Relief Pitcher Jose Cuas Is a Name to Get Familiar With

Cuas is already making a good impression in the minor leagues.

The Kansas City Royals' 2022 season is upon us, and the excitement around this ball club is at an all-time high — for good reason. The Omaha Storm Chasers kicked off their season on Tuesday and took to the field for Triple-A Opening Day, taking on the Indianapolis Indians. The Storm Chasers emerged victoriously and one pitcher stood out in particular. Those in Royals circles should become familiar with relief pitcher Jose Cuas.

Cuas attended the University of Maryland, where he played a versatile role for the Terrapins. In three seasons, he hit .243/.320/.395 with 30 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs, 112 RBIs, 15 stolen bases and 55 walks. In 2015, the Milwaukee Brewers selected Cuas in the 11th round of the MLB Draft.

Cuas would enter the minors as a position player, but he struggled at the plate after just over a thousand plate appearances in six seasons (.200/.283/.318). In 2018, he took on a new role out of the bullpen as a pitcher. Early on, he showed signs of success in the Independent League with the Long Island Ducks. In 22 games, he came on in relief and threw 22-2/3 innings with a 2.38 ERA and a 2-1 record. His success as a pitcher was eye-opening and on June 17 of last year, the Royals purchased his contract from the Long Island Ducks.

Ducks President/GM Michael Pfaff spoke about Cuas and his success, saying, "Jose has been lights out in the bullpen, he was deserving of his opportunity with the Diamondbacks in 2019, and we are excited to see him get another chance at the big leagues with the Royals."  

Cuas would report to the Royals' extended spring training facility, then later got called up to Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He dominated his competition, pitching in 22 games and throwing 32-1/3 innings. In his time with the Naturals, he faced 133 batters and allowed 31 hits resulting in just seven earned runs. Cuas also recorded 32 strikeouts, a 1.95 ERA and a 1.175 WHIP, earning him a promotion to Triple-A Omaha. Cuas pitched briefly at Omaha before the season ended in 2021. He continued working on his craft in the Dominican Winter League in the offseason.

Perhaps the moment we are most #thankful for, WINNING THE DOUBLE-A CENTRAL CHAMPIONSHIP! 🥳

Take a trip down memory lane and relive the final out, as Jose Cuas secured the strikeout to complete a series sweep of Wichita and bring home the Naturals' second league title! pic.twitter.com/m5nBnS8eAc

— Northwest Arkansas Naturals (@nwanaturals) November 26, 2021

So far in Cuas' minor league career, he has tossed 107 innings with an impressive 2.78 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. He has struck out 99 batters and has a 13-4 record.  

In the Storm Chasers' season-opener, Cuas got the opportunity to pitch. He highlighted his 94 mph sinker paired with an 82 mph slider. The sinker works hard inside on right-handed hitters, breaking away from a left-handed hitter. His slider has a tight spin and is hard to pick up as he seamlessly repeats his motion. Cuas hides the baseball through his motion, released in the sidearm slot, which is naturally hard to pick up.

If Cuas continues to pitch at a successful rate in Omaha, he could make his major league debut quickly. The 27-year-old has been around the block a few times and is nearly a decade removed from his first season at Maryland, but he's going as strong as ever in a relatively new role. Assuming that keeps up, he could be more than just a feel-good story for the Royals at some point moving forward.