Green Diamonds: Chan Moon, SS, Lancaster JetHawks (Class A+, California League)

Name: Chan Jong Moon

Bats: Both Throws: Right
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 160 lb.
DOB: March 23, 1991 in Seoul, KR (Age 21)

Drafted: Signed by the Houston Astros as a minor-league free agent 9/25/2009 for $350,000

STATS:


2011 Season (Greeneville, Rookie League) 43 G, 160 PA, 3 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 51 K, .207 BA, .302 OBP
2012 Season (Lexington, Class A; Lancaster, Class A+) 44 G, 171 PA, 20 R, 8 2B, 22 RBI, 6-9 SB,
.268 BA, .358 OBP

Introduction: This young infielder has made for himself quite a following here in Lexington without even trying. Cries of “MOOOOOOOON!” follow him on his every at-bat, and whenever he makes even a modestly difficult play in the field the case is invariably the same. I understand it is the custom in Korea to refer to a man by his last name (i.e. Moon Chan Jong), so there's a little something you might not have known :) Shy and quiet but always very polite and smiling, he was a real pleasure to watch on the diamond as well as to meet in person.

Batting: Moon has a somewhat wider-than-shoulder-width stance, keeping his weight back slightly and his hands high. There's a slight crouch and he is footwork is sure. There is a little twirl-type movement in his bat, but nothing excessive. In some ways, his stance is very similar to that of OF Jordan Scott (for those of you who've seen him play). He does drop his hands back as well as shifting his weight back slightly more before his swing (a timing mechanism), and lets fly with what appears to be a pretty big swing, but the whole thing looks very well-controlled. It's not a wild or blind swing, at all, but all of this together sometimes contributes to it being a long swing. This swing appears slightly slower and longer from the left side, but I would expect the team to work with him to increase his contact percentage from the left side as he gets out of the box so quickly and this will help to maximize his quickness and produce more infield hits. He keeps his head in well, covers the whole plate easily and has a very level swing. The biggest problem I see is that he could stand to shorten up a bit more on 2-strike counts and perhaps choke up a hair for more bat head control. Being able to improve in that regard would make him perfect as a #8 or even #2 hitter. Other than that, it's a pretty textbook swing. He has what some aficionados of Asian baseball would call an Asian-style swing, and that's a good thing; hitters in many leagues in the Pacific Rim and Mainland Asian countries are taught to think “contact first”, and that's the approach you see when Moon is at the plate. On his follow-through, he can really twist himself into a corkscrew when he misses. This lends itself to the impression that he's swinging for the fences, but I don't see it. He's deft with a bunt, and can become a good push-bunter with time. He's already comfortable with it, and that will only improve with time. He gets out of the box quickly, but shortening his follow-through could definitely help him in that regard. I think he could stand to gain more upper-body and core strength, but the flexibility and reflexes are already there in abundance. He's not ever going to be much on power, but he'll make consistent contact and throw in a handful of extra-base hits and steals, and that ain't bad.

An excellent play leaves 2B Delino Deshields Jr stunned

Fielding: Moon is, in my estimation, already a plus fielder. He gets everything in range and makes some plays on the other side of second, as well. He has soft hands, fluid mechanics getting to and fielding the ball, and a sure arm. The arm strength is there for short, but as he will probably play a bit more third in the future I'd say he'd probably be only fringe-average for that position, arm-wise. Moon is the kind of gloveman you could put at short, second or third and expect at least average or better results, overall. I've never seen him at first, but somehow I don't think that would take him long to get used to. At short, he's already a spark-plug kind of fielder, making all the sure plays and diving for every ball he thinks he has even a small chance of reaching. He stands in well against a sliding base-runner and throws well on the DP, though he could stand to get a little more force behind his throws in these situations. He starts the double play quickly and confidently, and keeps his head when he has to make his own call on where to throw (multiple base-runners, late-inning situations). Don't be surprised to see him emerge from a cloud of dust with a ball you didn't expect to see. Some of the best plays I've seen in the IF this year were plays Moon was directly involved in, and I expect that will be the case at whatever level he finds himself. If I were a major league owner, I'd be comfortable with his glove in my lineup, right now. That's how much faith I have in this kid. Of course, there's the aforementioned arm strength that I'd like to see improve, but otherwise he's not going to have much trouble defensively while climbing the ladder.

