Scouting the GCL Starting Rotation

Image: Gabriel Encinas. Source: www.InsideSoCal.com

1. Gabriel Encinas - 18 yo RHP, 6'4, 210 lbs. 88-92 MPH fastball with lots of life and sink. Weak curveball. Decent changeup could be an average pitch. "Terrific competitive nature on the mound; goes right after hitters. Chance to have three average pitches, all of which he'll throw for strikes." - via MLB.com. Got him in last year's draft.

2. Gavin Brooks- 23 yo RHP out of UCLA. 6'3 220 lbs.

"His coach in college would only call for the slow curve ball but he was able to develop a harder breaking ball at Staten Island that he throws five mph faster. It’s either a harder curve ball or a slurve. Brooks calls it a slider. He throws it 78-79 mph and it has lateral movement and it breaks down. In college he threw a slower curve ball known as a spike curve ball but it’s more of a get me over pitch right now. He threw it in the low 70′s.
Brooks has a relatively free and easy delivery and his four-seam fastball has good sink and it sits between 89-91 mph. On occasion, he could throw his fastball at 94 mph. He’ll also try to throw a two-seam fastball to get ground ball outs when he’s behind in the count but it’s a new pitch for him." via YankeesDaily.com

3. Evan Rutckyj- 19 yo LHP. 6'5 213 lbs.  River Ave. Blues write up. RAB does a good job with this one.

4. Taylor Morton-19 yo RHP 6'3 194 lbs. River ave blues write up. And this one. 

5. Dawerd Cruz or Reynaldo Polanco- couldn't find anything on these two. Polanco is just 18, and has had limited experience even in the DSL, where he had a 7.67 ERA in 31.2 IP. Here he similarly got destroyed in his GCL debut, letting up 6 ER in 3 IP. Not sure where this one came from, or why he started. Maybe they got him confused with Rafael Depaula? Not sure. Dawerd Cruz has performed well in the DSL and gave us 4 strong innings of relief in the Stoneburner rehab start. He had 6 K and let up 2 hits in those 4 IP. He is 22 years old.

Overall I think it's a pretty good rotation. There are some older guys on it like Brooks and Dawerd Cruz, but Encinas, Morton, and Rutckyj are all young and projectable starters who could make an impact. It will be fun to follow these guys this season. Unfortunately, today's game with Morton pitching was rained out, but he did throw a scoreless innings before the game was suspended.