, the 2021 second round prep lefty who received a $2.9 million bonus, was just added to the level. We broke down his start in last week’s roundtable, and Anthony Murphy provided a further breakdown of Solometo this week.
I got a chance to see that debut from Solometo, which was followed by four innings of Carlos Jimenez, who I broke down this week.
Carlos Jimenez Has Emerged As One of the Pirates’ Best Lower Level Pitching Prospects
I came into this week planning on writing about Jimenez as the top pitching prospect on the team. That was before Solometo arrived. After seeing them back-to-back, I’m not sure there’s much that separates them on a talent and future value level, even if they are as radically different pitchers as you can find.
So, I asked everyone this week which player they would take.
JOHN DREKER: Anthony Solometo
The Jimenez vs Solometo question is really an interesting one because no one else has Jimenez on their radar, so it doesn’t appear like a contest between the two until you see Jimenez pitch. He is really something special. They are both 19 years old and there’s no real comparison between their stuff. Jimenez has more velocity, the best changeup in the system and his breaking ball is also better, sometimes looking like a plus pitch. He also already has big league confidence and poise on the mound. Everything that could go wrong in his last outing did, yet he struck out six batters in his first two innings, when some pitchers would have fallen apart with that many bad breaks as soon as they take the mound. The real question lies in the frames, where Jimenez is smaller and he’s probably maxed out his frame, while Solometo still has plenty of room to fill out and much less experience on the mound. If I needed someone to pitch a game right now, it is Jimenez without a doubt, but as far as judging them as prospects, I’d still give the overall nod to Solometo. However, it is much closer than you may think.
WILBUR MILLER: Anthony Solometo
This is especially tough. Even though Jimenez is only five months older than Solometo, he’s been pitching for several seasons while Solometo has appeared in just one pro game. Right now, Jimenez has better stuff. In fact, his stuff might rate as high as top five in the system. He throws a mid-90s fastball that gets swings and misses, a curve with a lot of break and a change that he uses nearly as much as the fastball, against both left- and right-handed hitters. Both secondary pitches miss a ton of bats. Command is a work in progress, but it’s better than you’d expect for a 19-year-old. Solometo sits in the low-90s right now, with good movement, and his slider and change appear to mix effectively with the fastball. And he’s left-handed and has the crazy motion. I’m going to go with Solometo, although I could easily be wrong. At 6’5”, he should still have a good deal of projection and he hasn’t had much opportunity as a pro to refine his secondary pitches.
ANTHONY MURPHY: Carlos Jimenez
The fact that this is even a question already states just how impressive Carlos Jimenez has been early on. Solometo has the pedigree from being an early round draft pick, but at this stage in their development I think Jimenez has the advantage. He already has one of, if not, the best changeups in the system, has shown good control, and has two other pitches he’s been able to get swing and misses with. Solometo, while having his moments, is still incredibly raw and has a few notable things he’s going to work on. The deceptive delivery and being a lefty may give Solometo a better floor, but the upside on Jimenez is undeniable.
RYAN PALENCER: Anthony Solometo
This is a nice problem to have for sure. Both hurlers have a high ceiling and it’s even more fun that they will be coming up through the system together. It’s also a great dilemma that they are both only 19. I’m going to ride the hype train and select the second-rounder Solometo, due to his stuff along with the deceptive and unique delivery. Throwing off the hitter goes a long way, particularly as a lefty, as long as the mechanics remain repeatable as he grows. However, that said, I’m putting Jimenez only a slot or two below since he has already produced in both the DSL and the FCL.
TIM WILLIAMS: Carlos Jimenez
I got a chance to see Solometo and Jimenez pitch last week. I came away from the outing slightly higher on Jimenez than Solometo. I love the movement on the off-speed stuff from Jimenez, but especially love his mentality on the mound. He stares down the batter, and waits to deliver an even mix of his fastball or swing-and-miss changeup, mixing in a swing-and-miss curve. He’s got the makings of three plus pitches, and I think he can fix his command issues without removing the effectiveness of any of those pitches. Both of these pitchers are 19, and they both have a long way to go in their development. Jimenez has some of the best stuff in the system, but Solometo is one of the best lefties in the system. Solometo is probably a safer option, and I’d give him the higher floor as a lefty with a seemingly strong changeup and a deceptive delivery. He will get all of the chances in the world to make the majors, especially with his draft profile. Jimenez, meanwhile, was an under-the-radar signing, and has seemingly remained under-the-radar until this week for a lot of our readers. What puts him over the edge for me is his projectability. Not just the projectability of a 19-year-old who is already averaging 94 MPH with his fastball, but the projectability of a guy who has already taken a big step forward at a young age. My assumption with those guys is they probably aren’t finished taking steps forward. As for now, I’ve got Jimenez a small step ahead of Solometo, with both just outside of my top ten. I wanted to pose this question to see where everyone else was on the comparison.
