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Jose Acuña, RHP
Signed out of Venezuela during the 2019-2020 international free agent signing period, 17-year-old Jose Acuña shows the makings of being a starting pitcher. At 6’2”, 175-pounds, he has a solid pitching frame and is likely to add additional mass in the future, increasing his durability and fastball velocity. As the summer progressed, he added a few ticks to that fastball, signing on July 2nd with a fastball that topped out at 91 MPH and ending the summer with a fastball that topped out at 94 MPH. Complementing his fastball is a curveball and a changeup, both of which are developing but show potential. His curveball has sharp drop, while his changeup has solid tumble. Acuña has the ability to throw all three of his pitches for strikes and shows a baseball acumen advanced for a player his age.
Acquired: 2018 MLB Draft, 5th Round (Clemson University)
Ryley Gilliam lettered four times while playing baseball at Kennesaw Mountain High School, but went undrafted, partially due to his size and partially because of his commitment to Clemson University. He attended Clemson and made their baseball team, pitching as a starter and reliever as a freshman. In his first year there, he was fairly unimpressive, posting a 6.10 ERA in 31.0 innings, allowing 26 hits, walking 18, and striking out 16. He pitched completely out of the bullpen as a sophomore and his numbers got dramatically better. In 35.0 innings, Gilliam posted a 2.57 ERA, allowing 29 hits, walking 14, and striking out 50, notching 4 saves in the process. By his junior year, the right-hander had a firm grasp of the Tigers’ closer position. In 2018, he proved to be one of the best closers in all of college baseball. Through 36.0 innings, he posted a 1.41 ERA, allowing 22 hits, walking 22, and striking out 54, notching 11 sav