Esmerling Vasquez

2013

There was no outlook written for Esmerling Vasquez.

2012

The strong strikeout rate Vasquez showed with Arizona in 2009 and 2010 disappeared last season and he was demoted to Triple-A in June. He's always struggled with control and a low groundball rate, so he didn't offer much in the majors without the strikeouts (just a 5.93 K/9IP). He struggled at Triple-A Reno with a 6.18 ERA but at least had an 8.60 K/9IP. Arizona gave up on him after the season and he was claimed off waivers by Minnesota. He did maintain his strong velocity last season (93.4 mpg average fastball) and at least walked fewer batters, so there's some hope the Twins can get him on track. He'll compete for a bullpen job this spring, but likely begins the season at Triple-A. There's room in a Minnesota bullpen without many high-powered arms if he gets on track.

2011

Control issues aside, Vasquez appears to have fully recovered from the torn labrum he suffered in the Arizona Fall League a few years back. The D-Backs gave him the ball 57 times last season, and he struck out more than a batter per inning (9.2 K/9IP). The problem here continues to be walks, as Vasquez issued more than his fair share of free passes (6.4 BB/9IP). The arsenal of a good setup man is here, but that opportunity will have to wait until the aforementioned control trouble is addressed.

2010

A transition to relief work led to 53 appearances out of the Arizona bullpen for Vasquez last season. With a fastball that sits in the 94-96 mph range and pretty good secondary stuff including a changeup and a slider, he could show further improvement in his second crack at relief work in 2010. Vasquez once projected as a middle of the rotation starter before he tore his labrum while pitching in the Arizona Fall League in 2007, but give him credit for getting back in any capacity from an injury that has become notorious for derailing many pitchers' careers. He'll try to lock down his bullpen spot with an eye toward potential set-up duty in front of Arizona closer Chad Qualls during spring training.

2009

Vasquez opted for rehab of a torn labrum in his right shoulder rather than undergoing surgery, while he struggled with his command at Triple-A Tucson (7.92 BB/9IP) in mixed work as a starter and reliever. The D-Backs sent him to the Dominican Winter League to log more innings, but his mixed results throughout 2008 suggest that surgery may be in his future. At 25, his once promising long-term outlook as the organization's minor league player of the year in 2007 appears to have been derailed by a fluke injury. If he doesn't undergo the knife, Vasquez will return to Tucson and try to back on track.