Samuel Reyes

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2017
DSL:  2-1-1, 4.66 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 9.2 IP, 0.9 BB/9, 9.3 K/9
R:  1-1-3, 2.65 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 34.0 IP, 1.1 BB/9, 6.4 K/9

Reyes made five appearances in relief in the DSL, then the Pirates brought him to the US for the start of the GCL season.  He made multiple-inning relief appearances and got good results.  Reyes showed very good control, but didn’t strike out many hitters in the GCL.

2018
A:  4-3-3, 2.72 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 43.0 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 7.5 K/9

Reyes stayed in extended spring training until early June and the Pirates then jumped him up to West Virginia.  He didn’t dominate, with a modest K rate, but he was very effective just the same.  He didn’t walk many and he limited the damage he allowed to singles; opponents batted .243 against him but managed an ISO of only .065, with only one home run.  Reyes even made two late-season starts, going six innings with no earned runs and seven strikeouts in the last one.  He had no platoon split.

2019
A:  1-0-3, 0.52 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 17.1 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 11.9 K/9
A+:  1-4-3, 2.87 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 53.1 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 8.4 K/9

Surprisingly, the Pirates sent Reyes back to low A, in this case Greensboro, to start the year.  He was nearly unhittable there, so they moved him up to Bradenton in May.  He pitched mostly in relief, but aside from three spot starts had a number of 3- to 4-inning relief outings.  He had one rough stretch running from mid-June to mid-July when he had a 6.92 ERA in 13 innings, but otherwise had a 1.56 ERA in 40.1 IP with the Marauders.  He didn’t miss a large number of bats, but opponents batted only .229 against him in Bradenton.  He had a large reverse platoon split, holding left-handed hitters to a .431 OPS while right-handed hitters managed a .635 figure.

Judging by the decision to send him back to low A in 2019, the Pirates seem to have some doubts about Reyes’ upside.  He’s been consistently effective, though, and should get a shot at Altoona.