27
2011
MMO Top 20 Mets Prospects – #17 Juan Urbina, LHP – Exclusive Interview!
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Welcome to the 4th installment of the official MMO 2012 Mets Top 20 Prospects list. Today we bring you #17, LHP Juan Urbina. In the summer of 2009, as a 16-year-old living in Venezuela, Urbina was one of the most sought after International Free Agents on the market. The Mets managed to sign him away from a slew of other teams that were also interested in the young left-hander.
In 2010 he made his stateside debut with the GCL Mets, going 5-3 in 11 GS, with an ERA of 5.03. The 2011 season got off to a bumpy start for Urbina as he was roughed up a bit in his first 5 GS. In those starts, he lost his first 3 decisions and was sporting an ERA of 9.45 on July 16th. And then he began to quietly turn his season around.
In his last 7 GS of 2011, he went 4-3 with an ERA of 4.00, giving up 36 hits in 36 IP, while striking out 34 and walking 8. Although the overall numbers weren’t so great for the year, it was clearly not a lost season for Urbina. He fought through adversity to turn the season from a negative, into a positive, and learned from the experience.
Urbina, now 18, has a clean, effortless delivery and at 6’2″, shows excellent mechanics and good command. His fastball and change-up are his best pitches, though the curveball still needs refinement. If he can sharpen his breaking-ball and miss some bats with it, he can move quickly through the system. Most reports on how hard Urbina throws, are a year to two years old. I would give you the most current report on how hard he is throwing his fastball, but why don’t I let him tell you that himself. I interviewed Juan last week, and he gave us this update:
Petey: Thanks for giving us some of your time Juan. The Mets signed you as an International Free Agent from Venezuela, in the summer of 2009. Were there other teams interested in signing you? Why did you decide to sign with the Mets?
Juan: Yes around 10 more teams (were) interested in me, and I did sign with the Mets because from (when) I was a little kid, I like the team.
Petey: Your father Ugueth, was a very good major league pitcher from 1995 until 2005, pitching for the Expos, Red Sox, Tigers, Phillies, Rangers, and Marlins. He was a two-time All-Star (1998 & 2002), and led the NL in saves in 1999, with 41. In 2003, pitching in the post-season for Florida, he picked up two saves in the World Series on the way to winning a championship over the New York Yankees. What kinds of things was your father able to teach you about pitching?
Juan: Anything, I did never play catch with dad when I was a kid, but now we always talk about baseball, about little things that I have to do to be a major league pitcher.
Petey: Can you tell us a little more about your arsenal? What pitches you throw, at what speeds, and are you working on any new pitches moving forward?
Juan: Fastball, curveball and change-up. This year I hit 95 mph, but I was from 90 to 93 mph most of the time.
Petey: After getting off to a slow start last season, what kind of adjustments and improvements did you make in order to get things turned around? What were some things you were working with your pitching coach on to improve this season?
Juan: I’ve (been) working on my mechanics, staying on my back leg. And also (working on) my curveball with my pitching coach Jonathan Hurst. And by myself just learning of the little things to be better in this job.
Petey: What kind of things will you do to stay in shape over the winter? Can you describe your workout regimen?
Juan: Run almost everyday so that my legs don’t get heavy during the winter. And keep working in everthing that I was working during this year.
Petey: What was your favorite baseball team growing up? Other than dad, your favorite player?
Juan: From (when I was a) kid my team is the New York Mets. And my favorite player is Randy Johnson.
Petey: Is there a major league pitcher that you think you are similar to in style? Or someone that you can see yourself pitching like someday in the majors?
Juan: A couple things that I do pitching is like Johan Santana, like my mechanics is something similar at his mechanics.
Petey: What are your goals for next season? Is there a particular club you hope to make out of spring training?
Juan: Keep working hard to get a long (season) league, and also keep (healthy) to get the season that I would like to get.
Petey: Is there another team in the Appalachian League that really impressed you this year at Kingsport, and tell us what it was that made you take notice.
Juan: Danville Atlanta… why? Because those position players have a nice approach to batting. Also had a nice pitching staff.
Petey: And to finish up Juan, just a little personal info, not about baseball. What is your favorite movie? Favorite musician or band? Favorite food?
Juan: Well I like to watch a lot of terror and comedy movie, I like the American Hip-Hop, and also the Reggaeton, and the Latin music. My favorite food? It’s hard to tell you. I mean I like all the food that my mom and grandmom cook for me heehee.