Baserunning: Moon seems to be a smart but conservative base-runner, who can steal the odd base for you but usually isn't called upon to do so. He seems to rely more on base-running smarts than pure speed. Mind you, he's no base-jammer, but he's certainly not a dyed-in-the-wool base-stealer, either. He thus far appears to have at least average speed, and things progressing as they should might steal 10 or 12 for you in the ML, but will probably be given the green light in low-risk situations. Even so, he doesn't hurt himself or the team on the bases. He can take the extra base if necessary but won't likely be asked to do so unless (again) it's a low-risk situation. The base-running instincts, to me, are definitely above-average for his age, and will only get better as time goes by. Moon thinks out there; he doesn't do anything recklessly. He's confident in advancing in passed ball/wild pitch situations, and won't often make a bad call there. He will sometimes surprise you with his selective aggressiveness, which only helps his cause.

Looking on

Cracking up OF Justin Gominsky

Intangibles: For being such a shy kid when you meet him face-to-face (at times), Moon is actually known for being a bit of a jokester in the clubhouse. He is often seen making his teammates laugh and he seems to keep things loose in the dugout, as well. He's not undisciplined by any stretch, but he knows that he's getting paid to play a kid's game, and he's very aware of how fortunate he happens to be. He truly seems to enjoy the game and all aspects of it; he just seems so happy to be here, as cliché as it may sound. It's refreshing to see players at this level who aren't overcome by the pressure of having to perform and moving up the chain, and Moon is one of those players. He communicates well in the field with his keystone compatriot, and is always aware of where he is and the game situation involved. He is always ready for the cut-off throw, and he knows exactly where to go with it when it comes. His baseball IQ is definitely high. He will, at times, let a bad play get to him a bit, though this isn't overly obvious. He is, however, usually quick to bounce back, and doesn't often let a bad play in the field affect him when he comes to bat. He's the kind of player who will be well-liked in the clubhouse wherever he goes, and should fit into most any collection of teammates. That can only help him as he advances ever closer to Houston.

A little glove love from righty Jonas Dufek

Overall: I like most everything I see in this kid. There are some things I'd like to see improve (upper-body/core strength, shorter swing especially from the left side, don't get discouraged too easily, greater confidence), but these are all things that should come with time. At bat, he's going to be a prototypical middle infielder (no power, plus-average contact), but with the glove he could well carry himself into, at the least, a utility infield spot with starts two to three times a week, and that's not so bad is it? Kind of an Adam Kennedy-type with a bit less pop and perhaps a better glove. A smart ownership will want him on their club for reasons that extend beyond his play on the field, because his clubhouse presence is a plus, too. With a little more confidence, you've got a switch-hitting, versatile gloveman, plus he could be a leader both on and off the field, and in ways that you won't read about in the box score. Put the whole package together, and you've got yourself a kid who's gonna make it. I can't wait to see how far he goes. 

Green Diamonds: Delino Deshields Jr, 2B, Lexington Legends (Class A, South Atlantic League)

Name: Delino Diaab DeShields

Bats: R Throws: R

HT: 5'9” WT: 210

DOB: August 16^th, 1992, in Gaston, Georgia

Drafted: Houston Astros in the 1^st round (8^th overall) of the 2010 Draft.

STATS:

2011 SEASON: .220 BA, 9 HR, 48 RBI, 30 SB, 52 BB, 118 SO, 17 2B, 2 3B in 541 PA

2012 SEASON: .279 BA, 6 HR, 38 RBI, 62 SB, 54 BB, 81 SO, 16 2B, 3 3B in 394 PA

That's not chalk dust. That's smoke. 

Introduction: Anyone who had the chance to see the then 18-year-old Delino Deshields Jr. take the field last year could probably tell that there was a world of talent in him waiting to be realized. The numbers had not reflected this, however, and there were times in which he seemed utterly lost. Now in his third season in the Houston Astros organization, he has shown dramatic progress this season, thus far, in more than just his on-field performance.

