Juan Nunez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #17 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme.
  
  Track Record: Nuñez impressed in his 2022 stateside debut with the Twins’ Florida Complex League team, prompting the Orioles to acquire him in a deal for all-star closer Jorge Lopez at the trade deadline. He reached High-A in 2023 and struck out 10.7 batters per nine innings in his first full pro season. He looked like he’d taken a further step forward in 2024, striking out 38 in 29.1 innings with a 1.09 WHIP before a season-ending shoulder injury. The Padres then nabbed him in the Rule 5 Draft after the Orioles left him off their 40-man roster.
  
  Scouting Report: Nuñez misses bats with a four-pitch arsenal, all of which play off his mid-90s fastball that was up to 97 mph before the injury. He had elite whiff rates on his high-80s cutter and kick-change, and took steps forward with his overall in-zone rates as he worked to leverage those pitches and his sweeper more over the plate. His pitches coaxed weak contact when they were hit. All three of his secondaries have the potential to be plus pitches, with his fastball perhaps a tick below that, but the ability for Nuñez to throw all four over the plate as often as he did this year before the injury was encouraging.
  
  The Future: The Orioles expected Nuñez to be healthy for 2025. He has back-of-the-rotation upside in the long run, though the Padres may stash him in a low-leverage relief role in 2025 if he sticks on the big league roster.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 45.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #20 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Nunez was a late signing in the Twins’ 2019 international class, but by the time he came to the U.S. to debut in the Florida Complex League, he showed plenty of promise. He had 47 strikeouts in 29.2 innings when the Orioles acquired him as part of a four-player return for closer Jorge Lopez at the 2022 trade deadline. Nunez spent all of 2023 in full-season ball, and struck out 10.8 batters per nine innings with a 1.36 WHIP between Low-A Delmarva and High-A Aberdeen.
  
  Scouting Report: Nunez’s success came primarily with two pitches: a fastball that averaged 94 mph and was up to 97 with ride, a low-80s power curveball with sweeper traits and an upper-80s cutterish gyro-slider. Both will blend into each other at times, but when he’s on them, both will flash above-average or plus. He met the challenge of throwing those pitches in the zone more often as the season progressed, though he might not have more than fringe-average command long term. He has added a potential above-average changeup to his arsenal to help round out his set of weapons. It has depth and separation to be effective. The Orioles are working with him to try to give him multiple ways to attack lefties and righties. It’s a tough ask, but if he pulls it off, he could be a future solid starting pitcher.
  
  The Future: Nunez has a chance to be a player who rockets up these rankings in 2024, because he has the makings of an effective starter who can give hitters different looks in each at-bat. But he has yet to show the touch and feel expected of a starter who can do that. He’s still young enough to get there, but he has an excellent fallback option as a power reliever.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 45