WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2007
DSL:  8-2-1, 2.83 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 70 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 10.9 K/9 

Navarro pitched well his first year in the DSL, with well over a strikeout an inning.

2008
DSL:  4-3-0, 1.42 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 76 IP, 0.9 BB/9, 12.8 K/9 

Returning to the DSL, Navarro had playstation numbers, including a 13.5:1 K:BB ratio.

2009
R:  4-2-1, 3.77 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 31 IP, 1.7 BB/9, 6.7 K/9 

Didn’t dominate the GCL, but mostly pitched well.  He allowed seven earned runs in his first six innings, but only six in last 25.  He walked very few, but his K rate was nothing like what it was in the DSL.

2010
A-:  1-0-1, 1.04 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 8.2 IP, 1.0 BB/9, 11.4 K/9
A:  1-2-1, 3.49 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 49 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 7.7 K/9 

Navarro opened at State College, but after pitching very well in three long relief outings, he moved up to serve as a swing man for West Virginia.  He was one of the Power’s few effective pitchers, especially out of the bullpen, where he had a 2.91 ERA.

2011
A:  5-0-0, 2.83 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 57.1 IP, 1.4 BB/9, 8.5 K/9
A+:  1-2-0, 6.12 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 32.1 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 8.6 K/9 

Navarro joined Bradenton in mid-April, but struggled in a dozen relief appearances and one start, with a .292 opponents’ BA.  He’s always been somewhat of a flyball pitcher and he had trouble in the FSL with gopher balls, allowing nearly one every five innings.  He did have good walk and K numbers.  He spent some time in extended spring training and was assigned to West Virginia in July.  He made half a dozen relief appearances, then joined the rotation in late July, making eight starts through the end of the season.  He pitched well, somewhat better in relief than starting.  His BB and K numbers were very good.  He was tough on left-handed batters, who hit only .205 against him in the SAL.

2012
A+:  5-8-1, 3.62 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 112.0 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 7.1 K/9

Navarro returned to Bradenton to open 2012.  He was eligible for the Rule 5 draft after the 2011 season, but wasn’t selected.  He served as a swing man, making 13 starts and 18 relief appearances, mainly in long relief.  The latter went better:  he had an ERA of 2.56 in relief and 4.34 as a starter.  His other numbers were better across the board as a reliever, also.  He had a very high flyball to groundball ratio, which isn’t good for a guy who doesn’t throw hard.  He had only a limited platoon split.

2013
A+:  1-9-0, 2.86 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 69.1 IP, 1.7 BB/9, 8.0 K/9
AA:  4-8-0, 4.52 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 75.2 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 6.5 K/9

Navarro pitched in the Bradenton rotation until mid-June.  He pitched well in nearly every start, but got little support, going 0-9 before finally getting a win.  In mid-June he moved up to Altoona and joined the Curve’s rotation.  He had much less success in AA, as his K rate dropped and his walk rate increased by 250%.  Navarro’s flyball tendencies started catching up with him, too, as his HR rate went from 0.5 per nine innings at Bradenton to 1.0 at Altoona.  He again had no meaningful platoon split.

Navarro was eligible for minor league free agency, but re-signed with the Pirates for 2014.  He’ll probably return to Altoona.