SP/RP Adonis Cardona (6’4″ 180 lbs)

Age: 17

Drafted: Signed as an International Free Agent in 2010 for $2,800,000

Bats: Right     Throws: Right

2009-10 Team: N/A

2010-11 Expected Team: DSL Blue Jays

Best-Case Scenario: Felix Hernandez

Worst-Case Scenario: Kelvim Escobar

The Blue Jays ruffled a few feathers on the major league circuit when they came to a supposed agreement with then International free agent pitcher Adonis Cardona to a contract well before the signing period was supposed to begin in July of 2010.

Despite that little issue, the Jays managed to sign Cardona to the richest contract ever dished out to an International free agent pitcher (without any major league experience), in the franchise’s history – $2,800,000.

With that high price tag, comes very high expectations for a kid who hasn’t really even ended his growth spurt yet.

Originally pegged for around 6’1 and 170 pounds at the time of the signing, today scouts and Blue Jays personnel say he is around 6’4” and nearly 180 pounds. Best of all, he’s still growing!

He may end up only growing maybe another inch or two, but it’s really how he fills out his frame that will really show the Jays what kind of future role he will have with the club.

Cardona was one of Venezuela’s best kept secrets for a pretty long time, and the Jays came in and snatched him up thanks to the extra money given to General Manager Alex Anthopolous.

The kid features a nice blend of pitches which include a 90-93 mph fastball, a 12-6 curveball and a pretty good change-up. Already being 16 and managing to top 90 mph on the gun is a feat all in itself. Expect his fastball by the time he is groomed for Major League competition to consistently hit 95-97 mph on the radar gun.

His delivery is very over the top with not a lot of arm angle which gives scouts some reasons for concern. Can he still pitch with the velocity throwing at ¾, rather than over the top? Will he gain so much movement he cannot control it?

The best part of this is that he’s young, and really can be trained however the Jays want to. The most important part to remember is that they need to develop him slowly.

With that much speed and movement coming out of a 16-year-old’s arm, there are concerns he could be injury prone if he’s overworked at a young age. With that I say, tread carefully Blue Jays.

Due to his over the top delivery, his curveball is considered his worst pitch, but he still features a well above-average fastball and change-up. Given his talent level at such a young age, if he can develop a good curveball, a devastating slider, or a diving splitter, Cardona could carve up opposing batters quickly and efficiently when he makes it to the show.

Cardona will more than likely begin the year in the Dominican Summer League where it is expected he should dominate competition there.  In Cardona’s opinion, he hopes to make it to the major leagues as a 19 or 20-year-old, hoping to fly through the Jays farm system in a matter of three or four years.

He looks up to Felix Hernandez, and like Hernandez, Cardona is hoping to make his debut as a teenager with the Blue Jays. Hernandez had an amazing beginning to his major-league career pitching 84 innings and accumulating a 2.67 ERA and 0.996 WHIP. If Cardona can even come close to those numbers in his debut, this may turn out to be one of Alex Anthopolous’ best signings as Blue Jays GM.

If he does in fact fly through the farm system, a debut in 2014 should be on the horizon for Cardona.

A former son of a major-league pitcher – Jose Cardona, Adonis has the DNA to be a great pitcher in the league, much like fellow Jays top prospect Kyle Drabek, and father Doug. Doug was a much more successful pitcher while he was in the league than Jose was though.

If there’s one thing you do this summer on a rainy day, be sure to check the DSL Blue Jays box-scores every so often to track how this young pitcher is developing. Hopefully for all Blue Jays fans, he’s the diamond in the rough we all hope he is.

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