Correa was signed by the Yankees out of the Dominican Republic in 2016.  Despite making his stateside debut in 2017, this is the first year Correa has advanced beyond the complex level.  Since his promotion from Pulaski in early August, the right-hander has made three starts with Staten Island, pitching to a 0.47 ERA with a K:BB ratio of 15:5 while holding opposing batters to a .179 BAA across 19 innings.  I saw Correa pitch on August 2, 2019 vs. Mahoning Valley.

The 22-year-old is undersized for a prototypical starting pitcher, listed at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds.  Correa has a sturdy lower half, but lacks physical projectability.  The right-hander comes from over-the-top with a smooth, repeatable delivery.  His fastball sat between 89-to-92 mph, but got hit hard due to its lack of movement and command within the strike zone.  Correa threw his heater for strikes but struggled to keep it out of the middle of the plate.  While the fastball was not a dominant offering, his slurve was a true out pitch.  It sat between 78-to-80 mph, exhibiting plus two-plane break and hybrid shape.  He was able to throw it for a strike, which jelly-legged right-handed batters, and also bury it out of the zone for whiffs.  His changeup was an infrequent third offering, clocked at 86 MPH.

There are certainly elements in Correa’s profile that work against his prospects to reach the big leagues, including his size, age, proximity to MLB and lack of fastball velocity.  However, the breaking ball is a carrying pitch, which at least makes him an interesting arm to follow.  His heater may never be good enough to keep hitters off his slurve, but should he add a tick of velo, Correa’s role could elevate into a potential two-pitch bullpen piece, FV 35+.