Player Profile – Arcenio Leon

Next up in our player profiles here at Climbing Tal’s Hill is Arcenio Leon. Many of you may not know who he is as he was a relative unknown this past year and really has been through his minor league career. Leon was signed by the Astros out of his home country of Venezuela when he was 19 years old. He is strictly a relief pitcher although he has had his share of starts here and there in the minors.

Leon began his minor league career strong in 2005 with the VSL Astros, going 3-1 with a 1.42 ERA and eight saves while pitching in twenty games. He has had an up and down minor league career thus far and has yet to taste the big leagues. Throughout parts of seven seasons in the minor leagues, Leon has posted a career ERA of 4.41. His strikeout totals have been ok but he is issuing walks at a high rate. The Astros placed him on the 40 man roster this year and he could have an outside chance of making the club out of spring training as a bullpen arm, but if he does not shore up the walks at the big league level, he will be given a one way ticket back to AAA Oklahoma City by new GM, Jeff Luhnow. My prediction for Leon is that he opens the 2012 season as a bullpen arm for the AAA Oklahoma City Red Hawks.