Michel Otanez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Mets #24 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Otañez signed out of the Dominican Republic at age 18, missed his age-19 season after having Tommy John surgery and didn't pop on the radar until he was 21 in 2019. Otañez finished that year with short-season Brooklyn and lost a chance to build on that momentum in 2020 when the season was canceled. He did not participate in instructional league because of an unspecified Covid-related issue.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Otañez is tall, long-limbed and capable of pumping 97 mph heat with plus vertical ride on his fastball. The Mets love his arm strength--he averages around 95 mph--and work ethic, but he will need to develop his secondary weapons to have a major league future. Otañez increased the power of his curveball from the mid 70s to the low 80s, but his arm swing is stiff and inconsistent, lending more horizontal break than vertical snap to the pitch. Thus, his breaking ball tends to get slurvy. The Mets have pushed Otañez to use his below-average changeup more often, but it makes rare appearances in games.
  
  THE FUTURE: With a more consistent breaking ball, Otañez would profile as a reliever with a north-south attack. His below-average control is also befitting of a bullpen role.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #14 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Otañez signed as an 18-year-old in 2016 and then missed the 2017 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He didn't begin to pop on scouts' radars until 2019, when he dominated the Rookie-level Appalachian League on his way to short-season Brooklyn in late July. In 14 starts total he recorded a 3.14 ERA in 63 innings with 70 strikeouts and a 1.27 WHIP.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Otañez is tall, physical and long-limbed and appears to be a late bloomer after breaking out at age 21, in his fourth pro season. His 95-98 mph velocity stands out as does his threepitch repertoire and durability. His fastball has good life to his arm side that he uses to work inside on righthanded hitters and set up a slider that projects as a plus pitch. Otañez also throws an above-average changeup that he locates away from lefthanded hitters. He can locate all his pitches for strikes but doesn't hide the ball well, which inhibits his deception.
  
  THE FUTURE: Otañez has one of the more electric arms on the Mets' farm. Given his outstanding fastball/ slider combination, it's easy to envision him as a future high-leverage reliever—but the quality of his changeup argues otherwise. Otañez has promise but a long climb ahead of him.

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/High
  
  Midseason Update: One of the system&#39s hardest throwers, Otanez has averaged 99 mph on his fastball as a 25-year-old Triple-A reliever. His consistent velocity has allowed his slider to play up, but he needs to throw more strikes.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Otañez signed out of the Dominican Republic at age 18, missed his age-19 season after having Tommy John surgery and didn't pop on the radar until he was 21 in 2019. Otañez finished that year with short-season Brooklyn and lost a chance to build on that momentum in 2020 when the season was canceled. He did not participate in instructional league because of an unspecified Covid-related issue.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Otañez is tall, long-limbed and capable of pumping 97 mph heat with plus vertical ride on his fastball. The Mets love his arm strength--he averages around 95 mph--and work ethic, but he will need to develop his secondary weapons to have a major league future. Otañez increased the power of his curveball from the mid 70s to the low 80s, but his arm swing is stiff and inconsistent, lending more horizontal break than vertical snap to the pitch. Thus, his breaking ball tends to get slurvy. The Mets have pushed Otañez to use his below-average changeup more often, but it makes rare appearances in games.
  
  THE FUTURE: With a more consistent breaking ball, Otañez would profile as a reliever with a north-south attack. His below-average control is also befitting of a bullpen role.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Otañez signed out of the Dominican Republic at age 18, missed his age-19 season after having Tommy John surgery and didn't pop on the radar until he was 21 in 2019. Otañez finished that year with short-season Brooklyn and lost a chance to build on that momentum in 2020 when the season was canceled. He did not participate in instructional league because of an unspecified Covid-related issue.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Otañez is tall, long-limbed and capable of pumping 97 mph heat with plus vertical ride on his fastball. The Mets love his arm strength--he averages around 95 mph--and work ethic, but he will need to develop his secondary weapons to have a major league future. Otañez increased the power of his curveball from the mid 70s to the low 80s, but his arm swing is stiff and inconsistent, lending more horizontal break than vertical snap to the pitch. Thus, his breaking ball tends to get slurvy. The Mets have pushed Otañez to use his below-average changeup more often, but it makes rare appearances in games.
  
  THE FUTURE: With a more consistent breaking ball, Otañez would profile as a reliever with a north-south attack. His below-average control is also befitting of a bullpen role.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Otañez signed out of the Dominican Republic at age 18, missed his age-19 season after having Tommy John surgery and didn't pop on the radar until he was 21 in 2019. Otañez finished that year with short-season Brooklyn and lost a chance to build on that momentum in 2020 when the season was canceled. He did not participate in instructional league because of an unspecified Covid-related issue.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Otañez is tall, long-limbed and capable of pumping 97 mph heat with plus vertical ride on his fastball. The Mets love his arm strength--he averages around 95 mph--and work ethic, but he will need to develop his secondary weapons to have a major league future. Otañez increased the power of his curveball from the mid 70s to the low 80s, but his arm swing is stiff and inconsistent, lending more horizontal break than vertical snap to the pitch. Thus, his breaking ball tends to get slurvy. The Mets have pushed Otañez to use his below-average changeup more often, but it makes rare appearances in games.
  
  THE FUTURE: With a more consistent breaking ball, Otañez would profile as a reliever with a north-south attack. His below-average control is also befitting of a bullpen role.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Otanez signed as an 18-year-old in 2016 and then missed the 2017 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He didn’t begin to pop on scouts’ radars until 2019, when he dominated the Rookie-level Appalachian League on his way to short-season Brooklyn in late July. In 14 starts total he recorded a 3.14 ERA in 63 innings with 70 strikeouts and a 1.27 WHIP.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Otanez is tall, physical and long-limbed and appears to be a late bloomer after breaking out at age 21, in his fourth pro season. His 95-98 mph velocity stands out as does his threepitch repertoire and durability. His fastball has good life to his arm side that he uses to work inside on righthanded hitters and set up a slider that projects as a plus pitch. Otanez also throws an above-average changeup that he locates away from lefthanded hitters. He can locate all his pitches for strikes but doesn’t hide the ball well, which inhibits his deception.
  
  THE FUTURE: Otanez has one of the more electric arms on the Mets’ farm. Given his outstanding fastball/ slider combination, it’s easy to envision him as a future high-leverage reliever—but the quality of his changeup argues otherwise. Otanez has promise but a long climb ahead of him. BA GRADE 50 Risk: High BA GRADE 50 Risk: High
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Otañez signed as an 18-year-old in 2016 and then missed the 2017 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He didn't begin to pop on scouts' radars until 2019, when he dominated the Rookie-level Appalachian League on his way to short-season Brooklyn in late July. In 14 starts total he recorded a 3.14 ERA in 63 innings with 70 strikeouts and a 1.27 WHIP.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Otañez is tall, physical and long-limbed and appears to be a late bloomer after breaking out at age 21, in his fourth pro season. His 95-98 mph velocity stands out as does his threepitch repertoire and durability. His fastball has good life to his arm side that he uses to work inside on righthanded hitters and set up a slider that projects as a plus pitch. Otañez also throws an above-average changeup that he locates away from lefthanded hitters. He can locate all his pitches for strikes but doesn't hide the ball well, which inhibits his deception.
  
  THE FUTURE: Otañez has one of the more electric arms on the Mets' farm. Given his outstanding fastball/ slider combination, it's easy to envision him as a future high-leverage reliever—but the quality of his changeup argues otherwise. Otañez has promise but a long climb ahead of him.