Joe Wieland

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #24 prospect in 2016
  Thanks to Wieland having spent so much time on the major league disabled list, he is the rare player who has racked up three years of major league service time yet still retains his prospect eligibility. Despite appearing in a big league game in three different seasons, he still falls short of the 50-inning cutoff. Wieland reached the big leagues with the Padres in 2012, but Tommy John surgery erased his 2013 season. He returned in 2014, then after the season the Padres traded him and catcher Yasmani Grandal to the Dodgers for Matt Kemp and Tim Federowicz. Wieland threw just 39 innings in 2014, so 2015 was his first full season back from T.J., and he still isn't all the way back. He's an excellent athlete who can repeat his delivery, throw strikes and use all of his pitches. He works off an 88-93 mph fastball. His 73-78 mph curveball is an average pitch he leans on as his top secondary offering, and he mixes in a fringy changeup on both sides of the plate. Wieland operates with a thin margin for error, with a similar profile to Zach Lee. He can ramp up to about 150 innings in 2016, and he projects best as a swingman or No. 5 starter.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #13 prospect in 2014
  The Padres acquired Wieland and lefthander Robbie Erlin when they dealt reliever Mike Adams to the Rangers at the 2011 trade deadline. Wieland had Tommy John surgery a year after joining San Diego, but not before making five big league starts early in 2012. His rehab from elbow surgery stretched to 15 months, due to setbacks, before he took the mound again in the 2013 Arizona Fall League. Wieland's stuff will play against major league hitters, though he doesn't have a large margin for error given that he relies on precision over power. His fastball sits at about 91 mph and can bump 94 with late life. He favors a big-breaking curveball that sits in the high 70s and a low-80s changeup that fades away from the barrels of lefthanders. Wieland had success incorporating a fringy slider into his repertoire after joining the Padres, and he goes to it when he needs to throw a strike. Add it all up and he profiles as a strike-throwing No. 4 starter. Erlin made nine starts and logged 55 innings for San Diego in 2013, losing his prospect eligibility, and Wieland ought to follow suit in 2014.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #8 prospect in 2013
  The Padres' trades of Adrian Gonzalez and Mat Latos yielded prospects such as Casey Kelly and Yonder Alonso, but the July 2011 swap that sent reliever Mike Adams to the Rangers could provide the greatest quantity of innings. But that's only if Wieland and lefty Robbie Erlin can regain their form after suffering elbow injuries in 2012. Wieland made his big league debut on April 14 but made just five stats for San Diego before straining an elbow ligament. He unsuccessfully tried to rehab the injury before submitting to Tommy John surgery in late July. Wieland doesn't light up radar guns, but his stuff worked against big leaguers because he has plus command. He relies on precise location of a 90-91 mph fastball that peaks at 94 with late life. He uses his fastball to set up a big-breaking curveball that touches 80 mph and a low-80s changeup that sinks and fades. He threw more sliders in 2012 because they're easier to get over the plate than his curve, and it's a solid fourth offering. The Padres won't have Wieland back in game action until the second half of 2013. If he makes a full recovery, he's a strong No. 4 starter candidate who might pitch like a No. 3 in Petco Park.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #7 prospect in 2012
  Wieland carried a 4.52 ERA through 231 innings at two Class A stops in the Rangers system in 2009-10, undercutting his reputation as a strike-thrower with a three-pitch mix. He nullified those concerns with a breakout 2011 season in which he advanced to Double-A and ranked fifth in the minors with a 1.97 ERA and 7.1 K-BB ratio. He threw a no-hitter on July 29, two days before Texas traded him and lefty Robbie Erlin to the Padres for Mike Adams. Wieland sits at 88-92 mph and paints the corners with a fastball more notable for its precise location than life. He operated at 93 mph and touched 95 during the Texas League playoffs while working with extra rest. His secondary pitches are often as effective as his heat. Wieland's mid-70s curveball features consistent 12-to-6 break, while his 83-84 mph changeup sinks and fades. He occasionally throws a low-80s slider for a different look to his glove side, sometimes favoring it over his curve. He's so quick to the plate that just 12 baserunners attempted to steal against him in 2011. Wieland profiles as a classic No. 4 starter, but his exquisite control suggests he could be a No. 3. Ticketed for Triple-A, he may be ready for a big league audition at some point in 2012.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #22 prospect in 2011
