South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 81: Danny Dopico

If his command improves, movement up to Triple-A Charlotte isn’t out of the question

By whisoxman20051917 Mar 13, 2019, 3:57pm CDT

**Future shock:** Dopico struggled through an aggressive assignment in the AFL last fall, pitching for the Desert Dogs.

Danny Dopico
6´2´´
190 pounds
Throws: Right
Age: 25
SSS rank among all right-handed relief pitchers in the system: 13

Dopico was quite a well-traveled pitcher in college. He spent his freshman season with Siena, his sophomore campaign with Broward Junior College, and his junior year with Florida International. Dopico’s best year by far was his junior season with the Golden Panthers, compiling a 1.99 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 45 relief innings, surrendering just 25 hits and 20 walks while fanning 57 hitters. As a result, the White Sox selected him in the 11th round of the 2015 draft. After receiving his $140,000 signing bonus, Dopico picked up where he left off, walking 14 but striking out 57 in 36 innings with the AZL Sox.

Dopico struggled out of the gate in 2016 with Winston-Salem but righted the ship somewhat with the AZL Sox and Kannapolis later in the year. For that entire season, he combined in 54 ²⁄₃ innings to post a 5.76 ERA and 1.83 WHIP, allowing 51 hits (.246 OBA) and 49 walks (18.6%) compared to 66 punchouts (25.0%). Dopico fared far better in a full season with Kannapolis in 2017, as he posted a 3.25 ERA and 0.95 WHIP; in his 69 ¹⁄₃ innings, he allowed just 36 hits (.148 OBA) and 30 walks (10.4%) while fanning 96 hitters (33.2%).

In 2018, Dopico pitched nearly exclusively with Winston-Salem, where he posted a 2.98 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 57 ¹⁄₃ innings, relinquishing 44 hits (.211 OBA) and 26 walks (10.8%) while striking out 76 (31.7%). He struggled badly in the Arizona Fall League, in part because he walked 12 in his 12 ¹⁄₃ innings of work.

Dopico’s fastball sits in the low-to-mid 90s; his secondary pitches include a low-80s slider and a low-80s splitter. His pitches play up because of their significant movement; in fact, that movement held lefties to hit just .172 against him this year. However, it’s that movement that causes Dopico significant command issues. In his four-year minor league career, opponents have only hit .204, while striking 30.8% of the time against his offerings; however, he’s walked one out of every eight hitters he’s faced (12.5%). Dopico should begin next season with Birmingham; if he can improve his control and command, he may have an opportunity to pitch in Charlotte before season’s end.