Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 75 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 55

Susana was ranked as MLB Pipeline’s top pitcher in the 2022 international class and signed with the Padres for $1.7 million that January. San Diego sent him stateside for eight appearances in the Arizona Complex League to begin his age-18 season when he was dealt to the Nationals as part of the Juan Soto blockbuster. Susana saw time with Single-A Fredericksburg after the trade, returned there for all of 2023 and then opened 2024 back in the Carolina League. He had an 8.89 ERA with 19 walks in 26 1/3 innings through his first three starts of last season but quickly course-corrected with a 2.79 ERA, 123 strikeouts and 29 walks in 77 1/3 innings over his final 18 starts, 10 of which came with High-A Wilmington.

The 6-foot-6 righty makes velocity look easy with a four-seam and a two-seam fastball that typically sit in the 98-101 mph range. He was still touching as high as 102 at times into last September. His 88-91 mph gyro slider plays really well off the fastball with good, late vertical drop to elude bats, and he can backfoot lefties as well as yank away from righties. His low-90s changeup is a distant third pitch, which enabled opposite-side batters to post better splits (.751 OPS vs. .516). 

Starting primarily from the stretch, it doesn’t look like Susana is overthrowing to get the heat, though his zealous follow-through adds flair. He focused a ton on developing a repeatable delivery in between outings in 2024, and the improvements in that regard allowed his control rates to improve drastically as the season wore on. There will always be talk of a future as a closer, but Susana is looking more than ever like a potential impact MLB starter.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 55

Susana joined the Padres for $1.7 million in January 2022 as MLB Pipeline’s top pitcher in his international class. An aggressive San Diego organization sent the then-18-year-old stateside for his first taste of the Minors, and he posted quickly with a 2.45 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings in the Arizona Complex League. The Nationals took notice and acquired the fireballer in the Juan Soto blockbuster that August and even gave him three Single-A Fredericksburg starts to end that summer. Susana returned to the Carolina League for the entire 2023 campaign and finished with a 5.14 ERA, 60 strikeouts and 40 walks in 63 frames.

The 6-foot-6 right-hander’s fastball is the star of the show, typically sitting 97-99 mph but reaching as high as 103. It’s an absolute laser of a heater in more ways than one; it comes in blazing fast but fairly straight, which keeps it from being a true 80-grade pitch. He drops in a high-80s slider that also draws plus grades and forbids anyone from thinking they can sit on straight heat. His changeup and curveball still need work, but the former at least helps his starting chances.

Susana's control has improved immensely in 2024, specifically following an in-season promotion to High-A Wilmington where he walked fewer than two batters per nine through his first five starts. He's done a better job of getting ahead of hitters and then allowing his special stuff to take over. He might still end up as a high-octane closer down the road, but for now, he's quieted some of the loudest concerns of his profile in his age-20 campaign.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 75 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Ranked as the top pitcher on MLB Pipeline’s 2022 international list, Susana signed with the Padres as a 17-year-old for $1.7 million on Jan. 15. The Dominican Republic native proved to be more advanced than many of the bats in his class and moved straight stateside, striking out 44 in 29 1/3 innings in the Arizona Complex League. His quick rise and special stuff caught the attention of many in the industry, including the Nationals, who acquired the hurler as part of the Juan Soto blockbuster in August. Susana made three late-season appearances for Single-A Fredericksburg, becoming the Carolina League’s youngest pitcher with at least 10 frames in 2022.

Susana touched 103 mph with the FredNats, giving him the hardest-thrown pitch by a Nats Minor Leaguer shortly after his debut in the system. The 6-foot-6 right-hander typically sits more around 98-99 mph, and that’s enough to command attention from anyone watching. His slider also comes in hard in the low-90s – think Emmanuel Clase – and generates swing-and-miss because of the movement and separation. Susana’s curveball and sinking changeup give him the opportunity for a more well-rounded arsenal, but it’s the heater and slider that have fueled his rise so far.