  Wieland got off to a strong start in low Class A for the second straight season in 2010, and this time he earned a midseason promotion. He was brilliant at times in the high Class A California League--on Aug. 3, he struck out 14 without issuing a walk over seven shutout innings against Visalia--but at other times he struggled to command his secondary stuff and got lit up. Wieland's quality three-pitch mix is highlighted by his hard, latebreaking overhand curveball, which is a plus pitch when it's on. He also owns an 88-92 mph fastball that bores in on lefthanders, along with an average changeup. He's polished for his age, with the ability to add and subtract velocity, to sink his fastball or elevate it, to pitch in or work away. Wieland is hungry for knowledge, works hard at his craft and is a dogged competitor on the mound. He lacks overpowering stuff and big-time projection, but he's a fairly safe bet to become a back-of-the-rotation starter in the big leagues, with a ceiling of a mid-rotation starter. Wieland likely will return to high Class A at the Rangers new Myrtle Beach affiliate to open 2011, with another midseason promotion possible.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #12 prospect in 2010
  The athletic Wieland committed to San Diego State as a two-way player but chose instead to sign with the Rangers for $263,000 as a fourth-round pick in 2008. He opened his first full pro season throwing once a week in extended spring training so the Rangers could keep his innings down--an approach they also used with Kasey Kiker two years earlier. He reported to low Class A in late May, getting off to a strong start before tiring down the stretch. At his best, Wieland pitches with a 91-93 mph fastball with boring life, but his velocity dipped to 87-91 over the course of the season. He's projectable and should add velocity as he gets stronger. His sharp overhand curveball is a power pitch at 82-83 mph, giving him two above-average offerings at times. Wieland worked hard in extended spring to develop his changeup, and the pitch has become much more consistent. He also is improving his fastball location against lefties, as he has a tendency to open up in his delivery, causing his heater to run over the middle of the plate. As Wieland matures physically, his stamina should improve and he could develop into a workhorse with three average or better pitches. He's likely to return to Hickory to start 2010, with a midseason promotion to high Class A likely.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #16 prospect in 2009
  Wieland is the latest quality pitcher to come out of the Reno area, following in the footsteps of the Rays' Jake McGee and the Braves' Cole Rohrbough. Area scouts compared his stuff and command to that of a young Mark Prior. A quality athlete, Wieland had committed to San Diego State as a two-way player but chose instead to sign with the Rangers for $263,000 as a fourth-round pick. His maturity and professional approach stood out during his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League, as he impressed in his side sessions and had no problems during games. His fastball velocity climbed from 88-91 mph in high school to 90-93 range in the AZL. His projectable frame, smooth yet deceptive delivery and easy arm action lead the Rangers to believe he will throw harder as he continues to develop. Wieland pounds the bottom of the zone with his fastball, a curveball that projects as a plus pitch and a developing changeup. He made significant strides with both secondary pitches after he was drafted, though both must continue to develop. As a fairly advanced strike-thrower, he could start his first full pro season in low Class A, just as Blake Beavan did in 2008. Wieland has a chance to be a No. 2 or 3 starter down the line.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Texas League #18 prospect in 2011
  Wieland took a big step forward in the Rangers organization in the first half of the season, and he followed closely behind Erlin in earning a promotion from high Class A to the Texas League before they both were traded to the Padres for Adams. In his last start for Frisco before moving to San Antonio, he threw a nine-inning no-hitter against the Missions, facing the minimum when the one batter he walked was caught stealing. The fact that Wieland gave up a walk was unusual in itself, as he had just 21 walks in 156 innings all season between his three minor league stops. He paints the corners with a fastball that usually ranges from 88-92 mph, touching 93. San Antonio used a six-man rotation late in the year, and Wieland hit 95 mph in the TL playoffs. He shows both a big-breaking curveball and a slider that he added this year, as well as a changeup that should be an average pitch. With his pitchability he seems a safe bet to be a major league starter, but without a true out pitch he fits best in the back half of the rotation.
