Yovani Gallardo

Full Name: Yovani Gallardo	Primary Position: P
Height/Weight: 6' 1"/210	First Game: June 18, 2007
Birthdate: February 27, 1986	MLB Experience: 1 year
Birthplace: Michoacan, Mexico
Bat/Throw: Right/Right

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1 Biography
2 Career
- 2.1 Minors
- 2.2 Majors
3 Contract Status
4 Scouting Report
5 Statistics
6 Trivia
7 Video Gallery
8 Picture Gallery
9 See Also
- 9.1 Recent Yovani Gallardo ArmchairGM Stories
10 Categories

[edit] Biography

Yovani Gallardo, the Milwaukee Brewers top pitching prospect, was born in Michoacan, Mexico on February 27, 1986. At a very young age, his family moved to El Paso, Texas, where Gallardo went to school and eventually was drafted out of in the second round of the 2004 Amateur Draft.

[edit] Career

[edit] Minors

Gallardo was a generally unknown prospect when the Brewers took him, but he put himself on the map quickly. While he pitched only 26.2 innings in 2004 between Rookie ball and Class A ball, he flashed signs of things to come by striking out 31 batters.

In 2005, he spent the entire season in Single-A and posted an 8-3 record and a 2.75 ERA with 110 strikeouts in 121.1 innings pitched. He continued to improve in 2006 and led all minor league pitchers in strikeouts with 188 between High A and Double-A. He also posted a 1.87 combined ERA between the two tiers and held a very respected 1.00 WHIP.

Gallardo was promoted to Triple-A Nashville for the 2007 season and continued right where he left off the previous year. Having just turned 21, the young ace was the top prospect in the entire Brewers organization. He went 8-3 in 13 starts with a 2.90 ERA and 110 strikeouts in just 77.2 innings pitched and was quickly called up on June 14 to replace Chris Capuano, who was placed on the disabled list.

[edit] Majors

Gallardo made his Major League debut on June 18, 2007, starting against the San Francisco Giants before a sellout crowd of over 41,000. After shaking off a long first inning, Gallardo settled down and pitched solidly over 6 1/3 innings, allowing only three runs on four hits and three walks. He also struck out four and delivered an RBI double in his first at bat.

[edit] Contract Status

[edit] Scouting Report

Gallardo has, in the scope of modern baseball, an average fastball that will reach mid-90s but stays around the 92-93 mark. His bread and butter, however, is his curveball, which was rated best in the Milwaukee Brewers' organization. It is a hard-breaking curveball that runs in the mid-70s and is a pitch that Gallardo has shown remarkable control over in his early appearances. He has shown incredible poise at such a young age and doesn't seem to get overly rattled by the attention or the big stage.