Yu-Min Lin
P | Bats/Throws: L/L | 5' 11" 160LBS | Age: 21
MLB Pipeline Rank
DBACKS: No. 7 |
W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP
2024 0 0 1.93 1 1 0 4.2 2 1.50
Career Minors 11 13 3.70 59 59 0 282 332 1.25
G W-L ERA IP SO WHIP
2024 1 0-0 1.93 4.2 2 1.50
Career Minors 59 11-13 3.70 282 332 1.25
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Standard Minor League Pitching Statistics

SeasonTmLGLWLERAGGSSVIPHRERHRBBSOWHIP
2022 2 Teams Minors 2 2 2.72 14 14 0 56.1 40 24 17 2 22 91 1.10
2022 ACL D-backs Red ACL ROK 0 2 2.35 7 7 0 23.0 9 10 6 0 6 41 0.65
2022 Visalia Rawhide CAL A 2 0 2.97 7 7 0 33.1 31 14 11 2 16 50 1.41
2023 2 Teams Minors 6 5 3.86 24 24 0 121.1 96 60 52 10 48 140 1.19
2023 Hillsboro Hops NWL A+ 1 3 3.43 13 13 0 60.1 47 26 23 3 22 76 1.14
2023 Amarillo Sod Poodles TEX AA 5 2 4.28 11 11 0 61.0 49 34 29 7 26 64 1.23
2024 3 Teams Minors 3 6 4.05 21 21 0 104.1 109 61 47 14 38 101 1.41
2024 ACL D-backs ACL ROK 0 0 1.80 1 1 0 5.0 1 1 1 0 2 9 0.60
2024 Amarillo Sod Poodles TEX AA 3 6 4.28 19 19 0 94.2 104 59 45 14 33 90 1.45
2024 Reno Aces PCL AAA 0 0 1.93 1 1 0 4.2 4 1 1 0 3 2 1.50
Reno Aces PCL AAA 0 0 1.93 1 1 0 4.2 4 1 1 0 3 2 1.50
Amarillo Sod Poodles TEX AA 8 8 4.28 30 30 0 155.2 153 93 74 21 59 154 1.36
Hillsboro Hops NWL A+ 1 3 3.43 13 13 0 60.1 47 26 23 3 22 76 1.14
Visalia Rawhide CAL A 2 0 2.97 7 7 0 33.1 31 14 11 2 16 50 1.41

Scouting Report

2024

Scouting report: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Cutter: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

A standout performance at the 2021 U-23 World Cup for Chinese Taipei, along with his previous international experience, helped Lin sign with the D-backs for $525,000 in December of that year. He’s been dominant at virtually every level since and pitched his age-19 season at High-A and Double-A, finishing with a 3.86 ERA and an organization-best 140 strikeouts in 121 1/3 innings. Considering Amarillo is a hitter’s paradise, it was even more impressive that Lin posted a 3.89 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in six home starts (34 2/3 innings) for the Sod Poodles.

Standing a mere 5-foot-11, Lin has one of the deepest and most interesting repertoires in the Minor Leagues. Rocking back in his throwing motion, he delivers a fastball that typically only sits in the 88-92 mph range. That said, the pitch has good ride up in the zone, making it play better than the velo alone, and he touched 94 at Double-A. D-backs officials believe the southpaw has added strength in the offseason, and even if he isn’t pumping mid-90s, a little more heat would go a long way. That’s because his secondaries are so impressive. A low-80s changeup shows tremendous fade and got a 49 percent whiff rate at Double-A. A 75-77 mph curveball is tough for hitters to track with its spin and vertical drop, while a low-80s slider glides more horizontally. He’s added a mid-80s cutter for a harder breaking ball as well.

The Taiwanese left-hander got good chase rates on the changeup and cutter specifically, and while he spots the ball well, it’s worth wondering what happens when hitters lay off the low cambio. Still, the results at a young age, quality of stuff and early durability all give Lin mid-rotation upside.


2023

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Lin’s ample international experience with Chinese Taipei certainly put him on the map, but his performance in the 2021 U-23 World Cup sealed his fate as a potential pro pitcher stateside. The southpaw led his country with 14 strikeouts over 8 2/3 innings against the likes of Cuba and Venezuela, all while just 18 years old. The D-backs signed Lin for $525,000 in December 2021 and he fanned 91 batters over 56 1/3 innings between the Arizona Complex League and Single-A Visalia. His 40.3 percent K rate was sixth-best among the 1,343 Minor Leaguers with at least 50 frames in 2022, three spots behind Tink Hence (41.5) in a similar sample size.

