DrB's 2020 Giants Top 50 Prospects: #18 Camilo Doval

Camilo Doval RHP.  DOB:  7/4/1997.  6'2", 180 lbs.

A+:  3-5, 3.83, 56.1 IP, 12.78 K/9, 5.43 BB/9, GB/FB= 1.76.

Camilo Doval might need to spend the first week of each season in extended spring training as he has gotten off to terrible starts that last two years then spent the rest of the season whittling his ERA down to a respectable number.  Last year he gave up 7 ER in 1.1 IP over his first two appearances.  Take that out of his season and his ERA is 3.11 the rest of the way.

The Fangraphs Boys gush at his stuff.  He has a very low 3/4 delivery that is almost sidearm which generates a high 90's sinking fastball and a rising cutter.  He also has a horizontal slider that is less developed.  Think Sergio Romo throwing 100 MPH and you can see why Doval gets people excited.  Also per Fangraphs, he has very long arms which generate 7 feet of extension and add 2 MPH to his effective velocity.  He also generates insane spin rates up to 2700 rpm.  So, yeah.  Pretty much the only think holding him back is the occasional blowup appearance which balloons his ERA.  Most of those have occurred in the first weeks of the last 2 seasons, so maybe it's not as big a problem as it seems.

Doval should start 2020 in AA with a solid chance of a midseason callup after he gets past the early season jitters.  He has the stuff to be a dominant closer or his easy, loose-armed delivery may enable him to fill a multi-inning role.