Batting: Deshields takes a stance slightly wider than shoulder width, keeping his head in and his hands back until seemingly the last possible second. He has always taken a very short path to the ball with high hands, yet he generates surprising pop despite this. He shows quick hands, often split-second reflexes and there is no extraneous movement in his stance of which to speak. He takes his place in the box in a deliberate manner, sets his feet early and attempts to move him off the plate typically prove futile; he shows no fear. There is no leg kick or foot lift, and while a little more loading up may help him generate enough forward momentum to bring his swing plane down a bit flatter. Nevertheless, he is continuing to improve in making consistent contact. One very noticeable thing he is doing this year that he failed to do in the last is he takes the first pitch virtually every time. Last year, it seemed he would swing at anything near the plate in any count. This year, however, he's not likely to swing unless he gets a strike. This is, according to “unidentified sources” (sounds way more Spy-vs-Spy than it is), a result of input and strongly-suggested pointers from Houston batting instructors in the past off-season. Regardless of the reason behind it, Deshields has easily been as consistent in his approach as any of his teammates. This has boosted his walks and helped to get him into better hitting counts, and his batting average is reflective of this. He still strikes out a bit too often and appears to press with runners in scoring position, and while he has a short swing he often doesn't keep his bat in the hitting zone long enough. In this, as in all other facets of his game, it is important to consider the fact that he doesn't even turn 20 for another month. In terms of small ball, he is better than average with the bunt, and shows definite potential to become a fine push-bunter. He can be called upon to drop one down on a frequent basis without worry that he'll lay a bad one. Without a current time to first measurement for him I would still feel confident in saying he's sub-4.0 to first on the bunt. More than once I've seen him simply dart past catchers fortunate enough to get to the bunt quickly. He has plus pull-side power at this level, but with his pronounced uppercut swing he isn't taking advantage of his power-speed package in terms of hitting to the opposite field, thereby losing out on recording perhaps twice the number of doubles and triples he has tallied so far. He generates considerable loft and distance but would benefit from a flatter swing (as noted above). He may consider starting with his hands back further in his stance or incorporating a short leg lift in order to generate more line drive swings.

Two the hard way. (Pictured: Deshields not flying into CF)

Fielding: This is still a significant problem area. While he seems comfortable when he comes set to await the play, there are many times in which he is caught either flat-footed or on his heels when the ball reaches him. He has more than enough arm for second base, but his throws are too often made from an unbalanced or poorly leveraged position. His footwork is progressing but is far from ideal for a position which requires more agility than Deshields has as yet shown. He gets down on the ball easily and makes the routine plays and will occasionally surprise with an off-balance throw that hits its target, owing to his significant upper body strength. He could stand to be a bit less stiff in his actions, but that should come along with time. He seems to play his position with more vigor and assertiveness this year, likely owing to his already extensive (for an 18-year-old) experience in Class A ball. He seems more at-ease in the field, in general. He makes the turn reasonably quickly on the double play and always stands fast and fearless when runners try to knock him off the bag on the throw to first. The last runner I saw who attempted this was unable to move him even an inch after hooking his right ankle on the slide. While all this is true, he does often make his throws flat-footed (again, as noted above), and while he has the strength to pull it off it's not an advisable approach to gunning down a runner at first on the DP. He has this year, as last, made a considerable amount of errors, but many of these could be attributed to youth and inexperience at the position. Of note, there were many times in 2011 when he seemed noticeably uncomfortable in the field, and the idea of moving him to CF has been bandied about from time to time. He would certainly have the speed, quickness and arm to play in center, and the Class A Legends have had a bit of a logjam in the infield on several occasions, so this may be a reality for him sooner rather than later. Also worth noting, he is already considerably well-developed in terms of his muscle mass, but with a frame his size he should try to avoid adding much more to it if he wants to remain agile enough for the infield or fast enough for center. Heavy musculature in a small frame makes a player play a stiff game, not to mention the added risks if he doesn't also remain flexible (as with any other player, frankly).

