Gomez signed with the Yankees for just $50K in 2016, a bonus that looks like an absolute steal given the stuff he has shown since coming stateside. The Venezuelan righty is still very lean but has gotten stronger since signing, and his stuff has ticked up accordingly across the board. Gomez struck out more than a batter per inning and held opponents to a .194 average-against as an 18-year-old last summer in the GCL, and he has generated plenty of buzz in Extended Spring Training to start 2019.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 175 pounds, Gomez is still quite lean with a narrow overall build that hints he might always be on the thin side. That doesn’t stop him from throwing hard, though, as his fastball now tops out at 95 mph from a loose high three-quarters slot that looks able to add a tick more velocity. He shows advanced feel for spin, having added power to his curveball and now throwing the pitch in the upper-70s. It showed tight rotation and consistent two-plane depth, looking the part of a future big league offering. His changeup is a developing third pitch, coming in at 85-to-86 mph with light fade and occasional vertical drop. Though it’s less refined than his other two pitches, Gomez’ clean delivery and loose arm action bode well for improving the change with continued reps. He threw strikes with his fastball, landing his curve in the zone during better sequences.

Gomez’ three-inning outing was arguably the most impressive of any pitcher I saw on my swing through Florida Extended Spring Training. His fastball and curve showed above-average upside, with clean mechanics that allow projection to the changeup and overall control/command. There’s a long road ahead and he’s far from a sure thing–like virtually every teenage pitching prospect at the complex level–but the ingredients for a big league rotation piece are here.