Sergio Cubilete

SERGIO CUBILETE, RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: March 19, 1995
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 185
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Signed: Int’l Free Agent, 2016, Pittsburgh Pirates
How Acquired: International Free Agent
Country: Dominican Republic
Agent: N/A

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

The Pirates signed Cubilete just before the start of the 2016 season at a relatively late age — nearly 21 — for a Latin American prospect.  He throws 92-95, with a curve and change, and appears to have a projectable build.

2016
DSL:  1-3-0, 3.52 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 61.1 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 6.2 K/9

Cubilete got off to a rough start, with a 1.88 WHIP and 6.19 ERA in five June starts.  Those numbers improved, though, to 1.21 and 3.22 in five July starts and 0.87 and 1.96 in five August starts.  His K/9 also improved markedly, to 7.4 in August from 5.4 earlier.

2017
A-:  3-7-0, 5.12 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 63.1 IP, 3.4 BB/9, 6.4 K/9

Given Cubilete’s age, it wasn’t surprising to see the Pirates skip him over the GCL, but they moved him all the way up to Morgantown and had him in the rotation all season.  He didn’t get good results and didn’t improve over the course of the season.  Opponents hit 292/372/395 against him in a league that hit 240/316/340.  He had only a mild platoon split.

2018
A:  5-5-0, 5.17 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 87.0 IP, 4.3 BB/9, 8.2 K/9

Cubilete was in his second pro season and was pitching against college draftees and other, more experienced players, so his 2017 season wasn’t necessarily alarming.  He moved up to the West Virginia rotation in 2018.  In the first inning of his second start, he got hit in the face with a line drive.  He missed a little under a month, then moved to the bullpen after a couple more starts.  In late July, he moved back to the rotation, ultimately making 13 starts.  He wasn’t especially effective, with hitters posting a 284/376/438 line against him.  He had a mild platoon split.

Cubilete will be 24 when the 2019 season opens and he hasn’t performed well yet.  He could return to low A or move up, but either way he could have trouble winning a rotation spot.

CONTRACT INFORMATION
2019: Minor League Contract
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: N/A
MiLB Debut: 2016
MLB Debut: N/A
MiLB FA Eligible: 2022
MLB FA Eligible: N/A
Rule 5 Eligible: 2019
Added to 40-Man: N/A
Options Remaining: 3
MLB Service Time: 0.000
TRANSACTIONS
February 12, 2016: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent.