Juan Minaya

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2009
R:  3-3-0, 4.27 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 52.2 IP, 3.1 BB/9, 5.1 K/9

Minaya started a dozen games in rookie ball and pitched reasonably well, although his K rate was low.  He pitched better than his ERA, but his strand rate was low.

2010
A:  4-12-0, 4.79 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 127.2 IP, 5.1 BB/9, 6.8 K/9

In low A, Minaya made 26 starts.  He wasn’t that effective, but he was only 19.  His walk and K rates were poor.

2011
A:  1-5-1, 6.90 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, 77.0 IP, 6.7 BB/9, 8.9 K/9

The Astros sent Minaya back to low A, where he made nine starts and then moved to the bullpen.  He wasn’t effective in either role, giving up a lot of walks and a .299 opponents’ BA.

2012
A-:  2-2-0, 4.66 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 36.2 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 7.6 K/9

Houston demoted Minaya to short season ball, where he pitched mostly in relief.  He had only a mediocre season.

2013
A:  3-6-8, 4.77 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 54.2 IP, 3.8 BB/9, 9.4 K/9

Minaya went back to low A for a third season, pitching mostly in relief.  He still didn’t pitch effectively.

2014
A+:  2-3-1, 4.40 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 45.0 IP, 4.4 BB/9, 10.6 K/9
AA:  0-0-0, 3.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 8.2 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 11.4 K/9

Minaya finally made it to high A.  He was more effective, with two bad outings accounting for over half the earned runs against him.  He got a late-season promotion to AA.

2015
AA:  1-0-1, 3.25 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 44.1 IP, 3.2 BB/9, 9.7 K/9
AAA:  0-0-0, 0.87 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 10.1 IP, 4.4 BB/9, 9.6 K/9

Back in AA, Minaya had his first good season, partly because his control was much better than previously.  He finished the year in AAA and Houston added him to the 40-man roster in the fall.

2016
AAA (Hou):  1-3-0, 3.91 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 25.1 IP, 3.6 BB/9, 6.8 K/9
AAA (CWS):  4-3-1, 3.38 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 26.2 IP, 3.4 BB/9, 9.5 K/9
MLB (CWS):  1-0-0, 4.35 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 10.1 IP, 4.4 BB/9, 5.2 K/9

Houston sent Minaya to AAA and he pitched decently, but in June they designated him for assignment.  The White Sox claimed him and he pitched a bit better in AAA for them than he had for Houston.  The Sox called him up in September.

2017
AAA:  1-0-0, 1.42 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 19.0 IP, 2.4 BB/9, 7.1 K/9
MLB:  3-2-9, 4.53 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 43.2 IP, 4.1 BB/9, 10.5 K/9

Minaya missed most of April with an abdominal strain, then went to AAA.  He ultimately spent most of the season in the majors, serving as the Sox’ closer over the last six weeks.  He was only moderately effective for Chicago and had some trouble with gopher balls, allowing one every six innings.

2018
AAA:  1-3-2, 4.24 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 23.1 IP, 3.1 BB/9, 10.4 K/9
MLB:  2-2-1, 3.28 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 46.2 IP, 5.6 BB/9, 11.2 K/9

Minaya was up and down between AAA and the majors in the season’s first half, then spent the second half with the White Sox.  He finished the season with two strong months, posting a 2.42 ERA in August and September.

2019
AAA:  4-3-6, 3.71 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 34.0 IP, 4.0 BB/9, 10.9 K/9
MLB:  0-0-0, 3.90 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 27.2 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 8.8 K/9

The White Sox outrighted Minaya to AAA during spring training, then called him up in May.  In mid-July, they outrighted him again.  He wasn’t very effective in the majors, with opponents slugging .500 against him.  His xFIP was 5.66, but a high strand rate kept his ERA down.  After the season, Minaya refused assignment to the minors, became a free agent, and signed a minor league deal with Minnesota.

2020
DNP

During the pandemic season, the Twins called Minaya up from their alternate site briefly, but he didn’t see any action before being outrighted a few days later.  He again refused assignment after the season, but eventually re-signed with the Twins on a minor league deal.

2021
AAA:  2-3-0, 3.41 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 29.0 IP, 4.7 BB/9, 11.5 K/9
MLB:  2-1-0, 2.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 40.0 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 9.7 K/9

Minnesota called Minaya up at the end of May, outrighted him a few days later and then called him back up in July.  In the end, he spent about 60% of his season in the majors.  He was actually more effective there than in AAA.  He was helped by a very low BABIP and high strand rate in the majors; his xFIP was about the same at both levels.  His control was shakier than in most recent seasons, which was a negative sign, although his K rate remained very good.  After the season, Minaya became a free agent again.

2022
AAA (Min):  1-5-4, 6.98 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 40.0 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 8.1 K/9
AAA (Wash):  0-2-0, 3.12 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 8.2 IP, 6.2 BB/9, 6.2 K/9
MLB (Min):  1-0-0, 5.59 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 9.2 IP, 4.7 BB/9, 10.2 K/9

During spring training, Minaya once again signed a minor league deal with the Twins.  Between May and July, they called him up and designated him for assignment twice.  Minnesota finally released Minaya in September and he finished the season in AAA with the Nationals.  He spent most of his season in AAA with the Twins and pitched poorly there.  Control continued to be a problem and his K rate dropped sharply, although he was also hurt by a low strand rate.  He became a free agent after the season and signed with the Pirates.

Minaya’s performance fell off in 2022, but he’s usually been at least decent at the major league level, sometimes better than that.  He should be a depth option for the Pirates.