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  Ranked Carolina League #9 prospect in 2011
  OK, so it wasn't Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, but Wieland didn't walk a batter during eight straight starts from April through June. Like Erlin, he ranked among the minor league leaders in K-BB ratio (fifth at 150-21) and went to the Padres in the Adams deal. Wieland isn't just a control pitcher, though its his first attribute that anyone mentions. He also does a good job of mixing a solid repertoire: an 88-92 mph fastball, a solid curveball and a reliable changeup. His lack of plus velocity or life on his fastball gives him a smaller margin of error than most pitchers on this list, but his command makes him a safer bet to reach his ceiling (No. 3 or 4 starter) than most.
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  Ranked Arizona Complex League #11 prospect in 2008
  Drafted in the fourth round and signed for $263,000, Wieland may prove to be a bargain for the Rangers. His 1.44 ERA would have ranked third in the AZL if he hadn't barely missed qualifying, and his mound presence was as impressive as his performance. "He walked into that clubhouse out of high school and acted like he belonged," Rangers manager Bill Richardson said. "His sides are just impressive. He takes it out to the game. For a high school draftee, you don't see that every day." Wieland's forte is pounding the bottom of the strike zone with three pitches: a 91-93 mph fastball, a curveball and a changeup. He gained 2 mph on his fastball after turning pro, and he still has room to add more upper-body strength on his 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: The Padres' trades of Adrian Gonzalez and Mat Latos yielded prospects such as Casey Kelly and Yonder Alonso, but the July 2011 swap that sent reliever Mike Adams to the Rangers could provide the greatest quantity of innings. But that's only if Wieland and lefty Robbie Erlin can regain their form after suffering elbow injuries in 2012. Wieland made his big league debut on April 14 but made just five stats for San Diego before straining an elbow ligament. He unsuccessfully tried to rehab the injury before submitting to Tommy John surgery in late July. Scouting Report: Wieland doesn't light up radar guns, but his stuff worked against big leaguers because he has plus command. He relies on precise location of a 90-91 mph fastball that peaks at 94 with late life. He uses his fastball to set up a big-breaking curveball that touches 80 mph and a low-80s changeup that sinks and fades. Wieland threw more sliders in 2012 because they're easier to get over the plate than his curve, and it's a solid fourth offering. The Future: The Padres won't have Wieland back in game action until the second half of 2013. If he makes a full recovery, he's a strong No. 4 starter candidate who might pitch like a No. 3 in Petco Park.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Wieland carried a 4.52 ERA through 231 innings at two Class A stops in the Rangers system in 2009-10, undercutting his reputation as a strike-thrower. He nullified those concerns with a breakout 2011 season in which he advanced to Double-A and ranked fifth in the minors with a 1.97 ERA and 7.1 K-BB ratio. Texas traded him and Robbie Erlin to the Padres for Mike Adams. Scouting Report: Wieland sits at 88-92 mph and paints the corners with a fastball more notable for its precise location than life. He operated at 93 mph and touched 95 during the Texas League playoffs while working with extra rest. His secondary pitches are often as effective as his heat. Wieland's mid-70s curveball features consistent 12-to-6 break, while his 83-84 mph changeup sinks and fades. He occasionally throws a low-80s slider for a different look to his glove side, and sometimes favors it over his curve. He's so quick to the plate that just 12 baserunners attempted to steal against him in 2011. The Future: Wieland profiles as a classic No. 4 starter, but his exquisite control suggests he could be a No. 3. He may be ready for a big league audition at some point in 2012.