Virgil Vasquez

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #18 prospect in 2008
  After an attention-getting performance in the 2006 Arizona Fall League and a steady start to his 2007 season in Triple-A, Vasquez made his big league debut in 2007. He was called up to make three starts and pitched twice out of the bullpen in September. Detroit lost each time he started, and he was hit especially hard in his debut at Minnesota, but Vasquez still could develop into a fifth starter. His biggest problem was that he left too many pitches up and allowed seven home runs in just 17 innings pitched. The quality of his breaking balls and location on all his pitches must improve in order for Vasquez to succeed in the majors. He's not a hard thrower, which makes command that much more important. His fastball is consistently at 90 mph, and he throws a sinker in the upper 80s. Both are good pitches when Vasquez keeps them on the corners, but they become hittable when he doesn't locate. His low-to-mid 80s slider has some potential, and he mixes in a slower curveball and a changeup. His pitches have some late movement in on righthanders. He'll start the season in Triple-A unless he has an overwhelming spring.
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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #24 prospect in 2007
  Vasquez boosted his stock with an impressive Arizona Fall League performance. Though he nearly led the Eastern League in innings pitch, he showed he had plenty left in his tank by topping the AFL in ERA (2.81), finishing the season with 24 consecutive scoreless innings and winning the clinching game in the playoffs. The Tigers made him the last player added to their 40-man roster in November. Vasquez' ceiling isn't terribly high and his stuff is just average, but his command and durability could make him a back-of-the-rotation starter in the majors. His high-80s sinker and slider are his two best pitches, and he tops out at 93 mph at times, even late in the season. He also throws a curveball and changeup. Vasquez is vulnerable when he doesn't keep his pitches down, and he surrendered 21 homers in 2006. Improving his changeup would help him against lefthanders, who batted .288 and slugged .434 against him. While Vasquez has had consistent success as a starter, he may find it difficult to crack a Toledo rotation that should include several of the organization's top pitching prospects.
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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #26 prospect in 2006
  Vasquez was a Rangers seventh-round pick out of high school in 2000 but didn't sign, instead attending UC Santa Barbara. Known at Matt Vasquez in college (Matthew is his middle name), he went in the seventh round again in 2003. He was part of a strong Lakeland pitching staff in 2005, joining fellow starters Justin Verlander, Jordan Tata, Eulogio de la Cruz and Nate Bumstead on this Top 30 list. Several other Lakeland pitchers, including lefthanders Lucas French and Danny Zell and righthanders Randor Beird and Preston Larrison, also are on the organization's radar screen. Vasquez moved up to Double-A after just eight starts in high Class A. While he threw eight one-hit innings in his first Erie outing, he won only once thereafter. The Tigers see him as a pitchability righthander, a No. 5 starter with control as good as any pitcher in the system. His stuff remains fringy, though, as he owns an upper-80s fastball, a solid curveball and a decent changeup. He must live down in the strike zone, because when he leaves his stuff up, he gets punished for extra-base hits. He'll return to Double-A in 2006.
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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #28 prospect in 2005
  Drafted in the seventh round by the Rangers out of high school in 2000 and again by the Tigers after three years at UC Santa Barbara, Vasquez had never won consistently until 2004. He went 14-18 for the Gauchos and 3-4 in his pro debut before leading the Midwest League in victories and innings in his first full pro season. He also kicked off West Michigan's drive to the league title with eight innings of one-hit ball in the Whitecaps' playoff opener. Though he has a strong frame, Vasquez achieved his success with location--he has the best control in the system--rather than velocity. He doesn't throw hard, usually working in the upper 80s, and his curveball and changeup are ordinary as well. He pitches above his stuff because he mixes his offerings, moves them around the strike zone and challenges hitters. While Vasquez unquestionably has feel and poise, he also was a bit old for low Class A at age 22. He still has to prove himself against more advanced hitters. Vasquez probably will start 2005 in high Class A but could start to move quickly.