2022 Pre-Season SF Giants Prospects: 30-21

2022 Pre-Season SF Giants Prospects: 30-21

26. Prelander Berroa

Position: RHP
Age: 21
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 170 lbs.
Projected Level: Eugene (High-A)
MLB ETA: 2024

Tool Grades: (Present/Future)

FB 60/70 | SL 45/50 | CH 40/45 | CMD 30/45

PV 30 | FV 40

After getting traded to San Francisco at the 2019 trade deadline, Berroa had his first full-season experience this year in Low-A San Jose. He’s off to a solid start and then put the pedal to the metal in July, where he was one of the best performing pitchers in the month. However, he did not finish the season with a high note as he struggled to throw strikes and gave up crucial long balls in the final two months of the season.

Berroa is one of the best fireballers that the farm system has to offer. His fastball sits in the 95-99 MPH and has shown the ability to hold his velocity deep to his starts as he still hit 98 MPH in his sixth inning of work. He can easily overpower hitters with sheer velocity but the pitch also has good tailing life and has a good feel for spotting the pitch at his best, particularly in June and July, even though he is throwing with maximum effort for most of the season. However, his control wavered in August and September but has kept the life on his fastball, particularly at the top of the zone.

His best secondary pitch is his slider that has more vertical than horizontal break because of his over-the-top release point. It flashes above-average, but his pitch utilization leaves more to be desired as he often leaves it hanging in the upper half of the zone. His changeup that flashed promise early in his career is now a distant third pitch with two-seam movement but without a big velocity difference to his fastball.

With an overpowering fastball, developing secondaries, and a max effort motion, it might make sense to put Berroa in the pen where he can sit in the triple-digits with his heater. He’s worked on throwing his slider more consistently at the bottom of the zone during the final couple of months, but his heater got away from him to make his adjustment as effective. He should continue to start in 2022 and possibly 2023, but all the signs point towards a power reliever role in the big leagues.