The 5-foot-11 left-hander is all about movement on the mound from the leg kick in his delivery to the profile of his pitching repertoire. His fastball is only around 89-92 mph, but there’s room for more velo if he adds strength, as Arizona expects him to do. The D-backs believed his vertically breaking curveball to be his best pitch entering the system, but his hard slider proved to be its equal in quality. Now his best offering looks to be a diving changeup with armside movement that makes hitters look silly. Driving home the kitchen-sink feel, Lin can add in a splitter and screwball-like pitch to keep hitters guessing.

All that movement caught up to the lefty a bit in the California League, where he averaged a walk roughly once every two innings, but he still projects for average control. While Lin sends many low-level batters back to the dugout shaking their heads, his lack of velocity might catch up to him the higher he climbs. If he adjusts as he ages, he has at least mid-rotation upside.


2022

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 55 | Overall: 45

Lin has ample international experience, having played for Chinese Taipei in multiple World Cups, including most recently in the U-23 edition last year when he was just 18 years old. The southpaw led his country in strikeouts with 14 over 8 2/3 innings after going up against teams from Cuba and Venezuela. Impressed by his stuff and ability against older competition, the D-backs signed Lin for $525,000 last December and have become only more enamored with him since. Lin struck out 41 batters over 23 innings in the Arizona Complex League this summer, prompting a move to Single-A Visalia shortly after his 19th birthday.

At a listed 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, Lin looks lithe on the mound, but he makes the most out of a high leg kick and energetic delivery to bring multiple pitches to the table. His fastball is 90-93 mph right now, but Arizona is hopeful more velo is coming as he fills out. Where Lin thrives most is in his ability to manipulate the ball. His curveball -- his best pitch entering pro ball -- has lots of depth and break, but it’s the changeup (and his ability to add and subtract velocity as needed) that has Arizona officials most excited. Lin also adds in a slider, splitter and sometimes a screwball-like pitch to keep hitters constantly guessing.

Because he doesn’t overthrow, Lin has shown a promising ability to throw strikes early on. Entering early August, he’s gotten swings-and-misses on 38.5 percent of his pitches, proving just how befuddled hitters have been against him early on. The velo will need to come against upper-level bats, but the kitchen-sink approach makes him an intriguing young, starting option.  



Awards




Transactions

Team Date Transaction
09/25/2024 LHP Yu-Min Lin assigned to Salt River Rafters.
09/22/2024 LHP Yu-Min Lin assigned to Amarillo Sod Poodles from Reno Aces.
09/21/2024 LHP Yu-Min Lin assigned to Reno Aces from Amarillo Sod Poodles.
06/14/2024 Amarillo Sod Poodles activated LHP Yu-Min Lin from the 7-day injured list.
06/14/2024 Amarillo Sod Poodles activated LHP Yu-Min Lin from the 7-day injured list.
06/08/2024 Amarillo Sod Poodles sent LHP Yu-Min Lin on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs.
06/08/2024 Amarillo Sod Poodles sent LHP Yu-Min Lin on a rehab assignment to ACL D-backs.
04/27/2024 Amarillo Sod Poodles placed LHP Yu-Min Lin on the 7-day injured list.
03/07/2024 Arizona D-backs Prospects activated LHP Yu-Min Lin.
02/01/2024 Arizona Diamondbacks invited non-roster LHP Yu-Min Lin to spring training.
07/13/2023 LHP Yu-Min Lin assigned to Amarillo Sod Poodles from Hillsboro Hops.
04/15/2023 LHP Yu-Min Lin assigned to Hillsboro Hops from ACL D-backs Red.
04/03/2023 LHP Yu-Min Lin assigned to ACL D-backs Red from Visalia Rawhide.
07/26/2022 LHP Yu-Min Lin assigned to Visalia Rawhide from ACL D-backs Red.
07/26/2022 Visalia Rawhide activated LHP Yu-Min Lin.
06/06/2022 LHP Yu-Min Lin assigned to ACL D-backs Red.
12/15/2021 Arizona Diamondbacks signed free agent LHP Yu-Min Lin to a minor league contract.