MLB Rookie Profile: Dinelson Lamet, RHP, San Diego Padres

Rookie right-handed pitcher Dinelson Lamet is scheduled to start Thursday’s game for the San Diego Padres against the New York Mets. Here’s a quick look at what to expect.

The Padres signed Lamet out of the Dominican Republic in 2014 for $100,000. He was already 21-years-old, unusually aged for a Dominican player, but he’s certainly justified their faith with his pitching. He posted a 2.99 ERA with a 120/44 K/BB in 105 innings in Low-A in 2015, then vaulted three levels in 2016, ending the year in Triple-A.

Lamet ranked eighth on the pre-season San Diego Padres Top 20 prospects for 2017 list with the following report:

8) Dinelson Lamet, RHP, Grade B/B-: Age 24, signed out of Dominican Republic in 2014; posted 3.00 ERA with 158/61 K/BB in 150 innings between High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A with just 126 hits allowed; impressive 90-96 MPH fastball with good movement, also has a plus slider, racks up strikeouts; change-up erratic, some observers rate it as major league average, others say it is quite weak; opinion on the change-up determines if you see him as a starter or reliever; given proven ability to eat innings I’d give him a chance to start and see if the change can progress to decency. ETA 2017.

So far in 2017 he’s thrown 39 innings for Triple-A El Paso, posting a 3.23 ERA with a 50/20 K/BB with 32 hits allowed.

Lamet is officially listed at 6-4, 190 (although he looks heavier than that, he’s probably 220), a right-handed hitter and thrower born July 18, 1992. He’s maintained the mid-90s fastball he showed last year and has held his peak velocities readily. He still has the plus slider, too, and the K/IP ratio in the Pacific Coast League is not lying about his ability.

His control can still wobble at times and opinions about his change-up remain mixed, although this hasn’t had any serious negative impact in Triple-A. The Padres obviously believe in him as a starter and they know him better than anyone. If they are right, he could be at least a number three starter.

Nice video from 2080 Baseball

From the center field camera: