Yesterday, the Washington Nationals made a few moves. One of those moves is that they’ve announced they’re selecting the contract of relief pitcher Orlando Ribalta from Triple-A Syracuse.
The 26-year-old was born in Santa Clara, Cuba. The Nationals drafted the right-hander in the 12th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Miami Dade College.
Ribalta has only thrown as a relief pitcher throughout his minor league career. He started this season with Double-A Harrisburg, making 16 appearances, holding a 1.00 ERA, and, most impressively, striking out 32 batters in 18 innings. While only allowing eight walks, he quickly got promoted to Triple-A Rochester.
The dominance only continued once he got the promotion. In 25 games out of Rochester’s bullpen, Ribalta recorded a 4-1 record, 3.62 ERA, throwing in 27.1 innings, striking out 35 batters. He was also rewarded by being added to the Washington Nationals Top 30 Prospects list on MLB Pipeline.
As for the pitches he throws, he has a mix between three pitches. His fastball is his best pitch, reaching as hard as 99 miles per hour, though he sits around 94-96. He also throws a sinker that averages around 93 miles per hour and a slider in the mid-80s.
The Washington Nationals are currently in fourth place in the N.L. East, and they’ll be more competitive by next season with top prospect Dylan Crews knocking on the door. We will see if Orlando Ribalta is ready for the challenge and can continue his very impressive season.
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Photo Credit: Orlando Ribalta #52 of the Peoria Javelinas throws a pitch during a game against the Salt River Rafters at Peoria Stadium on November 2, 2022 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images)