South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 82: Yoelvín Silven

Feb 4, 2023 - 10:08 PM

Yoelvín Silven

Right-Handed Relief Pitcher
6´1´´
186 pounds
Age: 23
2020 SSHP Top Prospect Ranking 70
2021 SSS Top Prospect Ranking 52
2022 SSS Top Prospect Ranking 53
2022 High Level Birmingham (AA)
Age relative to high level -1.4 years
SSS rank among all right-handed relief pitchers in the system 17
Overall 2022 stats 5-2 ⚾️ 38 games ⚾️ 51 2⁄3 innings ⚾️ 6.97 ERA ⚾️ 1.645 WHIP ⚾️ 56 K ⚾️ 19 BB

Yoelvín Silven began with the DSL White Sox in 2018 and was a hard-luck hurler, finishing 1-8 during an atrocious 18-54 season for that team. But his stellar 3.66 ERA, along with his age, that got Silven a Stateside assignment the next year.

In 2019, Silven was younger than league average for Arizona, but rocked a 3.48 ERA in 15 games in the AZL. In a short (three games) cup of coffee with Great Falls in High-Rookie that year, the youngster was roughed up a bit, to the tune of five earned runs and a 6.43 ERA. But that was an aggressive advance for him, placing Silven a full year-and-a-half younger than Pioneer League average. Perhaps more importantly, Silven’s control had been stellar at every level as a pro. His 5.65 strikeouts per walk put him in the 93rd percentile among his peers, per Baseball Cube.

After the 2020 season was cancelled by the pandemic, Silven pitched for three teams in 2021. The righty struggled at the outset for Kannapolis, with a 6.68 ERA and 1.65 WHIP in 13 appearances. He did receive a call-up to Winston-Salem, however, and fared quite well there, with a 2.77 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in seven relief outings. Silven spent the final couple months of the season shuttling back and forth between Winston-Salem and Birmingham, but with the Barons, Silven struggled in a small (four-game) sample size, with a 7.71 ERA and 2.12 WHIP. Combined with all three teams, Silven compiled a 5.73 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 24 appearances (two starts). In his 48 2⁄3 innings in 2021, he surrendered 58 hits (.284 OBA) and 14 walks (6.3%) while striking out 46 (20.7%).

In 2022, Silven was dominant over five innings in High-A but again faltered at Birmingham, with an 8.10 ERA and 1.736 WHIP. He is still young for that level, but the truth is he might have hit a wall he can’t get past. A third run in Double-A is likely for 2023.

Silven’s Baseball Cube player ratings
Walks 81
K/BB 79
Durability 75
Strikeouts 52
Hittable 18
vs. Power 18
Team Winning Percentage .392

As you can see above, Silven’s calling card is his control. He also offers a 92-94 mph heater that occasionally reaches 96 also grades at 55. Silven also received 50 grades for his curveball, slider and changeup, but it’s that changeup he especially needs to improve in order to secure better chances of success in the future.

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2023 South Side Sox Top 104 White Sox Prospects

82. Yoelvín Silven, RHRP
83. Trey Jeans, LHRP
84. Jerry Burke, RHSP
85. Carlos Jiménez, 1B
86. Mason Adams, RHSP
87. Frankeli Arias, LHSP
88. Ernesto Jaquez, RHSP
89. Laz Rivera, 3B
90. Xavier Fernández, C
91. Álvaro Agüero, CF
92. Ben Norman, RF
93. Erick Bello, RHRP
94. Adisyn Coffey, RHRP
95. Arnold Prado, RF
96. Alsander Womack, 2B
97. Johan Domínguez, RHSP
98. Evan Skoug, C
99. Noah Owen, RHSP
100. Javier Mora, 2B
101. Will Kincanon, RHRP
102. Yohemy Nolasco, RHSP
103. Billy Seidl, RHRP
104. José Rodulfo, RHRP