Prospect: Eduardo Paredes Rank: 19
2015/16: 18 Position(s): Right Handed Pitcher
Level: AA Age: Entering Age 22 season in 2017.
Height: 6’1” Weight: 190 lb.
Present - Future
Fastball 65 65
Curve 50 60
Change 50 50
Mechanics 60 60
Command 55 60
Control 70 70
Overall 55 65
Floor: Middle Reliever in the Major Leagues
Ceiling: A closer in the Major Leagues.
Likely Outcome: A 7th-8th-9th inning option, doesn't matter.
Summary: It's a shame we don't rank relievers as high on prospect lists, otherwise Paredes would be getting a lot more notoriety among fans. Everywhere Eduardo has gone, he's succeeded, and he's still very young. When the Angels signed Eduardo as a 17 year old, he was completely and utterly dominant in the Dominican Summer League. For reasons unknown, the Angels decided it would be a good idea to have Paredes repeat the DSL as an 18 year old, which he did and was again dominant. The Angels then brought him stateside as a 19 year old and put him in the hitter paradise that is Orem in the Pioneer League. No matter, Paredes dispatched them with no problem at all. In fact, he finished with a 1.33 ERA and 31 K's in one 20 innings. That's how easy Orem was for Eduardo.
You'd really think by now the Angels would start aggressively promoting Paredes, but still they're going a level a year, and so for most of the next season, Eduardo Paredes fools hitters in A Ball to the tune of a 1.77 ERA with a 12.6 K/9 and an even more impressive 1.7 BB/9. The Angels decide it might be a good idea to promote Paredes after he's completely fatigued from an unusually large workload in A Ball and he gets to the Cal League and is simply "OK" for the first time in his career.
The Angels send him back to Inland Empire to start 2016 and Paredes, armed with a fresh arm sits batters down with no issues, so he is promoted to AA, as a 21 year old, which is pretty remarkable. While in Arkansas, we see a strange thing happen. Parades' ERA remains a very solid 3.35, but for the first time in his career, he isn't striking out as many batters, which suggests that after five years of the Angels playing it conservative, they seem to have finally found a level in which Eduardo can grow by facing competition that challenges him. It's about time.
From the scouting side of things, Paredes attacked hitters with a low three-quarters, borderline sidearm release. He still uses his legs to generate plenty of momentum going forward, and there doesn't appear to be too much stress put on his shoulders or elbow. Eduardo uses two different fastballs. The first is a 4-seam fastball that sits 95-97 with cut action, the second is a 2-seam fastball that sits 92-94 with sinking action. Both are regarded as "plus" pitches. Parades also throws a curve that he keeps low in the zone. It isn't a "plus" pitch, but it does serve as a consistent change of pace pitch. Finally, Eduardo has been experimenting with a change up the past couple seasons that has improved to the point where he can use it.
Paredes is a guy that has a few different ways to get a hitter out. The heat will generate lots of swings and misses, but the curve and change up have created quite the uncomfortable at bat for both lefties and righties.
What to expect next season: Eduardo should head to AAA after being protected on the Angels 40-man roster this offseason. But, with the way the Angels have handled Paredes so far in his career, it wouldn't be surprising to see him back in AA again, even after showing that he should be promoted. If the Angels bullpen doesn't round into form, and if they find themselves contending for a playoff spot, we should see Paredes in Anaheim this season. If things go south quickly, it's likely the Angels will delay Paredes' arrival until 2018 so as to gain an additional year of control.
Estimated Time of Arrival: Middle of 2017, Paredes' age 22 season.
Grade as a prospect: C+
Grades are given from the 20-80 scouting scale. 20-being non-existent ability, 80-being the best I’ve ever seen. MLB average is 50.
