Miguel Cuevas novas

Among the California junior college players who were not draft-and-follows, Cuevas was the most interesting and perhaps the best prospect of the bunch. A native of the Dominican Republic, he moved to Miami and spent a season at Miami-Dade Community College, though he wasn't drafted. Cuevas was seen by agent Guz Dominguez, who lives in Los Angeles and is friends with Pierce coach Bob Lofrano. Cuevas has thrived under Lofrano's tutelage, tossing a shutout in the state juco playoffs and improving his velocity. While Cuevas usually pitches at 87-89 mph, his fastball has touched 92-93 and he's shown the ability to pound the strike zone with it. He uses his size well and stays tall in his delivery, and scouts describe his mechanics as free and easy. Cuevas' changeup shows flashes, and he's shown a feel for the pitch, but his breaking ball has a long way to go. Right now, he doesn't have one he trusts, which kept him from being an elite pick.