- Full name Kiki Bengochea
- Born
- Profile Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Bengochea entered 2002 as a preseason first-team All-American, meaning that big league scouting directors considered him one of the top five pitchers in college baseball. He was anything but for the Hurricanes, getting lit up early in the season and needing a late rush to finish at 6-7, 5.63. However, Bengochea won 14 games and a national championship in his first two seasons at Miami, and in two summers with Team USA he went 6-1, 0.61. Assistant general manager Grady Fuson thought it worth the gamble to pick Bengochea in the 11th round and pay him a bonus worthy of a third-round pick, $550,000. Bengochea pitched effectively in his pro debut. He's a classic sinker/slider pitcher who must keep his 89-91 mph fastball down in the zone to be effective. His slider is his best pitch. He got hammered in college when he overthrew, trying to put up radar-gun numbers instead of just pitching. The Rangers have worked, successfully so far, with getting Bengochea to stay on top of his pitches and use his sinking changeup more frequently. While he's not projected as a frontline starter anymore, he could move quickly if he makes those adjustments.