Rays acquire Mets RHP Neraldo Catalina to complete Wilmer Font trade

The 18-year old has yet to make his professional debut

To complete the WIlmer Font deal made with the Mets earlier this month, the Rays have secured the contract of 18-year old Dominican pitcher Neraldo Catalina.

Not much is known about the young, hard throwing righty. At 6 foot, 6 inches, he’s a towering pitcher already touching 95. He should make his professional debut in June.

Here’s a brief write up from Baseball America on the new Rays minor leaguer:

Neraldo Catalina is an 18-year-old righthander the Mets signed out of the Dominican Republic for $150,000 on July 2. He has an enormous frame at 6-foot-6, 205 pounds and throws hard, with a low- to mid-90s fastball that reaches 95 mph. His fastball plays up beyond the pure velocity, getting on hitters quickly with good extension out front in his delivery. Catalina complements his fastball with a power slider as well.

A brief search online did reveal one video that may be the player as well:

While this return may not be the Tim Tebow you hoped for when the player to be named later was defined as a prospect with “some status”:

However, a player with a mid-90’s fastball at this age boasting “good extension” is more than reasonable return for a player like Wilmer Font.