On Monday, the Cincinnati Reds called up hurler Vladimir Gutierrez, a right-handed pitcher from Cuba. As he breaks into the majors at 25 years old, there’s a lot to be excited about with the young righty. Gutierrez will likely be tasked with helping anchor the struggling bullpen, while simultaneously getting some big-league experience to arm him for the future. Gutierrez brings a skill set to the table that the Reds’ coaching staff should have fun working with. What exactly does he have that makes him one of the Reds’ top twenty prospects?
Overview
After establishing his status as a player with the MLB in 2015, he was part of the international free agent crop in 2016. On August 30, 2016, Gutierrez signed with the Cincinnati Reds for $4.75M at the age of 21. While Gutierrez sported a 4.3+ earned run average in his first two MiLB seasons, he maintained above-average peripherals, recording a 3.25 and 3.63 xFIP respectively, before a statistical collapse in 2019, where his strikeout and control numbers all regressed. In 2020, he was hammered by a PED suspension and the COVID-19 pandemic which canceled the minor league season. However, he rebounded in a spectacular way through three starts in AAA this year, fanning more than eleven batters per nine, leading to his promotion to the MLB roster.
Pitch Repertoire
One of the reasons why the Reds’ coaching staff should have a field day with Gutierrez is his wicked curveball, which has a massive break. Gutierrez’s curveball could develop into a serious threat for hitters as a lockdown strikeout pitch, as it is considered one of the best breaking balls in Cincinnati’s farm. The velocity generally places in the late-70’s.
Another pitcher that Gutierrez scores good marks in is his slider, which is tight and nasty. When he uses it at the right time, it could become a deadly pitch in the majors. It is generally thrown in the low-80’s.
A pitch that could see some improvement in the coming years: Gutierrez’s change-up has developed throughout his years in the Reds’ system, becoming an above-average pitch. However, it’s too soon to call it a great pitch. Some coaching by the Reds could certainly help bring it to the next level.
Although he has great secondary pitches to support it, Gutierrez’s worst pitch is his four-seam fastball, which has average velocity and little movement. The ball has been clocked at around the low-to-mid 90’s in 2019. That said, Gutierrez could have put in work on his fastball over the year-long layoff.
Gutierrez’s command has regressed throughout his time in the minors, but it is projected to be above-average in the MLB. Additionally, during spring training, David Bell said that he felt content and was impressed with Gutierrez’s command. It shouldn’t be much of a problem if the coaching staff can foster his off-speed pitches to a point where hitters can constantly be fooled and command won’t matter as much (remember, Tucker Barnhart will be catching for him, an elite defensive backstop who calls excellent games for his pitchers).
Not too long ago, Vladimir Gutierrez was projected to potentially be a top-100 prospect in all of baseball. However, inconsistency and his PED suspension have made him the most underrated prospect in the Reds’ system. While he is relatively old for his major-league debut (25 years, 8 months), he still has a lot of untapped potential that makes him a perfect culture fit with the franchise that boasts some of the game’s spin rate maestros in Lucas Sims, Tejay Antone, Tyler Mahle, Sonny Gray, and others. While he slots into the bullpen at this time, Gutierrez certainly has the potential to anchor the back end of the Cincinnati rotation. Long story short, Vladimir Gutierrez is a beast.
