Ariel Jurado

Ariel Bolivar Jurado Agrazal

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 180 lb.

• Debut May 19, 2018

• Born January 30, 1996 in Aguadulce, Coclé Panama

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Biographical Information

Ariel Jurado has pitched in the majors and for the Panamanian national team.

Jurado was signed by Texas Rangers scout Eduardo Thomas Sr. in 2012. He was 6-0 with a 2.39 ERA for the 2013 DSL Rangers and only issued 3 walks in 49 IP. He missed the Dominican Summer League top 10 in wins by one. In 2014, he pitched mostly in relief for the AZL Rangers and did well again (2-1 1.63). The next year, he debuted in full-season ball, very young for the level (2.9 years lower than the South Atlantic League average). He was 12-1 with a 2.45 ERA for the Hickory Crawdads and only walked 12 in 99 innings. He tied Yeudy Garcia and Thaddius Lowry for second in the SAL in wins, four behind Austin Coley, but did not qualify for the ERA leaderboard. Among Rangers farmhands, he led in wins, one ahead of Ross Wolf and Collin Wiles. He was named the Rangers' Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Baseball America rated him as the #11 prospect in the SAL, between Michael Kopech and Jairo Beras.

He got a major start for Panama in the 2016 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, facing off against Colombia and Nabil Crismatt in the finale of the pool, with a spot in the 2017 World Baseball Classic at stake. He did very well, striking out four and allowing only two hits in 2 1/3 IP before turning the ball over to Humberto Mejia with a scoreless game intact; Panama would fall 2-1 and miss out on the Classic. In the summer of 2016, he started off with the High Desert Mavericks (7-2, 3.86). Moving up to the Texas League, he was the 3rd-youngest player there when he debuted for the Frisco RoughRiders. He finished 1-4, 3.30 for them for a composite 8-6, 3.66 season. He walked 34 in 123 innings. In winter ball, he was 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA for the Navegantes del Magallanes of Venezuela.

In 2017, he had the first real struggles of his career, posting a 9-11, 4.59 record for Frisco. He walked 37 in 157 innings but allowed a .302 average. He allowed the most hits in the Texas League (188, 11 ahead of Wiles) and was 4th in losses and second in runs allowed (93, 4 behind Corey Ray). Among Rangers minor leaguers, only Wiles had more losses (12). One bright spot was being the winning pitcher in the Texas League All-Star Game. He opened 2018 back with Frisco and was doing much better (1-1, 2.57 after six starts). He then got called up to the majors for a spot start when Matt Moore was injured. He was the 61st Panamanian in the major leagues.

The youngest Ranger to make his MLB debut with a pitching start in 10 years, since Tommy Hunter, the 22-year-old got the nod against the Chicago White Sox. He retired the first two batters he faced, Yoan Moncada and Yolmer Sanchez, before José Abreu doubled. In the 2nd, he struck out Leury García for his first K. He ran into trouble in the 3rd, giving up 4 runs (a two-run triple by Daniel Palka closing the rally), and left with a 4-3 deficit, two on and two out in the 4th in favor of Brandon Mann. He got the loss in a 5-3 game. He then returned to Frisco, where he pitched a shutout in his first game back down.

Related Sites

• Ariel Jurado on mlb.com