Luis De Avila
P | Bats/Throws: L/L | 5' 9" 215LBS | Age: 23
MLB Pipeline Rank
W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP
2024 4 10 3.74 19 19 0 101 79 1.40
Career Minors 23 34 3.86 104 76 0 442.2 427 1.38
G W-L ERA IP SO WHIP
2024 19 4-10 3.74 101 79 1.40
Career Minors 104 23-34 3.86 442.2 427 1.38

Standard Minor League Pitching Statistics

SeasonTmLGLWLERAGGSSVIPHRERHRBBSOWHIP
2018 DSL Colorado DSL ROK 2 2 6.16 8 7 0 30.2 31 22 21 2 12 27 1.40
2021 2 Teams Minors 5 4 4.99 27 0 0 57.2 73 40 32 4 24 64 1.68
2021 ACL Royals Gold ACL ROK 0 0 3.38 3 0 0 5.1 4 2 2 0 5 5 1.69
2021 Columbia Fireflies A E A 5 4 5.16 24 0 0 52.1 69 38 30 4 19 59 1.68
2022 Rome Braves SAL A+ 6 8 3.49 24 24 0 126.1 115 57 49 11 45 129 1.27
2023 2 Teams Minors 6 10 3.26 26 26 0 127.0 103 55 46 8 65 128 1.32
2023 Mississippi Braves SOU AA 6 10 3.28 25 25 0 123.1 99 53 45 8 61 125 1.30
2023 Gwinnett Stripers INT AAA 0 0 2.45 1 1 0 3.2 4 2 1 0 4 3 2.18
2024 Mississippi Braves SOU AA 4 10 3.74 19 19 0 101.0 95 49 42 2 46 79 1.40

Scouting Report

2024

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Curveball: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Back in July 2017, De Avila signed with the Rockies for $250,000, but was released at the end of the 2019 season following his positive test and ensuing suspension for a performance-enhancing drug. The Royals signed him, and he pitched out of the bullpen in their system in 2021, only to see the Braves take him in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft that December. Given a chance to start, he’s had two straight solid seasons, leading the South Atlantic League in ERA in 2022 and then finishing second in that category up a level in the Double-A Southern League last season.

De Avila has shown an interesting combination of getting weak contact on the ground and missing a fair amount of bats two years running. The left-hander’s 91-92 mph fastball, which tops out at 95, features a ton of sink and that, along with a solid sinking changeup, allowed him to lead his league in groundout-to-flyout ratio for a second straight season. After committing to add more velocity to his breaking stuff, he’s missed more bats with both a low-80s slider and an upper-70s curve.

Short and stocky, De Avila is going to have to watch his command as he advances. His walk rate did spike in 2023 and he’ll have to be around the zone if he wants to reach his ceiling as a back-end starter. He was pretty nasty against left-handed hitters in 2023, so if he has to eventually move back to the bullpen, that’s a very marketable skill.


2023

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

De Avila began his career in the Rockies' organization, signing for $250,000 in July 2017. After pitching in the Dominican Summer League in 2018, he was given a 72-game suspension in the spring of 2019 after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, and the Rockies released him in September of that year. He caught on with the Royals shortly after that but obviously couldn’t pitch in 2020 because of the shutdown. He pitched in relief for Kansas City in 2021 before the Braves took him in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft that December. Moved into the rotation in 2022, he led the South Atlantic League in ERA (3.49) and finished in the top five in strikeouts (129), WHIP (1.27) and batting average against (.239).

De Avila now features an intriguing three-pitch mix in his fastball, curve and changeup. The fastball is a sinker, one that averages 91-92 mph and touches 95. After hitting a bump in the middle of the season, he started throwing his curve harder, which led to a lot more swings-and-misses, coupling nicely with the sinker-changeup combination that led to a league-leading 2.81 groundout-to-flyout ratio.

The undersized left-hander doesn’t have pinpoint command but is generally around the strike zone, throwing a lot more strikes over the last month and change of the ’22 Minor League season. It’s a long path from Minor League Rule 5 pick to big leaguer, but the Braves are excited to see what comes next.



Awards




Transactions

Team Date Transaction
09/26/2024 Mississippi Braves activated LHP Luis De Avila from the 7-day injured list.
08/07/2024 Mississippi Braves placed LHP Luis De Avila on the 7-day injured list.
03/27/2024 LHP Luis De Avila assigned to Mississippi Braves from Gwinnett Stripers.
02/28/2024 LHP Luis De Avila assigned to Atlanta Braves.
09/29/2023 Gwinnett Stripers activated LHP Luis De Avila.
09/29/2023 Gwinnett Stripers activated LHP Luis De Avila.
09/22/2023 Gwinnett Stripers transferred LHP Luis De Avila to the Development List.
09/21/2023 LHP Luis De Avila assigned to Gwinnett Stripers from Mississippi Braves.
04/05/2023 LHP Luis De Avila assigned to Mississippi Braves from Rome Braves.
03/27/2023 LHP Luis De Avila roster status changed by Atlanta Braves.
03/27/2023 LHP Luis De Avila assigned to Atlanta Braves.
02/09/2023 Colombia activated LHP Luis De Avila.
04/06/2022 LHP Luis De Avila assigned to Rome Braves.
01/26/2022 LHP Luis De Avila assigned to Colombia.
12/08/2021 Gwinnett Stripers claimed LHP Luis De Avila off waivers from Columbia Fireflies.
09/14/2021 Columbia Fireflies activated LHP Luis De Avila.
09/02/2021 Columbia Fireflies sent LHP Luis De Avila on a rehab assignment to ACL Royals Gold.
08/19/2021 Columbia Fireflies placed LHP Luis De Avila on the 60-day injured list.
04/29/2021 LHP Luis De Avila assigned to Columbia Fireflies from AZL Royals.
01/28/2021 LHP Luis De Avila assigned to Colombia.
12/20/2019 LHP Luis De Avila assigned to AZL Royals.
11/20/2019 Kansas City Royals signed free agent LHP Luis De Avila to a minor league contract.
09/20/2019 DSL Colorado released LHP Luis De Avila.
08/25/2019 DSL Colorado activated LHP Luis De Avila from the restricted list.
03/01/2019 DSL Colorado placed LHP Luis De Avila on the restricted list.
09/28/2018 DSL Colorado activated LHP Luis De Avila.
07/24/2018 LHP Luis De Avila roster status changed by DSL Colorado.
06/02/2018 LHP Luis De Avila assigned to DSL Colorado.
07/02/2017 Colorado Rockies signed free agent LHP Luis De Avila to a minor league contract.