Atlanta Braves Scouting Report on LHP Cesilio Pimentel

The Atlanta Braves drafted Cesilio Pimentel in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft from the Pittsburgh Pirates system. How can he help the system?

Who Is He?

The Atlanta Braves lost multiple pieces in the Rule 5’s major and minor league portions in December, and they attempted to replace some of the bullpen help they lost by picking up Pimentel in the minor league portion of the draft.

The Pirates signed Pimentel out of the Dominican in April of 2011 for $140K. Already 18 at the time of his signing, Pimentel was sent to the DSL, where he pitched 23 1/3 innings for the Pirates DSL squad with a 2.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 7/31 BB/K ratio.

The Pirates sent him again to the DSL in 2012, and he continued his success in longer appearances, making 14 appearances, throwing 52 1/3 innings with a 2.75 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and an 18/38 BB/K ratio.

Pimentel was promoted to the GCL in 2013, making 14 appearances, 6 of them starts. He went shorter stints, throwing only 34 innings, totaling a 3.97 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and a 13/30 BB/K ratio.

In 2014, the Pirates moved him up to the Appalachian League, and he made 14 long relief appearances, throwing 37 1/3 innings, with a 1.93 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and a 12/31 BB/K ratio.

Pimentel did throw in two levels for the first time in his career in 2015, starting in the New York Penn League, and finishing in the bullpen for Pittsburgh’s high-A Bradenten team as they made a push for the playoffs. He threw 54 combined innings with 3.83 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 16/65 BB/K ratio.

The Pirates moved Pimentel to their low-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League for all of 2016, and he threw multiple innings most games. He made 29 appearances, throwing 51 innings with a 2.65 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 15/48 BB/K ratio.

Next: Pimentel's scouting report