The Book on Aroldis Chapman

Prospect Info

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Aroldis Chapman
Born 9/11/1987
LHP, CIN

A whisper-thin lefthander with a whiplike delivery that can touch 100mph, Cuban Aroldis Chapman is one of the highest-ceiling lefties in baseball today... and also one of the riskiest. Chapman went 6-7 with a 3.89 ERA in 2008 and 11-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 2009 as a starter in Cuba's National League, after working as Holguin's closer the year before. He finished second in the vote for the league's best left-handed pitcher in 2009.

With a reputation as a thrower rather than a pitcher and some questions about his makeup and work ethic, Chapman was passed over by the big-market and fat-wallet teams, landing in Cincinnati in a surprise winter deal. While he has the stuff, there's some question about his ability to use it effectively. Despite the high heat, Chapman looked very hittable in the WBC and other recent international tournaments, where he had little success as a starter. Some wonder whether his pitching style could wither when faced with more patient and less free-swinging adversaries, or whether a home might be easier to find in an MLB bullpen, where he could become a rather expensive Billy Wagner.

100mph lefthanders are worth some risk, of course, but until he gets a full season of minor league ball under his belt, nobody will really know what they're looking at.

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Player Updates and Notes

Reds coach Bryan Price has been quoted as saying that it's possible Aroldis Chapman could break camp as the Reds' fifth starter, skipping the minor leagues entirely. With lingering questions about the young Cuban's makeup and work ethic, and manager Dusty Baker in charge of the phenom's power arm, we have to ask: gosh, what could possibly go wrong?

2/19/2010 by KDaddy

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In a big surprise, Aroldis Chapman, whose defection sparked a bidding war among major league teams, agreed Sunday morning to sign for $30 million with the Cincinnati Reds.

1/10/2010 by KDaddy

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Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman has been officially granted status as an international free agent by the MLB, according to the New York Post. The bidding will start around $20M, and should include the Mets, Yankees, Cubs, Angels, Mariners, Dodgers and any other team with a checkbook. The very young Chapman will need a couple of years to develop secondary pitches and learn to handle pro hitters, but he could move more quickly as a lefty reliever.

9/27/2009 by KDaddy

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