Kelyn Acosta
| IP | 125 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.464 |
| WHIP | 1.568 |
| BB/9 | 3.456 |
| SO/9 | 6.84 |
- Full name Kelyn M. Acosta
- Born 04/24/1985 in Azua, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Giants continue to try to find power arms in Latin America, with Felix Diaz their best success story in recent years. Most of San Francisco's better Latin pitchers, such as former big leaguers Livan Hernandez and Felix Rodriguez and current minor leaguers Alfredo Simon and Merkin Valdez, originally were signed by other organizations. The Giants liken Acosta to Simon in that he's a big, strong power arm with a body that should make him durable. Acosta has a delivery with some effort, but the result is a fastball that touched 99 mph in the past. He had an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery in 2004 and returned in 2005 throwing in the low 90s. Acosta did work hard on his rehab and is still rediscovering his stuff. His secondary offerings remain inconsistent--his slider has shown promise-- but San Francisco didn't hesitate to protect Acosta on the 40-man roster. This season is crucial for him, and he'll probably pitch at San Jose so the Giants can keep a close eye on him. -
The Giants' recent track record in Latin America hasn't been impressive. Just three of their signees are on the 40-man roster, and none of them (Angel Chavez, Yorvit Torrealba, Carlos Valderrama) looks like a future regular. Yet San Francisco hasn't given up. Acosta was one of several intriguing Dominican arms on its Rookie-level Arizona League club in 2003. He's understandably raw and primarily operates off his fastball. However, his heater could be special, as he touches 96-97 mph. Acosta also shows the makings of a power slider, which he throws in the upper 80s. He hasn't learned to change speed but has plenty of time to do so. His arm strength and age give him a slight edge over fellow righty Carlos Villanueva, who has an advanced feel for pitching for a 20-year-old Dominican and throws in the 89-92 mph range with good control. How Acosta performs this spring will determine if the Giants send him to low Class A.
