Position: RHP
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 185 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 04/15/1996
Country: Dominican Republic
Signed: International Free Agent, 2015 (Reds)
How Acquired: Trade (from Reds for Kevin Newman)
Bonus: N/A
40-man Roster: Yes
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Minor League Free Agency: N/A
Options Left: 1
Overview
Moreta spent a long time in the lower levels of the Reds’ system after signing in 2015, not reaching AA until his age 25 season. He throws a fastball, slider and change. The latter two appear to be very good pitches, based on Statcast data. The fastball, which sits about 96, may not be. To begin with, depending on which tracking data source you use, he either throws a fastball (FanGraphs) or a four-seamer and sinker (Statcast). The fastball has gotten hit very hard in the majors, although Statcast thinks it’s the sinker that got hammered and that the four-seamer was a good pitch. He’s shown good control in recent years. He’s an extreme flyball pitcher and seems to pitch up in the zone a lot. During his career, he’s pitched exclusively in relief except for one opener-type start for the Reds in 2022. The Pirates acquired Moreta for Kevin Newman.
2015-20
Moreta pitched well in his debut in the DSL. The Reds moved him up very slowly afterwards. He spent 2016-18 pitching in short season leagues and in low A. He consistently had very high K rates, but walks were an issue at times. He finally put together a very strong season in high A in 2019, with a 1.4 BB/9 and 10.0 K/9, among other things. Unfortunately for him, the pandemic wiped out the following year.
2021-22
Moreta seemingly had a breakout season in 2021, starting in AA and reaching the majors for four games at the end of the season. He had low walk rates throughout, and high K rates in AA and the majors, although not AAA for some reason. Baseball America ranked him the Reds’ fifteenth best prospect after the season.
In 2022, Moreta took a big step backward. He opened the season in the majors, but got sent down after a bad outing in mid-May. The Reds brought him back up in mid-June and he was up and down several times after that. He didn’t do well at either level, with gopher balls being a major problem. Moreta gave up one every four and a half innings in AAA and every 3.8 innings in the majors. After the season, Cincinnati sent him to the Pirates for Kevin Newman.
2023-24
Moreta had a fairly wild 2023 season, starting with a severe reduction in fastball usage, as he went with sliders nearly two-thirds of the time. Early in the year he was something of a sensation. A week into June, he had an ERA of 1.61 and 39 strikeouts in 28 innings. That was in spite of ten walks in 11.2 IP in April. He ran into a bad stretch in mid-June, though, giving up eight runs in an inning and a third. He had another bad stretch starting in late July in which he allowed six runs in four and a third. In early August, he went on the injured list with lower back inflammation. He came back in September to throw seven innings without allowing a hit or walk, and with ten strikeouts. For the season, he had a 3.72 ERA and 11.8 K/9.
Moreta suffered an elbow injury during spring training in 2024 and had to have Tommy John surgery. He’ll miss all of 2024 and be out at least until mid-season of 2025.
Stats
TRANSACTIONS
March 16, 2015: Signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an international free agent.
September 22, 2021: Contract purchased by the Cincinnati Reds.
November 19, 2022: Traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Kevin Newman.