FCL Observations: Looking past the control issues of Carlos Mateo

Some observations from the FCL Doubleheader against the Twins

Photo Credit: WTM

Right-handed pitcher Carlos Mateo put together quite the stat line last year during the Dominican Summer League.

In just 12 innings pitched, Mateo walked 30 batters and threw another 16 wild pitches.

That’s over a wild pitch per inning while walking 34.9% of the batters he would face that season.

It is not an ideal start to a career for the player who received the second-highest bonus from the Pirates during his signing period (which also included Jun-Seok Shim) and the most for a pitcher.

Despite those struggles, the Pirates still decided to bring him stateside. He is currently pitching in the FCL as an 18-year-old who won’t age up until the following season.

Control has still been an issue with Mateo this year, as he’s walked 22 and hit five with another five wild pitchers.

You can see some of the stuff that made the Pirates target him with such a high bonus ($800,000), especially in his latest start on June 13.