Blue Jays Stock Watch: Jimmy Cordero

Now that the ‘on again, off again’ Jonathan Papelbon trade talks are back on, I thought it was a good time to take a look at one of the Blue Jays minor league relief pitcher or better yet, a power arm. Jimmy Cordero is an interesting arm and a guy who could see a label change in 2015. It is very possible with Toronto’s bullpen issues that Cordero goes from ‘subject’ to ‘prospect’ over the summer. Heck, there could even be a September call-up in his future.

Jimmy comes to us from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic as a non-drafted free-agent. Signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012 as a 20-year-old, Cordero is a prototypical flame thrower with control issues and a live arm whose ability to touch 103 mph from time to time will be his calling card to the majors. That’s right, his fastball has hit 103 and it consistently tops 100 mph.

After spending all of 2014 with the Lansing Lugnuts, Cordero has already received one promotion this year, but that stuff happens when you completely dominate a level. The 23-year-old is with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats after starting the season with the Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays.

Jimmy Cordero’s minor league stats.

While a member of the D-Jays bullpen Cordero put up good enough numbers to be named to the Florida State League All-Star Team, but because of his promotion he will not be partaking in the festivities. The 6’3″, 215 lbs RHP posted a 8.5 K/9, 3.29 FIP, and 1.18 WHIP with the D-Jays. What’s been most impressive about the 2015 version of Jimmy Cordero is his ability to hit the strike zone with more consistency, which had helped him cut his walks down in Dunedin (2.13 BB/9). This control has also helped cut down on his wild pitches. So far he has thrown 3 in 31.1IP, compared to 14 in 32.1 in 2014.

Coming into the season the hard throwing right-handed reliever didn’t have the most impressive stats and that is why this exert explains says so much about the journey that Jimmy Cordero has taken to get to where he is today.

"His chances looked good until Jimmy Cordero, a Dominican kid who couldn’t find the strike zone and had an ERA over 10 halfway through the season, suddenly found his compass. “He looks unhittable sometimes,” Gorman says. No exaggeration: Cordero carries an ERA of 0.50 over the past month and once registered six strikeouts in two innings of work. Cordero guaranteed himself a spot with that single performance. (‘Why the Gulf Coast League is the last place a Big-League Hopeful wants to be’ by Gare Joyce. Good read )"

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to find out that Jimmy relies heavily on his fastball. His secondary pitches are below average options, but he will mix in a slider that he throws in the high-80’s. If he can develop his slider and consistently find the zone and decrease his hit/9, than the Toronto Blue Jays may have struck gold with a legitimate power arm. For now, Cordero will continue to pump his fastball in the high-90’s and wow us from a far with triple digits.

We will be checking back in with Cordero over the next couple weeks to see how he is progressing with the NH Fisher Cats.

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