Diamondbacks’ Pedro Catuy Makes Up For Lost Time In Winter Ball
Pedro Catuy made the best of what was mostly a lost season, and the 19-year-old outfielder heads into 2025 with some buzz surrounding his prospect status.
Catuy did not log an official game in 2024 because of a left knee injury. He made up for lost at-bats by playing winter ball in the Panamanian League, where he excelled.
“He is somebody to watch,” Diamondbacks head of Latin American scouting Cesar Geronimo Jr. said. “He couldn’t play (in 2024), but as soon as he got better, he made some strides in Panama.”
Drawn to his elite athleticism and projectable frame, the D-backs signed Catuy for $200,000 in 2023. He performed well in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League but hurt his knee in April 2024 and did not recover until late in the summer.
Team officials say Catuy made the most of his rehab time last year, adding 10-15 pounds of strength while spending most of his summer at the club’s Salt River Fields facility.
“I think he handled it like a mature ballplayer,” Geronimo said. “He didn’t stop working. That speaks volumes about his work ethic and his discipline.”
Geronimo heard from multiple scouts impressed by what they saw from Catuy. Though he might not have major power potential, Catuy used his additional strength to impact the ball more than before. He also opened eyes with his defense in center field, where he is a natural defender with plus speed.
Catuy could break camp with Low-A Visalia, but even if he opens the year at extended spring training, Geronimo expects him to put himself squarely on the prospect map once again.
“I think if he can be consistent again, like he was in the Panamanian winter league, he’ll be good,” Geronimo said. “I think he’s going to (climb) our rankings again. I think he has the tools and has the instincts to be a prospect. He can go get it. He’s a center fielder.”