Like many flame-throwing youngsters, Susana is still learning to command his pitches, and that work will catch up to him as he faces more advanced bats. There is some effort to his delivery as well, but a good portion of his velo derives from his size, giving hope that he can hold onto it as he develops and adds more innings. A fuller age-19 season at Single-A hasn't relieved many of the early concerns of Susana's time in the Minors, and he's trending more and more toward relief.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

The top-ranked pitcher in the 2021-22 international class, Susana signed with the Padres for $1,700,000 on Jan. 15, 2022 out of the Dominican Republic. He made eight appearances for San Diego’s Arizona Complex League affiliate and showed enough promising stuff to become a prospect piece in the Juan Soto Deadline blockbuster trade with the Nationals. 

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, Susana already has a Major League frame and his arsenal gives scouts plenty to dream on. The right-hander can sit in the upper-90s with his fastball and touches triple digits on occasion. He complements that with a mid- to upper-80s slider, his best secondary offering, and a low-80s curveball. The teenager rounds out his repertoire with a developing changeup with late sink.

While Susana has the potential to throw multiple plus pitches in the future, he’ll need to improve his command, a common stage of development for such a young pitcher. With a smooth, repeatable delivery, he will get every opportunity to develop as a starter in his second system with Washington.

Video scouting report »

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

The top pitcher in this class, Susana has the right mix of pitches and the type of repeatable delivery that could land him in a big league starting rotation one day.

Beginning with his body frame, a sturdy 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, Susana already has the look of a Major League starter. There is still room for lots of development, but it’s easy to see why scouts love his potential. The right-hander’s fastball is consistently clocked in the 94- to 97-mph range. It’s elite velocity at a young age that doesn’t appear very often. Nobody will be surprised if he touches 100 mph next year or in two years at the latest.

Then there’s his slider, which runs 84-87 mph, and a power changeup with late sink that sits in the 86-mph range. He also throws a curveball that clocks in the low 80s and has mound presence. Like other pitchers his age, Susana is not a finished product and needs to improve on his strike-throwing abilities.

Susana trains with Ysbel Medina in the Dominican Republic. The Padres are the favorite to sign him.

Awards

Baseball America Rookie All-Star

Year	Team
2022

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/06/2025	Washington Nationals Prospects activated RHP Jarlin Susana.
	01/23/2025	Washington Nationals invited non-roster RHP Jarlin Susana to spring training.
	07/04/2024	RHP Jarlin Susana assigned to Wilmington Blue Rocks from Fredericksburg Nationals.
	07/04/2024	Wilmington Blue Rocks activated RHP Jarlin Susana.
	03/07/2024	Washington Nationals Prospects activated RHP Jarlin Susana.
	09/22/2023	Fredericksburg Nationals activated RHP Jarlin Susana.
	08/10/2023	Fredericksburg Nationals transferred RHP Jarlin Susana to the Development List.
	08/23/2022	RHP Jarlin Susana assigned to Fredericksburg Nationals from FCL Nationals.
	08/02/2022	Washington Nationals traded LF Juan Soto and 1B Josh Bell to San Diego Padres for 1B Luke Voit, LHP MacKenzie Gore, SS C.J. Abrams, OF Robert Hassell III, OF James Wood and RHP Jarlin Susana.
	08/02/2022	RHP Jarlin Susana assigned to FCL Nationals.
	08/02/2022	RHP Jarlin Susana roster status changed by Washington Nationals.
	08/02/2022	FCL Nationals activated RHP Jarlin Susana.
	06/06/2022	ACL Padres activated RHP Jarlin Susana.
	06/06/2022	RHP Jarlin Susana assigned to ACL Padres.
	03/25/2022	RHP Jarlin Susana assigned to DSL Padres.
	01/15/2022	San Diego Padres signed free agent RHP Jarlin Susana to a minor league contract.