Faith, Fire, and Fastballs: The Rise of Walbert Ureña
May 17, 2026 - Written by Cruz Cambero
Walbert Urena, 100mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/ek8DzrBuWw
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 2, 2026
Los Angeles Angels rookie Walbert Ureña is quickly emerging as one of the biggest surprise success stories of the season for the Angels. Originally signed in 2021 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Ureña entered spring training with little hype but quickly impressed enough to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. At first, he looked like he would mainly serve as a bullpen arm, but over the last month, he has shown he may be much more than that.
Ureña made his major league debut on March 26, pitching two-thirds of an inning without allowing a run while recording his first MLB strikeout. His second appearance came two days later and could have easily shaken his confidence. Pitching out of the bullpen once again, six runs crossed the plate during his inning of work, although none of them were earned due to poor defense behind him. The rough outing led to him being sent down the next day to Triple-A Salt Lake, but that setback turned out to be only the beginning of his story.
After being recalled on April 18, Ureña has looked like a completely different pitcher. His first start came against a dangerous San Diego Padres lineup featuring stars such as Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Jackson Merrill. The rookie showed no fear, tossing six innings of two-run baseball while striking out eight batters in an eye-opening performance.
His next outing against the Royals was shakier, as he allowed four runs over three and two-thirds innings. Command was the biggest issue at the start, as he walked five batters, though he still managed to strike out three. Ureña bounced back quickly in his following appearance. He cruised through five innings before taking a 103 mph comebacker off his right leg off the bat of Bo Bichette in the sixth inning. Despite the frightening moment, Ureña attempted to stay in the game and even threw warm-up pitches before manager Kurt Suzuki removed him as a precaution. He still finished with five innings pitched, one earned run allowed, and four strikeouts.
His best start to date came in a crucial rubber match against the Chicago White Sox. With the Angels desperate for a series win, Ureña delivered six brilliant innings of one-run baseball while allowing only two hits and striking out five. The outing also earned him his first major league victory. What stood out most was not just the stat line but also the composure he showed escaping a bases-loaded jam in the second inning, only five days after taking the comebacker off his leg. For a rookie pitcher, it was a sign of maturity and resilience beyond his years.
His most recent outing was another quality performance, this time against the Cleveland Guardians. Ureña threw five innings of two-run ball while striking out four and allowing only three hits. Through his recent stretch, he has consistently given the Angels a chance to win every time he takes the mound.
At first glance, Ureña’s 1-4 record may not jump off the page, but his 3.29 ERA tells a much different story. A lack of run support has heavily contributed to the losing record. Outside of his win against the White Sox, the Angels' offense has rarely provided more than three runs while he has been in the game. If the lineup had offered more support, Ureña realistically could be sitting with a much stronger record, with his only true poor outing coming against the Kansas City Royals.
Several factors appear to have contributed to his turnaround. Since being recalled, Ureña has pitched wearing glasses, which seems to have helped improve both his command and ability to attack the strike zone. The adjustment has helped him look far more composed on the mound and less like the “Wild Thing” character from Major League. His advanced metrics also support the idea that his success is legitimate. Ureña ranks highly in Hard-Hit Percentage and Average Exit Velocity allowed, meaning opposing hitters are struggling to make solid contact against him.
Another major strength is his velocity. Ureña averages around 97.9 mph on his fastball, and in today’s game, elite velocity can completely change a pitcher’s ceiling. His profile has drawn comparisons to teammate José Soriano because of their ability to generate ground balls. Soriano built early success by forcing weak contact and double plays, and Ureña appears capable of following a similar path. However, Ureña may already be ahead in one area: strikeout ability. While Soriano has improved his strikeout numbers recently, he relied heavily on contact management early in his career. Ureña, meanwhile, is already missing bats at a higher rate.
One thing that I think will especially help Walbert Ureña throughout his future career is his faith. Every day, he posts a Bible verse on his social media, and before each start, he can be seen on his knees praying to God in the outfield. Even during games, after innings, you can often see him making the sign of the cross as he walks off the mound. While faith is not something that shows up on a stat sheet or in advanced metrics, it clearly gives Ureña confidence and strength every time he takes the mound. That mindset has already shown throughout his rookie season, especially after the scary 103 mph comebacker off his leg. Instead of letting the moment shake him, Ureña wanted to stay in the game and continued competing. His faith seems to play a major role in helping him stay mentally strong and resilient through both adversity and success early in his major league career.
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