There’s literally thousands of rookies to talk about this offseason, which is why this series is going deeper than usual. Will go over sleepers next, that’s my promise to you, which I say as I announce my 2024 presidential campaign over Zoom while not wearing pants. If you want me to put on pants, you’re gonna have to hold these two boba drinks. I only have two hands and I’m typing with my nosse–Dah! Stupid nose! Type better! A brief peak behind the curtain, I ask Prospect Itch for 15 or so rookies to highlight in my 2021 fantasy baseball rookies series, and he gives me 30, ranked, then I usually take the top 15. Luis Patino is nowhere near his top 15. He was ranked 30th on his 2021 fantasy baseball prospects for redraft leagues. Previously, Itch labeled Patino as a guy he was targeting for 2020. He thought he was a sleeper going into last year. Wha’ happened? I say like I’m in A Mighty Wind. RIP Fred Williard. Prospect Itch used to love Patino. Did he move on? Has he soured? Is Patino a scratch Itch can’t reach? Have thee wrought a fire from the depths of Itch’s belly that can’t be quenched with Welch’s Grape? Does Itch not drink from the nectar of the Gods — Welch’s Grape? What is wrong with Welch’s Grape???!!!??? So, I asked Itch why he’s not as excited by Patino and he said, “There was more guys I liked better, but I’m still on the bandwagon.” Or bandwagino, so to speak. Or even bandwagiño. So, what can we expect from Luis Patino for 2021 fantasy baseball?
Luis Patino throws 97 MPH with three pitches. Dude’s better than Paddack! Okay, I said it. *does a little dance* That’s right, I said it! Hey, iron sharpens iron, and by me simply comping Patino to Paddack it makes him better, even if he has no idea I made the comp. Okay, enough foolsies, Patino’s 97 MPH fastball is a 65 grade, which gets me interested, and he’s got a 60-grade slider and a solid-enough change. Pair this with pinpoint control and I’m falling over myself, pair it with wonky-at-times control and you have Patino. But I’m still interested! Let’s look at some video, kay?
Luis Patiño topped out at 98.9 mph over 2 1/3 scoreless frames. pic.twitter.com/7GoJAUNAar
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 23, 2020
Huh-Mah-Nah
It appears like Luis Patiño can throw his fastball at roughly 200 MPHpic.twitter.com/W1y37uiih8
— Jon Schaeffer (@jonschaeffer) August 4, 2020
Huh-Mah-Nah
The Padres today got 100+ mph strikeouts by two different pitchers:
Dinelson Lamet: 100.2 (1st inning)
Luis Patino: 100.3 (8th inning)The last team to do that was the Yankees on Aug. 13, 2017 (Aroldis Chapman and Dellin Betances). pic.twitter.com/NQGZBynnMH
— David Adler (@_dadler) August 9, 2020
Padres’ GM Preller has already said Patino should come to Spring Training ready to make the club’s rotation. Still time for the Padres to sign some rando vet like Drew Smyly, so I’m not holding out hope Patino really starts the year with the club. Still, I’d be shocked if he’s not up by June, and, honestly, would be surprised if it’s even that late. Expecting closer to April than June.
First off, after a ton of other nonsense, Prospect Hobbs wrote about 1200 words in his Luis Patino fantasy. Here’s a small snippet from PH’s post, “Even with just two refined pitches (and another two in the making), Patino has completely baffled right-handed hitters, as they produced a meager .163/.259/.220 slash against him in 2019. Clearly, Patino could step into a big league bullpen tomorrow and be elite. Like, ya know, the opposite of whatever Grey is.” Oh, man, cmon! By the by, we’re talking about a guy who just turned 21 years old in October, so I don’t even know if we know Patino’s ceiling yet. MacKenzie Gore and Patino about to carry the Padres to another playoffs appearance, and I’m here for it. New favorite team! Imagine me saying that five years ago. See, as I always say, I don’t dislike teams, it’s just sometimes I dislike what are being done with those teams. I ain’t a through thick and thin-type guy. I’m a fantasy baseball redraft shark and I must always move forward, or I die–Okay, what the hell am I talking about? Patino right! So, my projections are going to be a little meh, but when I say “with a chance for more” here, I really mean it. Patino feels like a guy I would draft late in all NFBC Draft and Hold type leagues and hope for “much more” and not just “more.” For 2021, I’ll give Luis Patino projections 5-7/4.34/1.33/94 in 88 IP with a chance for much more.
