Luis Heredia

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #26 prospect in 2015
  The Pirates signed Heredia as an amateur free agent from Mexico for $2.6 million on his 16th birthday in 2010, though he had to give the majority of the bonus money to Veracruz, the Mexican League team that owned his rights. It remains the largest international bonus ever given by the Pirates. Heredia's father Hector pitched in the Dodgers organization and reached Triple-A before spending a number of years in the Mexican League. Though Heredia's signing came with great fanfare, he has yet to break out as a pro. He has struggled with weight issues, though he got in better shape at low Class A West Virginia in 2014, but then missed two months with shoulder tendinitis. At this point, Heredia's 92-94 mph fastball is his only plus pitch, and he actually has lost a tick of velocity since his amateur days. He also struggles to command his curveball and changeup. Heredia will move up to high Class A Bradenton in 2015 and pitch most of the season at age 20.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #10 prospect in 2014
  Heredia signed with Veracruz of the Mexican League when he was 15 years old and then had his contract sold to the Pirates a week after his 16th birthday for $2.6 million. That is easily the most money the Pirates ever have spent on an international player. Heredia was scheduled to open the season with low Class A West Virginia but was held back in extended spring training after reporting to camp overweight. Heredia's weight gain made his fastball go backward. While he hit 95 mph in 2013, he usually sat 89-91 and touched some 92s. The bigger version of Heredia lost arm speed and crispness on all his stuff, but he still survived the South Atlantic League with a solid four-pitch mix. His best pitch this year was his changeup, and he stymied lefthanded hitters, who hit .207 and slugged .298. Heredia's curveball, which at its best shows the most promise among his secondary pitches, and slider have their moments but need more power that he simply didn't have in 2013. The Pirates are hopeful Heredia's velocity will increase as he becomes more consistent with his mechanics and gets his weight under control. Heredia set himself back in 2013, and because he threw just 65 innings, the Pirates will monitor his innings closely in 2014. First, he has to get in shape in the offseason, then he can head back to West Virginia to get his career back on track.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #3 prospect in 2013
  Heredia represented Pittsburgh's first big international strike when he signed out of Mexico for $2.6 million in 2010. He was considered the best foreign amateur pitcher available that summer, and the Pirates had developed a relationship with him since he was 13. Extremely advanced for his age, he was the youngest in the short-season New York-Penn League last year, pitching most of the summer at 17. Heredia offers a lot of projection as a 6-foot-6 teenager, but there's also a lot to like about him in the present. He throws his fastball at 91-94 mph with good movement, with the promise of more velocity as he gets stronger. He threw a slow curveball when he first came to the United States but has added power to it. He has a good feel for his changeup, though he needs to subtract some velocity from it. Heredia can throw his secondary pitches for strikes consistently and is becoming adept at keeping the ball down in the strike zone. Pittsburgh praises his work ethic. Heredia could develop three plus pitches, giving the Pirates a third potential frontline starter. The Pirates are trying to manage his workload, so they may keep him in extended spring training for a month before sending him to low Class A West Virginia. He could reach the majors sometime around his 21st birthday in 2015.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #5 prospect in 2012
  The top Latin American pitcher on the amateur market in 2010, Heredia signed out of Mexico for $2.6 million, the most Pittsburgh ever has given an international free agent. The Pirates took the extraordinary step of having him begin his career in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League as a 16-year-old because they considered him too advanced for the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. They carefully monitored Heredia's workload by giving him at least five days off between starts and never allowing him to pitch more than three innings in a game. Heredia added fastball velocity in his first pro season, settling at 92-93 mph and topping out at 96. His curveball can be a swing-and-miss pitch but lacks consistency, and his changeup also shows flashes of becoming a plus offering. For such a young, tall pitcher, he repeats his mechanics on a surprisingly consistent basis. Extremely mature for a teenager, he quickly learned to speak fairly fluent English and bought a house in Bradenton, Fla., to be near Pittsburgh's training base. Heredia remains very raw and will likely stay behind in extended spring training again in 2012 before reporting to short-season State College in June. He has the upside of a frontline starter, though pinning down his ETA in the big leagues is difficult because he's still just 17.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #5 prospect in 2011
