- Full name Nobuhiro Matsuda
- Born 05/17/1983 in Japan
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 187 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Scouting Reports
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Background: The Rangers signed Mendez for $1.5 million as a tall, frail 16-year-old throwing in the mid- to upper 80s. He earned three in-season promotions in 2016 and made his major league debut as a September callup. Staying healthy helped Mendez pitch more than 100 innings for the first time in his career. Scouting Report: Mendez's fastball crept up in 2016 to sit in the low 90s and touch 95 mph. His calling card is his changeup, which he sells well with good separation off his fastball. It's a plus pitch that consistently fools hitters with empty swings or off balance ones for weak contact. His slider has improved but it's still fringe-average, while he mixes in an occasional get-me-over curveball early in the count. Mendez has smooth arm action, an easy delivery and throws strikes, but he needs to tighten his fastball command, particularly glove side so hitters can't key in on one side of the plate.
The Future: The Rangers want to keep Mendez in the rotation, so while he could help out of the bullpen right away, it's more likely that he goes back to Triple-A Round Rock. He should be back in Texas at some point in 2017, possibly before the all-star break.
