Jose Mijares
| IP | 259 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.232 |
| WHIP | 1.39 |
| BB/9 | 3.579 |
| SO/9 | 7.958 |
- Full name Jose Manuel Mijares
- Born 10/29/1984 in Caracas, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 265 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- Debut 09/13/2008
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Held back by inconsistent commitment to the game and conditioning, Mijares was making progress on both fronts last winter in the Venezuelan League when he was involved in a one-car crash in January. He broke a bone in his elbow and injured his shoulder but recovered to pitch by the end of June. Called to the majors in September, he became the Twins' most reliable middle reliever down the stretch. Mijares has reached as high as 98 mph with his lively fastball in the past and sat at 92-94 mph in September. He backs his fastball with a low-80s slider and has flashed a power curveball as well. The mix has made him as effective against lefties and righties throughout his career. Mijares must continue to watch his weight carefully. If he's in shape, he'll improve both his command and durability, his two greatest liabilities. A mature, dependable Mijares should be the Twins' top setup man in 2009, filling a need made more acute by Pat Neshek's Tommy John surgery. He could succeed Joe Nathan as Minnesota's closer when Nathan's contract expires after 2011. -
Mijares remains a favorite of scouts and player-development personnel from other organizations, because his stuff is just so fun to watch. But they don't have to deal with him every day like the Twins do. Minnesota officials also know Mijares comes from a poor background in Caracas' slums, however, and give him credit for small steps of maturity in 2007. Still, he's not ranked higher because his makeup makes it hard to know whether his stuff will play in the big leagues. The Twins protected him on the 40-man roster, an easy call because he's lefthanded and can show three plus pitches. Mijares' four-seam fastball has touched 98 mph and averaged 94 at times. At others, he'll sit at 87-89. His power curveball and mid-80s slider both have tilt and depth. He even breaks out a changeup from time to time. Mijares' fastball gets straight and he doesn't throw consistent strikes, sometimes a function of not being in shape and being able to repeat his delivery. He averaged 6.9 walks per nine innings in 2007, but he didn't issue a walk in his first 12 innings in winter ball in Venezuela. Ticketed to start the year in Triple-A, Mijares will dictate his own timetable. His stuff will play at any level if he throws strikes. -
Mijares has the stuff to be a top prospect, but the off-field factors that help players have success have not aligned for him. A native of Caracas' shantytown slums, he has had a difficult life, using baseball as a positive outlet. Being a professional in all aspects has proven difficult. One organization coach estimated he quit four times during the 2006 season, and when the Twins tried to arrange for him to pitch in Venezuela's lower-level winter league, Mijares balked, changed his mind, then balked and quit again. He has trouble keeping weight off and has been described as a lefthanded Rich Garces, though he's not quite that big. He also has more stuff than Garces ever did, with three pitches that earn at least 70 grades (on the 20-80 scouting scale) from scouts in and out of the organization. Mijares' fastball reaches 95-96 mph as a starter and even a tick or two better in shorter stints. It's fairly straight, and might be his third-best pitch because when he elevates it, he gets in trouble. He throws both a slider and a curveball, and both are exceptional, with power, tilt and depth. He would stand a better chance of starting if he maintained his conditioning better. Mijares' best role seems to be as a lefty reliever because coming to the park with a chance to pitch every day seems to be the best motivation for him. He's expected to head to Double-A in 2007. -
Signed at 17 out of Venezuela, Mijares impressed Midwest League observers last year as the best lefthander in the circuit. Even after moving into the rotation, he maintained the 92-95 mph velocity on his fastball. He gets his curveball over most of the time and has a solid changeup as well. Immaturity remains an issue, as does a tendency to pack weight on a fireplug frame. He failed to make the Beloit roster out of spring training because of conditioning issues but got serious after that setback. He's also going to have to throw more strikes at higher levels. Some view Mijares as a high-maintenance type, but his talent makes him worth the effort. Compared to a young J.C. Romero, whom the Twins traded in December, Mijares could wind up in the bullpen. He pitched for Aragua in the Venezuelan League, and the Twins hope that experience speeds his development. He could return to low Class A as a starter or open 2006 as a swingman on a stacked high Class A staff.
Minor League Top Prospects
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There's a lot not to like about Jose Mijares. Start with his 3.57 ERA as a reliever, which doesn't stand out. Take a look at his 5-foot-10, 220-pound body, which screams Rich Garces. Scouts have questioned his makeup and mound demeanor as well. But when he rears back and throws, it's hard to not get excited. When he was locked in, Mijares featured a 94-95 mph fastball and a filthy 77-78 mph slider that both ranked among the best in the league. He only showed that plus stuff in limited stretches, however. At other times, his velocity would dip to the low 90s and his command would fall apart. Part of the problem is that Mijares hasn't worked hard enough to stay in shape, which hampers his ability to repeat his delivery. He also has a below-average changeup that hasn't improved much because he rarely uses it when working out of the bullpen. He's a long ways from the majors, but the wait could be worth it.
