Derian Gonzalez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #27 prospect in 2018
  Gonzalez at one time had the helium to join Alex Reyes and Sandy Alcantara as Latin American flamethrowers rising quickly through the system, but it hasn't quite worked out that way. Various injuries have limited him every year, and the 79 innings he threw at high Class A Palm Beach in 2017 were a career high. Gonzalez can bring the heat with a mid-90s fastball that touches 97 mph as a starter, and he has a swing-and-miss, above-average curveball he deploys as his main secondary. He has a good pitcher's body and is athletic, but he has struggled with below-average control at every stop. Gonzalez began relieving for the first time at the end of the 2017 season with Palm Beach and struck out eight in 3.1 innings. Gonzalez's below-average control and lack of durability make the bullpen his likely future home. He will head to Double-A Springfield in 2018.
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #27 prospect in 2016
  The Cardinals get the benefit of the doubt with pitchers such as Gonzalez, who has a more wellrounded repertoire than his higher-ranked teammates from the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League team. Unlike Sandy Alcantara and Junior Fernandez, Gonzalez has not pushed his heater up to triple-digits, but his fastball is a plus pitch nonetheless. He throws plenty of strikes with his heater from a good downhill plane, which is important because his fastball lacks much life. Gonzalez ranked fourth in the GCL with 55 strikeouts and among the leaders in lowest walk rate with 2.6 per nine innings. He has a chance to throw a plus curveball with tight spin and proper shape, and he has a feel for throwing the pitch for strikes or burying it as a chase pitch. His changeup is behind his curve, but he's shown some aptitude for the pitch. Gonzalez has moved slowly to this point, but will probably jump to low Class A Peoria in 2016.