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Thursday, December 23, 2004

Jason Vargas Is No. 8 Prospect For Marlins According To Baseball America

Baseball America pegs Jason Vargas as the 8th highest prospect in the Florida Marlins minor league system. In his debut pro year, he began at Class A Short Season Jamestown, going 3-1 with a 1.96 ERA in 8 starts and 41 innings. Opposing batters hit .224. Jason struck out 41 while walking only 13. He was then promoted to low Class A Greensboro, where he went 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA. He started 3 games, and pitched 19 innings, striking out 17 while walking only 2, and yielding only a .143 batting average. He has not made any relief appearances.

Baseball America has this analysis:

JASON VARGAS, lhp. Age: 21 B-T: L-L Ht: 6-0 Wt: 215. Drafted: Long Beach State, 2004 (2nd round). Signed by: Robby Corsaro.

Background: Vargas was a two-way player during a circuitous college career that saw him spend a year each at Louisiana State, Cypress (Calif.) JC and Long Beach State. The Marlins considered taking him in the first round in 2004, but opted for Taylor Tankersley before grabbing Vargas in the second. He's the nephew of former major league infielder Randy Velarde.

Strengths: Vargas has good arm strength, working at 91-94 mph with his fastball. His tight slider is a putaway pitch against lefties. His changeup has good downward action at times and could become a plus pitch. He has a strong mound presence, working quickly and going right after hitters. He has sound mechanics and command.

Weaknesses: Some scouts wonder if Vargas may wind up as a reliever because he has just one plus pitch against righthanders. Though he has a good physique, there's some concern about potential weight gain in his lower half. He tired near the end of the year after a late promotion to low Class A, but that's typical for first-year players.

The Future: Vargas should stay with Tankersley, beginning 2005 back at Greensboro. If he continues to show the progress he made in his pro debut, he'll reach high Class A by season's end.

posted on 12/23/2004 by Jeff Agnew

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