Juan Oramas, You Have My Attention

Man, that wasn’t any ordinary 3 1/3 inning, six hit, 2 earned run start.

Lefty Juan Oramas’ first start (and first game) for the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm did contain those mediocre numbers, but it also contained a telling one.

Eight strikeouts.

Working out of the Fort Wayne bullpen earlier this season, Oramas amassed 25 K’s in just 15 innings, walking just three. It was a dominant performance, but it was just Low-A in a pitcher’s league, so I was cautious about becoming too bullish on the young Mexican lefty.

Now, though, I really have to say Oramas is a huge guy to watch. Forget the six hits–a .750 BABIP will wreck anyone’s line, and he didn’t allow a homer. Oramas only walked one batter.

It was his first start of the year, as well. A promotion up a level and from relief to starting, yielding these results? Sign me up.

And the kicker…

Oramas is just 19.

Okay, he turns 20 in a few days, but it’s one thing for a 24-year-old to put up this sort of line in the Cal League. A 19-year-old, though…we’re talking about a real prospect to watch.

Obviously, we need to maintain perspective, as we are talking about 3 1/3 innings, after all (Not that I should be talking about perspective with Oramas, given the tone of this article). I’m not about to thrust him into future ace status or anything.

But still, Oramas has graduated from sleeper to legitimate prospect at this point, at least in my mind.