Allen Facundo could make a case to be the most dominant pitching prospect you’ve never heard of. Until now.
Signed out of Venezuela by the Yankees five years ago, the 6-foot, 171-pound left-hander logged only 148 innings over his first four pro seasons because of injuries. Facundo missed the entire 2022 campaign with nagging shoulder issues and then had Tommy John surgery in May 2024. He notched 48 2/3, 30 1/3 and 30 frames, respectively, over his first three seasons in the Minor Leagues and he only suited up for a full-season affiliate during his third season.
In his return from Tommy John last year, Facundo showcased upside that could make the $20,000 signing bonus he got from the Yankees in 2021 seem like a bargin. The southpaw posted a 1.85 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP and a .183 average against while flashing triple digits with his heater.
COMPLETE YANKEES PROSPECT COVERAGE
Facundo entered this year with a clean bill of health for the first time and he’s made it impossible to fly under the radar any longer. He made the largest leap of any Yankees prospect -- and sixth-largest of any prospect in baseball -- by jumping 18 spots up New York’s Top 30 Prospects list -- from No. 26 to No. 8.
Facundo opened the year back with Single-A Tampa but lasted only three starts in the Florida State League after yielding just two runs on six hits and seven walks while fanning 25 over 15 frames. The 23-year-old was promoted to High-A Hudson Valley on April 27 and continued his run of dominance -- making more history along the way.
More from MLB Pipeline:
• Top 100 prospects | Stats | Video | Podcast | Complete coverage
On May 21, in his fourth South Atlantic League start, the Venezuela native racked up 13 punchouts over five innings against the Brooklyn Cyclones to tie the franchise watermark for K’s in a single game. Two starts later, Facundo struck out 12 over six hitless frames to earn SAL Pitcher of the Week honors as he became the first pitcher in the Minors in 2026 to record multiple appearances with at least 12 strikeouts. Only seven other hurlers at any level of the Minors have accomplished this feat since 2024.
In 13 starts with Hudson Valley, Facundo has notched 86 K’s in 67 1/3 innings while sporting a .182 average against.
Armed with a 70-grade heater, Facundo is considered a diamond in the rough as a lefty who can top out at the 100 mph mark. His fastball usually sits around 94-96 mph, and while he can throw a couple of variations of it, Facundo finds more success with his two-seamer that sinks versus his four-seamer, which lacks any real movement and doesn’t miss many bats. He pitches off of his fastball with a mid-80s slider that is still developing and a low-90s changeup that is also a work in progress.
Facundo was Rule 5 Draft-eligible this past offseason and the Yankees opted not to protect him on their 40-man roster, but his inexperience and injury history likely played a part in his not being claimed by any of the other clubs. Currently possessing one elite pitch and another plus offering, Facundo profiles more as a reliever the long run. Still, he has strictly operated as a starter this season (16 total starts) and has lasted at least five innings 10 times.
The development of his secondary offerings and a show of durability could go a long way for Facundo as he continues to find his footing in his fifth pro campaign. But with a struggling Yankees bullpen and another postseason push ongoing in the Bronx, a path to The Show for this flamethrowing southpaw is as open as ever.