This is the sixth in a series on high level minor league (AA/AAA) Yankee pitchers who are potential candidates for a call-up when the eventual injury or injuries result in the big league team needing an extra arm.
Domingo Acevedo is a major stat geek crush gone badly.
He’s 6 foot 7, 250 pounds.
He can throw the ball up to 98 MPH.
His walk rates at high A and AA in 2016 and 2017 were just above and below 2 per 9 innings (which is quite good).
2016 and 2017 were the peak of Acevedo’s career when it looked like he might be the next great Yankee pitcher. His xFIPs (ERA with luck and park effects backed out) were 2.53 (low A) and 2.84 (high A) in 2016 and 2.30 (high A) and 3.25 (AA) in 2017. Obviously, terrific.
He was never really healthy and was moved to the bullpen in 2018. He hasn’t really progressed with xFIPs between 3.54 and 4.52 between low A and AAA in 2018 and 2019.
Acevedo is also a fly ball pitcher. His home runs per 9 innings were 1.80 and 2.16 in AA and AAA in 2019. This is quite a jump from the .42 rate he had in 64.7 innings at AA in 2018.
For me, between the health issues and the recent home run totals, the bloom is off the rose so far as Acevedo is concerned. He’s 25 years old and I get the sense that he sort of is what he is. If he can stay healthy, he’s a decent low leverage option out of the bullpen for someone. Let’s hope that the Yankees are never desperate enough that it’s them.
