C’s Chat – 2023 Vancouver Canadians RHP #1 Dahian Santos – C's Plus Baseball

2022-2023 Vancouver Canadians pitcher Dahian Santos gets the start in the latest instalment of C’s Chat.

Pronounced Dye-ANNE (or Diane, like Diane Lane), Santos signed as a free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela on July 2, 2019, on the recommendation of scouts Francisco Plascencia and José Contreras. A protege of trainer Michael Alagna, Santos received a signing bonus of $150,000.

The pandemic meant Santos had to wait until 2021 to make his professional debut and what a debut it was. He pitched five shutout innings of two-hit ball and struck out six for the Florida Complex League Blue Jays against the FCL Tigers West on July 1. His first pro victory came against the Tigers East when he allowed just two earned runs over five frames while striking out seven on July 31. Santos tossed 35-1/3 innings with the FCL Jays and struck out 53 batters against 12 walks with an earned run average of 4.58. That earned him a late-season start with the Dunedin Blue Jays to end his 2021 season.

Santos returned to the D-Jays for the 2022 season and earned his first win against Fort Myers on April 24 with three shutout stanzas and six strikeouts. That was a precursor for the month of May as Santos racked up 10 whiffs over four shutout innings to get the win against Tampa on May 14. He then put up five goose eggs at Daytona, limiting the Tortugas to just a hit and a walk to pick up the victory on May 20. The walk was thrown out on a steal attempt in the first inning and Santos erased a leadoff single in the fifth before inducing a 1-6-3 double play off the bat of 2020 Cincinnati first-round pick Austin Hendrick. That meant Santos would face the minimum 15 batters before turning the game over to the bullpen. That outing bolstered the case for Santos winning the Florida State League Pitcher of the Month award for May. He went 2-1 with a 0.83 ERA, a 0.74 WHIP and struck out 43 batters against 11 walks over 21-2/3 innings.

After a 4-5 record with a 3.44 ERA with Dunedin, Santos got promoted to Vancouver on August 16. He endured a couple of rough starts before finding his form again in a key start at Spokane on September 3. That’s when he checked the Rockies affiliate to two runs over five innings while punching out 10 batters in an eventual extra-innings win to help the C’s eventually clinch a playoff spot. Santos also held his own against the eventual league champion Eugene Emeralds to two runs over four frames while whiffing seven in a no-decision on September 10 at Nat Bailey Stadium. That turned out to be Santos’ last start of the year. He was scheduled to start the deciding Game 5 of the Northwest League final but that never came to pass as the Em’s completed a three-game sweep.

Baseball America rated Santos as having the best slider in the Toronto Blue Jays system after the 2022 campaign. Geoff Pontes said the Venezuelan’s slide piece was among the best in the minors.

“The righthander performed well over 19 appearances with Low-A Dunedin before seeing a late-season promotion to High-A Vancouver. The undersized righthander has an unusual operation and arm action that allow his pitches to play up, particularly his slider. Santos utilizes a tall-and-fall operation with a low sidearm action that plays up his horizontal movement upon release. As you would expect from any low-slot slinger, Santos’ slider generates heavy sweep. Sitting 80-82 mph with 2,700-2,800 rpm of raw spin, Santos generates on average 14 to 15 inches of sweep with very little to no vertical break. The pitch is Santos’ go-to offering, seeing nearly identical usage to that of his fastball. While still learning to command the pitch, Santos generates whiffs on 57% of swings and chases on 35% of swings. In a breakout season for Santos, his slider was the nucleus of his success.”

Currently the 12th best prospect in the Blue Jays system according to Baseball America, the publication broke down the rest of Santos’ pitching repertoire.

“Santos mixes three pitches including a low-90s side-spinning four-seam fastball…and a mid-80s changeup he shows an innate ability to kill lift and spin on. It’s the makings of three average or better pitches with his 2,700-rpm sweeping slider the crown jewel of his arsenal–a future plus pitch. Santos’ command has been below average and with a unique operation and arm action it’s never likely to get to anything more than average…A talented and projectable pitcher who could add strength and velocity in the coming years, Santos projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter with a reliever floor.”

The 2023 season saw Santos return to Vancouver where he collected his first win in a C’s uniform against Eugene on April 29. He surrendered a solo home run among two hits and struck out seven against one walk over five innings in front of the hometown faithful at the Nat. That was followed up with five frames with an unearned run and struck out six in Hillsboro on May 6. Santos ended the month of May on a strong note by permitting just five batters to reach base on three hits and two hit by pitches while striking out four over five innings to complete a rain-shortened victory at Spokane on May 27. That resulted in Santos winning the Northwest League Pitcher of the Week award for May 22-28.

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C’s Plus Baseball caught up with Santos during the Canadians homestand against Eugene in late May. Mental skills coach Raul Pimentel provided the translation.

