Shintaro Fujinami

Born: 04/12/1994 (Age: 29)
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Arm Slot: High 3/4
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 189
Primary Position: RHSP
Seconday Position: -
Acquisition Period: 1st Rd., 2012 NPB Draft (Hanshin Tigers)
Entry Point: High School
Report Info
Evaluator:
Report Date: June 12th, 2016
Dates Seen: 6/2, 6/9
Level: MLB
Affiliate: Hanshin Tigers - NPB Japan
MLB Team: N/A
Physical Description
Long, lanky frame; slender. Lots of arms and legs.
Mechanical Notes
Smooth effort; some drop and drive. Small pause over rubber. Hook, wrap; opens front side. Creates good angle.
MLB ETA Future Floor Future Ceiling Realistic Role Risk
2021 50 60 Role 5: #4 Starter High
Pitch Present Future Sitting Max Comments
Fastball
Fastball 60 60 92-95 96 Flat run/tail to both sides; life in the zone, straight when up; will get some ride. Not max effort, extra gear when needed bumps it up a half grade (65). Below-average command, inconsistent ability to locate to glove side; sees it leak up and to arm side often.
Flat run/tail to both sides; life in the zone, straight when up; will get some ride. Not max effort, extra gear when needed bumps it up a half grade (65). Below-average command, inconsistent ability to locate to glove side; sees it leak up and to arm side often.
Curveball
Curveball 50 50 72-77 78 11-to-5 breaker; big shape and will show snap for put away. third pitch, uses sparingly. Has some feel for spin, for strikes, locates back-door to lefties.
11-to-5 breaker; big shape and will show snap for put away. third pitch, uses sparingly. Has some feel for spin, for strikes, locates back-door to lefties.
Slider
Slider 55 60 82-86 88 3/4-to-downer break. Tight rotation with depth, bite. Fringe-average feel right now with a chance to improve. For strikes, but leaves up often; shows plus for put away, but inconsistent taking hitters out of zone. Uses to both righties and lefties.
3/4-to-downer break. Tight rotation with depth, bite. Fringe-average feel right now with a chance to improve. For strikes, but leaves up often; shows plus for put away, but inconsistent taking hitters out of zone. Uses to both righties and lefties.
Overall Command
Overall Command 40 45  
Overall Control
Overall Control 40 45  
Overall Summary
Long, lanky right-handed starter who works down in the zone with below-average command of plus stuff. Above-average arm speed with a chance for two plus pitches, and should continue to generate swing and miss. Creates very good angle even with the drop and drive in the motion; some athletic effort, but opens front side early and has the arm drag. Gets good extension and can dot the glove side corner when right. Fastball gets run, occasional late tail to both sides. Will work inside and not afraid to challenge. Slider is primary secondary offering; makings of a true out pitch; downer bite for put away; can locate to back-door; buries in vs. lefties. Big curveball is third pitch; also can throw for strikes to both sides of the plate; grades average with occasional snap. Primarily a fastball/slider guy; everything is hard and does not have much going away from a lefty. Has used a Splitter/Changeup/Forkball in the past, but gone away from that so far in 2016. Will need to learn to throttle up and back, change eye level more effectively vs. big league hitters. Has had big strikeout numbers in a contact-heavy league, but lots of deep counts; inefficient with pitch count. Still very young, ingredients are there; See a tick more fastball command coming; could make a case for #3 starter if he can change speeds better, and develop a consistent third pitch. Comparable to Taijuan Walker (RHP, Mariners) at the major league level