Wilmer Villatoro

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked San Diego Padres #22 prospect in 2005
  Villatoro continued in his quest to become the first player of El Salvadorian descent to reach the majors with a solid showing in high Class A in 2004. He missed the first month of the season with visa problems and got off to a slow start, but was lights-out in the second half of the year, holding his opponents hitless in 11 of his last 16 outings. Villatoro effortlessly throws a lively fastball that sits at 90-92 mph and can touch 94, a velocity reading that could become more common as he fills out his skinny frame. His slider has a strong break across the plate, but lacks sink and is left up in the zone too often. He has long arms, and his whip-like motion makes his pitches difficult to pick up. He can overthrow at times, sacrificing both command and movement. His slight stature and lack of an offspeed pitch relegate him to the bullpen. He'll get his first big test in 2005 in Double-A.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #20 prospect in 2004
  Few scouts have more worldwide contacts than former Padres international supervisor Bill Clark, who was fired in September and replaced by former GM Randy Smith. Clark found righthanders Villatoro and William Ponce in El Salvador and made them the first two players ever signed from that nation. Ponce, who's similar to Justin Germano, made more strides than anyone in San Diego's instructional league camp after the 2003 season. Villatoro, who signed for $5,000, has better pure stuff. He was nearly unhittable as a set-up man in low Class A, where his stuff got better over the course of the season. Villatoro threw a 92 mph fastball and a loose slider early in the year, but was pitching with a 94 mph heater and a tighter slider by August. He'll have to throw more strikes at higher levels. Nevertheless, his first full season couldn't have been more encouraging. He'll step up to high Class A in 2004.