Wow, awesome. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview Juan. On behalf of all the MMO staff and readers, we are very grateful to you. Good luck next year, and we hope to see you in the long season league at Savannah!
Juan Urbina Video Link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs0-cC1bNuM
Check back on Monday when I’ll reveal Mets Prospect #16, right here on MMO…
2012 Top 20 Mets Prospects
#19 Michael Fulmer, RHP (Exclusive Interview)
#18 Akeel Morris, RHP (Exclusive Interview)
About the Author: Peter Shapiro
The first time I went to Shea was not for a Mets game, it was for the Beatles concert there in August of '66. My first Met game was '67, a guy named Salty Parker was the interim-manager then. My first pennant race was 1969. As a 12 year-old that summer and fall, I managed to get to the park for 3 games. The first was the beginning of the Miracle which actually started on Tuesday July 8, 1969 with a day game against the Cubs. I was there a lot in '73. I saw games 3 & 5 of the 1973 NL Playoffs against the "Big Red Machine", from the upper deck behind home plate. It was from there that I witnessed the fight between Bud Harrelson and Pete Rose, and the mayhem that ensued. And that sweet victory in game 5! I saw a couple of WS games at Shea that year against that legendary Oakland A's club. I was there in 1985 for every single game Dr. K pitched including his two 16 strikeout performances, and the day he one-hit the Cubs on an infield single and the Mets won 1-0. I loved being a Met fan in those days. Hopefully we are once again preparing to emerge from the darkness.
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I’ve seen Urbina on quite a few top ten lists in 2011, has he really fallen this much or did he just get passed up by this years draft picks plus Wheeler?
Great interview Pete. Great question to about opposing teams in the Appalachain League. I didn’t realize that Urbina had reestablished himself somewhat this year I had thought it was a pretty down season overall. Appreciate the update.
Urbina does seem like he’s going to be a slow developing rule 5 roster problem though. First two years in the APP League, probably a bump to Savannah next year and at the very best St. Lucie in 2013, if he improves considerably. Even that means he’s a rule 5 candidate with NO chance of providing even AAA depth for at least one year and that’s under the best case scenario.
Clearly getting Urbina signed was the correct thought process and no one should complain but it does highlight the problem with attempting to build primarally through IFA’s. Even the most sought after IFA’s can cause a severe roster crunch if you have more than a few slower developing kids.
I think it’s completely unfair that 16 year olds get held to the same standard as 18 year olds and it actually lowers their value since some can be lost through rule 5 or even career minor leaguer status (7 years) before they fully develop.
Great job on these prospect interviews though Pete. Really enjoy them and I have one question? Gilbert Gomez?
Thanks agee, isn’t it ironic that his answer was the Atlanta rookie level team is very good and balanced? We, as Mets fans, know quite a bit about the Atlanta player development machine, and to hear Juan’s assessment that this years rookie league crop is no different, we can see how the model of consistency that that organization employs, is still the hallmark for success.
Urbina is the kind of guy that will have to be added to the 40-man, the first year he is exposed, or they would surely lose him.
G. G. is definitely somewhere on the list, although I can’t give away where he has landed yet. Also, I am trying, but it may be very difficult to get an interview with him in time for his feature. We’ll see.
Basically yes, that is what happened Hodges, due to rather slow development, Urbina has been passed by other prospects like Wheeler, Gilbert Gomez, Brandon Nimmo, Cory Mazzoni, Darin Gorski, Jefry Marte, Collin McHugh and Juan Lagares. It really says that the system is improving as far as depth of talent, rather than an indictment on Urbina.
Nice interview Pete. He still has a very long road ahead of him and struggled mightily at such a very low level. Hopefully he can make some strides in ’12.
Remember too Krane, he was playing in a foreign country as an 18-year-old. Have you ever been to Kingsport, Tennessee? That’s foreign enough. Now imagine living there, and traveling throughout Appalachia as you ply your trade. Eating strange food, being homesick. There are enough distractions where you can throw the bumpy start out the window. Not to worry, he’s a resilient kid.
Again good read Pete thanks.
Thanks MNJ!
Nothing wrong with keeping these Latin propects lower? It keeps the pressure off them,and the Front office? Maybe if Omar didn’t put F-Mart on such a pedostal,he would have not been rushed so fast,and fallen on his face?
Pete just want to thank you for letting everyone know we actually HAVE prospects because if you read the other comments around here you would get the impression that our entire MiL system is made up of little leaguers!