C’s Plus Baseball – Congratulations on winning the Northwest League Pitcher of the Week honours. How did you find out?

Dahian Santos (translated by Raul Pimentel) – Yeah, I was just sleeping and I saw all the notifications from my phone. I was really surprised about what happened. I saw it and I was like, ‘Oh man.’ I really wasn’t expecting it but I was really, really happy to be honoured with that award.

CPB – I’m sure it has to make you feel good to join other pitchers like Chad Dallas and Trenton Wallace (and Devereaux Harrison) to win that award. Do you feel it’s kind of a friendly competition going on between the starting pitchers?

DS – We are a very talented group and we believe in the talent that we have. We try to help each other all the time. I’m the youngest one and they are always trying to help me and I feel super grateful for that.

CPB – What was working for you in that start on Saturday in Spokane? It’s the second really good start you’ve had there. Why were you so successful? I know the weather wasn’t the best, but you still managed to get five shutout innings in.

DS – I was working hard with my slider, trying to keep my feet on track. I pitch off my fastball. I was working down, working hard and it translated to the game. I was really happy with it. Regardless of the situation or the weather, I continued with that.

CPB – You seem to like pitching in Spokane. Last year you had a really great start when the team was going after a playoff spot, striking out 10 batters in five innings. I don’t know if it’s the mound or the stadium but what is it that you like about pitching in Spokane?

DS – I think you are reading my mind. I really was thinking of that outing. I even wore the same thing for that last year for that outing. What I like to do is focus on my slider and how it works. I know the pitcher that I am and I’m pretty confident in what I’m going to do there.

CPB – Speaking of the slider, was that something you learned by yourself or did somebody teach you how to throw that slider?

DS – The Blue Jays switched some things on the grip before spring training in 2022. I got used to that and got comfortable using that. It started feeling better and I have been continuing using that, trying that. It works better, it looks better. It has been my best pitch since. The Blue Jays helped me a lot with that and we continue to work together.

CPB – Your pitch mix. I hear it’s a fastball, slider, and change-up. Is it a four-seam or two-seam fastball and a circle change? What are the types of pitches you throw?

DS – The fastball, I grip it like a four-seam fastball. I also throw a little bit like a sinker. My changeup, I like to throw it a little bit slower. It’s a little bit different. The changeup goes down and it goes sideways like another sinker. My slider. I just throw it in, throw it in, throw it in.

CPB – When did you first become a pitcher?

DS – When I was in Venezuela, playing in the academy, I was a hitter but I had no power and no pop. They told me that I had a good arm. That’s when I started pitching. That’s when I wanted to turn pro.

CPB – Was there anything that you worked on over the off-season?

DS – The first priority was working on my body. Getting stronger. Working on my mind, improving my weight, getting stronger, getting ready for the season. Then on the field, working a little bit more on my command, my release, my pitches, my stamina. Just mixing those two things to continue to have a good season. That was my goal this year.

CPB – Looking at your pro career, you were with the Florida Complex League Blue Jays and then the Dunedin Blue Jays. You had a really good year with Dunedin in 2022, winning a pitcher of the month award. What was it like finally getting to pitch in the U.S.?

DS – That was a really good result for me. I gained so much experience. I enjoyed every step of it. I think I have a better future. Just all the experiences I gained.

CPB – What was that like being part of the playoff run with Vancouver last year? If the championship series had gone to Game 5, you would have been the starting pitcher. What was that experience like?

DS – I was really excited for that. It was my first playoff experience in my career. I was really excited about that. Sadly, I didn’t get to pitch. I really wanted to help the team. I really wanted to come and see my teammates win a championship here in Vancouver. However, we are ready to go this year. I’m ready to help us get to the playoffs.

CPB – Did you have a favourite major league team or a favourite player growing up?

DS – Marcus Stroman was my favorite player. He was with the Blue Jays at that time. I really liked the Blue Jays a lot.

CPB – Final question. The Canadians have five different uniforms. Red, black, white, gray, and blue. What’s your favourite uniform out of the five?

DS – The white one. When we play at home, the white one. When we play on the road, the black one.

Dahian Santos File

Born – February 26, 2003 in Acarigua, Venezuela
Height/Weight – 5-foot-11, 160 pounds
Bats/Throws – Right/Right
Uniform Numbers – Wore number 19 with the Florida Coast League Blue Jays and number 4 with the Dunedin Blue Jays in 2021. Wore number 35 with the D-Jays and number 15 with Vancouver in 2022.
Instagram – @dahiansantos.35
Mound Music – “120” by Bad Bunny.
Fun Fact – Santos’ strikeout rate was 14.9 per nine innings was best among teenage hurlers in the minors in 2022. Philadelphia 2021 first-round pick Andrew Painter was second at 13.5 whiffs per nine.