Position: RHP
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 210 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 04/14/2000
Country: Dominican Republic
Signed: International Free Agent, 2018 (Braves)
How Acquired: Waiver Claim (from Nationals)
Bonus: N/A
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Yes
Minor League Free Agency: 2024
Options Left: 2
Overview
Munoz originally signed out of the Dominican with Atlanta. He throws hard, sitting in the mid-90s and reaching 98 with a fastball that has a lot of movement and misses a good number of bats. His big pitch is a slider with good spin that gets a lot of swings and misses. While working as a starter, he threw a change that wasn’t effective, but he seems to have scrapped it since moving to relief. His command isn’t good and he’s had problems with walks. Munoz was claimed off waivers twice in 2023, by Washington in July and by the Pirates in December.
1998-2001
Munoz spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League, the first as a reliever and the second as a starter. He made a lot of strides in 1999, improving his control and getting his WHIP down to 1.24, while striking out 9.7 per nine innings. After the pandemic season, the Braves sent him to Low Class A, but he missed most of the season with injuries, throwing just under 30 innings.
2022-23
The Braves sent Munoz to High A and he mostly pitched well through 19 starts. He had a 1.37 WHIP and 10.6 K/9. He finished the season with three starts in AA. After the season, Baseball America ranked him 22nd in the Braves’ system and, at the start of the 2023 season, FanGraphs ranked him 8th. Atlanta added Munoz to its 40-man roster after the season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
Munoz had a tougher time in 2023. The Braves used him in relief in 16 games and he struggled to throw strikes, walking 6.3 per nine innings. Atlanta sent him to the Florida Complex League for a little, then in July designated him for assignment. The Nationals claimed him and moved him back to AAA to work as a starter. That didn’t go well, as he continued walking batters at the same rate and posted a 1.73 WHIP. He also had gopher ball problems and finished with a 6.98 ERA. Washington designated him for assignment after the season and the Pirates claimed him. They then designated him for assignment two weeks later to make room for Edward Olivares.
Stats
Transactions
June 11, 2018: Signed by the Atlanta Braves as an international free agent.
November 15, 2022: Contract purchased by the Atlanta Braves.
July 17, 2023: Claimed off waivers by the Washington Nationals from the Atlanta Braves.
December 1, 2023: Claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates from the Washington Nationals.
December 15, 2023: Designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates.