Maximo Nelson

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #30 prospect in 2005
  Known as Willy Pie when he signed, Nelson's age was revised 22 months upward after he was forced to use his proper visa prior to the 2003 season. Despite his jump in age, the Yankees have been patient with Nelson, keeping him in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League for three seasons before bringing him to the Gulf Coast League in 2004. He started and won the championship clincher against the Red Sox in the GCL playoffs. Tall and gangly, Nelson is starting to harness a power arm that pumps fastballs up to 96 mph. He could improve his fastball, which he relies on about 90 percent of the time, by staying tall in his delivery. He showed improvement with his nascent curveball, but it doesn't project as more than an average pitch at this point. Nelson won't be more than a reliever without better secondary stuff, but he has a live arm. He'll move up to low Class A in 2005.