  Signing Heredia for a $2.6 million bonus in August was a landmark deal for the Pirates, who never had spent more than $400,000 on an international amateur. It also was the culmination of years of intense scouting by Rene Gayo and Jesus Valdez, who forged a close relationship with Heredia and fended off more than a dozen other interested teams. Heredia doesn't have one singularly superb trait, aside from doing so much so well with such size at his age. His frame, coordination and delivery are highly advanced, and he has excelled against older competition all his life. That makes his ceiling hard to define. Heredia's fastball sits at 92-93 mph, peaking at 95 mph with some cut inward on righthanders. Moreover, the velocity comes with minimal effort, as the ball appears to explode from his hand. He has a plus curveball on which he leans heavily, perhaps too much. He also demonstrates good velocity, if precious little polish, on a slider and changeup. Because Heredia was limited to pitching in weekly exhibitions for most of the past year, Pittsburgh kept him off the mound until instructional league in October, then sent him to its Dominican academy for more work. He impressed management enough with his poise that he may pitch in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2011.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked New York-Penn League #2 prospect in 2012
  Signed for $2.6 million in 2010, Heredia shined the against much older competition as the youngest pitcher in the league this summer (he didn't turn 18 until August). His combination of youth, size, projectability and current stuff made him stand out in a league loaded with lower-ceiling college products. He also has an innate feel for pitching and a strong competitive fiber. At 6-foot-6, Heredia gets good downward plane on a 90-93 mph fastball that bumps 95 at times. When his delivery stays in sync, he can pound the bottom of the strike zone, but he's still growing into his body and still learning to repeat his mechanics consistently. Heredia has the makings of a swing-and-miss curveball with downer break. He also has good feel for a deceptive changeup with plenty of sinking action, though it's a little firmer than the Pirates would like at this stage. If everything comes together, he could have three plus pitches.
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  Ranked Florida Complex League #3 prospect in 2011
  Many scouts considered Heredia the top pitcher on the international market in 2010, and the Pirates landed him by buying his rights from Veracruz of the Mexican League for $2.6 million. He was the youngest player in the GCL--he didn't turn 17 until Aug. 10--so the Pirates carefully managed his workload. He typically threw on five days' rest and only once pitched more than three innings in a start. Heredia has a big, projectable frame, good mechanics and a loose arm despite a slight stab in the back before he delivers the ball. He touched 92 mph before signing, then reached 94-95 last fall during instructional league. In the GCL, his fastball hit 95-96 early in the season and settled in the low 90s the rest of the way. Heredia flashes an above-average changeup. His curveball has good spin with occasional power, but he's still learning to not cast it when he throws the pitch. He's very coordinated and has good feel for pitching for his age and size, though his control is still a work in progress.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #78 prospect in 2013

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Heredia represented Pittsburgh's first big international strike when he signed out of Mexico for $2.6 million in 2010. He was considered the best foreign amateur pitcher available that summer, and the Pirates had developed a relationship with him since he was 13. Extremely advanced for his age, he was the youngest in the short-season New York-Penn League last year, pitching most of the summer at 17. Scouting Report: Heredia offers a lot of projection as a 6-foot-6 teenager, but there's also a lot to like about him in the present. He throws his fastball at 91-94 mph with good movement, with the promise of more velocity as he gets stronger. He threw a slow curveball when he first came to the United States but has added power to it. He has a good feel for changeup, though he needs to subtract some velocity from it. Heredia can throw his secondary pitches for strikes consistently and is becoming adept at keeping the ball down in the strike zone. Pittsburgh praises his work ethic. The Future: Heredia could develop three plus pitches, giving the Pirates a third potential frontline starter. The Pirates are trying to manage his workload, so they may keep him in extended spring training for a month before sending him to low Class A West Virginia. He could reach the majors sometime around his 21st birthday in 2015.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The top Latin American pitcher on the amateur market in 2010, Heredia signed out of Mexico for $2.6 million, the most Pittsburgh has given an international free agent. The Pirates took the extraordinary step of beginning his career in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League as a 16-year-old because they considered him too advanced for the Dominican Summer League. They monitored Heredia's workload by giving him at least five days off between starts and not allowing him to pitch more than three innings in a game. Scouting Report: Heredia added fastball velocity in his first pro season, settling at 92-93 mph and topping out at 96. His curveball can be a swing-and-miss pitch but lacks consistency, and his changeup also shows flashes of becoming a plus offering. For such a young, tall pitcher, he repeats his mechanics on a surprisingly consistent basis. Extremely mature for a teenager, he quickly learned to speak fairly fluent English and bought a house in Bradenton, Fla., to be near Pittsburgh's training base. The Future: Heredia remains very raw and will likely stay behind in extended spring training again in 2012 before reporting to short-season State College in June. He has the upside of a frontline starter, though pinning down his ETA in the big leagues is difficult because he's still just 17.