The Angels have agreed to a minor league contract with right-hander Daniel Ponce de Leon, per the team’s official transactions log. Because the former Cardinals swingman was released in September and did not return to a big league roster before season’s end, he qualified as a minor league free agent who can sign during the lockout. Ponce de Leon is repped by Paragon Sports.
Now 30 years old, Ponce de Leon had a promising start to his big league career, turning in a 3.31 ERA with a 24.8% strikeout rate, 11.6% walk rate and 40.7% ground-ball rate through his first 81 2/3 frames with the Cards from 2018-19. The free passes were a bit too frequent, but Ponce de Leon combated that trend with a penchant for inducing weak contact (87.2 mph exit velocity and 27.6% hard-hit rate, via Statcast).
Things took a turn for the worse in 2020, however. Ponce de Leon saw a big uptick in strikeouts (31.5%) but also saw his walk rate balloon to 14%. He was also torched for eight home runs in 32 2/3 innings that season — the same combined number he’d yielded through his first 81 2/3 career innings. He was unable to right the ship in 2021, as the pronounced increase in hard-hit balls by his opponents continued — all while his strikeout rate plummeted to a career-worst 15.4%.
All told, Ponce de Leon has followed up that promising 2018-19 showing with 66 innings of 5.59 ERA ball. He’s fanned 22.9% of opponents against a 14% walk rate and allowed 1.77 homers per nine innings pitched across the past two seasons. The right-hander’s average fastball still clocks in at 93.4 mph — the same mark at which it’s landed in each of his four MLB seasons — and he has a sterling track record in Triple-A. Through 218 2/3 innings at that level, Ponce de Leon carries a 2.39 ERA with a 230-to-114 K/BB ratio. Free passes have always been something of an issue, but he’ll give the Angels some depth both in the rotation and in the bullpen.
With the Angels, Ponce de Leon won’t be considered a candidate to crack the rotation unless there are multiple injuries that decimate the team’s depth. He’s behind Shohei Ohtani, Noah Syndergaard, Patrick Sandoval, Michael Lorenzen, Jose Suarez, Jaime Barria, Reid Detmers, Griffin Canning and several other starting candidates on the depth chart. That said, it’s certainly possible that with a strong showing this spring, he could crack the roster as a long reliever/swingman — similar to the role he held for the past four seasons in St. Louis. He’s out of minor league options, so if Ponce de Leon is added to the 40-man roster at any point, he’d need to be exposed to waivers before he could potentially be sent back to Triple-A.
Nice to see they did something for him after they vandalized his statue yesterday in San Juan
Quotes from the article.
The free passes were a bit too frequent
he could crack the roster as a long reliever/swingman
toppled his statue ahead of spanish king’s visit.
but can he pitch?
-everyone
Maybe he can find the fountain of youth and turn back the clock to 2018-19.
Maybe Daniel is seeking the fountain of youth but according to Wikipedia, Juan Ponce de Leon wasn’t. “Though in popular culture he was supposedly searching for the Fountain of Youth, there is no contemporary evidence to support the story, which all modern historians call a myth.” You may not be a famous explorer, Daniel, but I bet Juan never would have gotten as far as you in baseball!!
as a st. louis native and resident (but cardinals hater) and rangers fan (thus the cardinals hatred) who wants the angels to fail at everything miserably (the easy part of my fandom job) I actually think this guy can pitch. good pickup off the pile.
feeling’s mutual! but thanks!
Too many parenthetical side bars. I got confused and stopped reading.
TLDR; despite his preference for pitching for teams i do not like, i think this guy is a major league pitcher
still TLDR; carry on soldier
He was released by the Cards shortly after getting into a shouting match with Molina with both having to be restrained
molina is never wrong. and is still a great defensive catcher and not incredibly lazy. true statements if you’re a cardinals homer. what a career. he’s just a guy. waino ‘oh you never shake off yadi’ ok that’s great if you’ve had tremendous success. if you’re a fringe type pitcher and your catcher (not the one going to get flack if you give up the gopher ball) is giving you a hard time, his legacy and the expectation that you defer to him does not mean more than your career
Miguel Montero was sacked in Chicago for what he said about Jake Arrieta. Ask Phillies fans who they think was right and you might get a different answer.
molina is sometimes a jerk on the diamond
agreed. he’s earned his status, and i think he’s a good teammate and good in the community and I’d argue was (some would say is) a great defensive catcher I’m just saying the pitcher is ultimately responsible for the pitch and should throw whatever the hell he wants
Yadi’s a diva.
Good pitching depth is good. Bad pitching depth is pointless. Hopefully he can stay strong in AAA and figure out the MLB level.
He should have signed with the Mariners.
Is that an exploratory move?
Welcome home Ponce. I like it.
I work with his dad. He is thrilled that he is coming back home
Very cool
Still one of the greatest MLB names. Brooks Pounders and Richard Lovelady are still upper echelon, but Mr. Ponce De Leon has a seat at the table.
If he can tone down the walks and throw more strikes he could be a pretty solid bullpen guy. He really doesn’t have much of a armada.
George’s favorite explorer
So they go get the Fountain of Youth guy the year AFTER cutting bait on Pujols’ 10-year decline?! Typical Angels move…
They signed the guy to a minor league contract. LOL.
Angel fans are still rejoicing at having that $240M albatross Pujols contract off the books. And for good reason.
Nice depth piece, probably LAA’s #3 starter by June (season delayed or not).
… behind co-aces Packy Naughton and Jason Junk?
I’d laugh if this wasn’t true.
and you have my sympathy for it
I’d bet money – that you wouldn’t bet money – on such an extremely unlikely scenario.
I like this move a lot.Filthy movement on his fastball is his problem if that’s truly a problem.I don’t think it is but a veteran catcher might not appreciate getting crossed up on fastballs when fastball movement isn’t consistent.Imo his grips on the baseball need to be adjusted to his balls movements.I never pitched but pitchers need total confidence in their arsenal.A catcher doubting your stuff can’t be a character builder.
Orioles didn’t want him???
As a Cardinals fan I saw him frequently. He has the pitches for the major leagues but his problem is between his ears. He gives up one hit and loses composure and forgets all the coaching and tries to become superman. Talented but too volatile. Maybe a fresh start will help.
Idk Mr Perkins. He might have some trauma from that liner he took off his skull a few years back in AAA. That was a serious injury and the guy is lucky to be alive. So if he’s prone to mood swings due to it and isn’t all there then I feel sorry for him and could understand how that could play a part.
This
I think the Angels have a decent rotation but not one that will go deep into games. There’s room for a multi inning guy or two.
I’m not sure PDL is it, but this is a no risk signing.
A happy return “home” for a guy from nearby La Mirada, which is where I lived as a first-grader in the 1964-65 school year. Regardless of where he’s from, I’ve been rooting for Ponce de Leon since that night in Des Moines, Iowa, when a line drive off the bat of Victor Caratini nearly killed him. For those who don’t know, Ponce Leon suffered a skull fracture and spent three weeks in the hospital. A heartwarming part of the story is how the two men have built a positive relationship since the incident. They are a couple of the game’s good guys.
By the way, Ponce de Leon recently wrote a book about the incident and its aftermath. Its title is One Line Drive. Coincidentally, that’s the street’s name of the Des Moines ballpark. I haven’t read the book yet but surely will.
Glad you mentioned bc Iforgot about that.
This is a quality depth signing for the Angels. I see why they wanted the player and I see why de Leon chose the Angels.
Gruß,
BSHH
why not, still, just 30 years old?
The Angels pitching could use a drink from “The Fountain of Youth”.