Daniel Pinero

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #369 prospect in 2016 draft
  A former player on the Ontario Blue Jays club team, the Toronto native has already been drafted twice, first by the Astros in the 20th round out of high school and again last June as an eligible sophomore in the 36th round by the Tigers. A long-bodied 6-foot-5 shortstop, Pinero has added muscle mass over the last couple of seasons, but his power remains more gap-to-gap than over the fence. He controls the strike zone well at the plate, but scouts aren't sold on his motor. A solid-average player all around, his best tool might just be his arm, with some evaluators suggesting he could even move to the mound. It's unlikely Pinero sticks at shortstop at the next level, especially considering his size and lack of burst, but he could be a serviceable utility player. He's not necessarily a lock to sign this June, as he put out a big bonus request last year.
• Ranked #261 prospect in 2015 draft
  Pinero was a 20th-round selection of the Astros in 2013, and quickly began to develop his tools in his second year at Virginia. Pinero's game lacks explosiveness, but he has a chance to be fringe-average or better in every phase of the game. Pinero is a physical specimen, standing at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, and he shows surprising foot speed at shortstop. Pinero doesn't quite have the body control or arm strength to be an everyday shortstop in pro ball (and there has never been a 6-foot-5 everyday shortstop in big league history), but he is a well-coordinated athlete and shows the potential for average range, so he could develop into a solid utility infielder. At the plate, Pinero has a sharp downhill swing plane that allows him to generate backspin on pitches anywhere in the strike zone when he makes contact. Pinero's strike zone discipline improved significantly throughout his sophomore season, and he also showed over-the-fence power to his pull side. Pinero is a Toronto native, and a graduate of the Ontario Blue Jays club team.
• Ranked #467 prospect in 2013 draft
  Pinero was draft-eligible last year but wasn't picked. The Royals showed interest in him as a nondrafted free agent, but he instead returned for his optional fifth year of high school, making him eligible for selection again. He has a rangy build at 6-foot-6 and 180 pounds, and while he's a solid high school shortstop he'll eventually move to third base. He is an average runner and has a strong arm, so he should be able to make it there. Because of his size and his long arms, Pinero has length to his swing, and he shows good bat speed and power potential. He will likely have to be drafted in the top five rounds to pass on his commitment to Virginia, where he would be a draft-eligible sophomore in 2015.