Cristian Javier Stats & Scouting Report College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

Publish date: 2024-04-15
TRACK RECORD: Javier is a pitcher who is more impressive when watched over longer stints than in a showcase setting. He began 2019 at high Class A Fayetteville, but pitched his way to Triple-A Round Rock by the end of the season and earned a spot on the Astros' 40-man roster in the offseason.

SCOUTING REPORT: Javier can touch 93-94 mph with his fastball, but he varies his fastball velocity by up to 5-6 mph to mess with hitter's timing. Javier's delivery hides the ball behind his back for a significant portion of his delivery. His average changeup has solid deception and some fade and his slow, average curveball is effective because of location and some depth. He uses an above-average slider against righthanders that sweeps across the plate. No pitch on its own is exceptional, but the fact is he was unhittable in 2019—righthanders hit .120 against him and lefties hit .144. If he falls behind, he's not going to throw a down-the-throat fastball.

THE FUTURE: Skeptical evaluators still see him as a No. 5 starter due to his lack of plus stuff, but Javier's ability to thrive after being promoted to Double-A is an indicator that his stuff will play in the majors. He could help Houston as a spot starter or reliever in 2020.

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