Jorge De Paula
| IP | 27 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4 |
| WHIP | 1.037 |
| BB/9 | 2.667 |
| SO/9 | 4 |
- Full name Jorge A. De Paula
- Born 11/10/1978 in Sabana Grande De Palenque, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- Debut 09/05/2003
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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DePaula was among the Latin American players to have his identity and date of birth corrected in the visa crackdown after Sept. 11. Formerly known as Julio DePaula, he's eight months older than previously reported. After spending five years in the lower minors, he made an impressive big league debut in September. Yankees catcher Jorge Posada's father signed DePaula for the Rockies. As he has gained experience, DePaula has made strides with his ability to vary his pitches. He sets hitters up with a deceptive changeup and runs his fastball between 88-93 mph. He wasn't fazed at all by pitching in the majors, but he doesn't possess a true out pitch. His fastball can get straight and he has a tendency to leave pitches up, leading to a career-high 23 home runs allowed. He throws a slurvy slider with inconsistent break. DePaula will vie for the final spot in the New York bullpen during spring training. The Yankees hope he can emerge as a Ramiro Mendoza type. -
The Yankees obtained DePaula as the player to be named in the trade that sent reliever Craig Dingman to Colorado last spring. DePaula finished second in the South Atlantic League in strikeouts in 2000, and returned to dominate at that level during the first half last season. He rang up 10 or more strikeouts in a game four times before earning a promotion to high Class A in June. His delivery is deceptive and he has a fast arm that generates 90-95 mph fastballs. His plus changeup is among the best in the system and is a strikeout pitch, and he has shown the ability to spin his slider. DePaula works fast with an energetic demeanor bordering on arrogance. The Yankees believe he has his emotions under control because he doesn't lose his composure. DePaula's command wavered in Tampa, and becoming more consistent with his breaking ball will be the key for him handling Double-A. His fastball-changeup knockout punch gives him a chance to move rapidly, and at worst he should develop into an effective big league reliever.