Baserunning: Deshields has been far more relaxed on the base-paths this year, and it shows. He's already doubled his SB total from last year in 150 fewer PA, so that in itself speaks volumes. Throw in the SB% (62 in 73 attempts; 84.9 SB%) and watch how free and easy he moves between bases, and you have a teenager running seemingly at will. He's easily on pace for over 100 steals, given his current pace, and if he's not promoted this year he'll definitely break that barrier. In terms of the different facets of his game, this is the area in which he has run roughshod over catchers older and more experienced than him. The real test, of course, will be when he's sent up the chain and has to deal with stronger arms behind the plate. They may slow him down a bit, but he certainly has the ability to compensate for this. As things currently stand, I can see him stealing 30-40 in the bigs. With growth and maturity, this peak total could easily jump substantially. Deshields is not afraid to take the extra base but already has the foresight to avoid taking unnecessary risks and doesn't often try to stretch a single recklessly.

Intangibles: This is a hard section for me when it comes to Deshields. Some who saw him play in 2011 may have noticed what appeared to be a significant lack of interest in the game going on around him and an, at times, obviously flippant attitude to his play, in general. Whether this was due to an 18-year-old kid being overwhelmed by the competition, his having difficulty adjusting to or accepting the expectations thrust upon him by the organization and his high selection in the draft, or perhaps his even being depressed and discouraged by his performance in his first year of Class A ball, it was quite obvious that his head just wasn't in the game, sometimes. I often note the last game I saw him in in 2011 in which he dragged his bat to the plate in what I considered to be a petulant display of indifference as the best example I have of his attitude toward the game at the time and, consequently, his teammates as well. As I said before, I have no idea what was going through his head...he may have suffered a loss in his family, might have been dealing with a lot of inner turmoil adjusting to life as a newly christened top prospect and, by way of his draft slot, life as a millionaire on top of that...who knows better than the kid, himself? So I try to reserve judgment on all that, especially since his attitude this year has done a complete 180. He is assertive in his play, he is far more sure in many aspects of his game, and he even seems to be laughing more. That's the part that gives me the most optimism, frankly. It shows his comfort level has increased dramatically, and his play will continue to improve, owing in no small part to this. I now consider him a potential field captain, at some point in his near future.

Overall: The Astros and their fans have every reason to expect great things from Deshields, and also every reason to expect that he will continue to make the adjustments necessary to succeed and thrive in whatever level he happens to reach. He has a power-speed combo which could pay huge dividends for the Astros in the future, and he looks to me like he'll be comparable to Craig Biggio when he reaches the majors, only with a little less power. I see him more in CF than at 2B, but he could even end up at third with his athleticism, though he'd need a little more arm strength for that.

OK, he'll run so let's hold him on pretty clo...wait, what?

The physical gifts are obvious, and now that he's growing beyond the early pressure of being a 1^st round pick in what has been, until very recently, a drastically understocked farm system, the results will show up in the box scores. Make no mistake: this kid is truly gifted. He is often a real joy to watch on the bases and he can be the hero at the plate, on top of that. Go see him play the game and tell me what you think; I'm guessing you'll come to the same conclusion. 

Green Diamonds: Bryce Massanari, C, Asheville Tourists (Class A, SAL, Colorado Rockies)

Name: Jonathan Bryce Massanari

HT: 6’2”          WT:  215

Born: April 29, 1986 in Las Vegas , NV

Acquired: Colorado Rockies , 30^th round, 2009 June Amateur Draft

Bio:

This Southern Nevada CC and Georgia alumnus has shown a hot hand in this, his first season in the Sally League. It’s not exactly like he was an unknown commodity prior to this year; from the beginning of his college career, he showed a knack for clutch hitting and plus power. He set a Nevada prep record for career hits with 222, was a three-time All-State selection and hit nearly .500 for his senior year (.492), along with 8 HR and 46 RBI. He was a First Team All-Region selection as a freshman at Southern Nevada while posting a team-high .435 OBP along with a .469 SLG %. He was a medical redshirt in his sophomore year because of a foot injury, but came back in 2007 to bat .325-11-65 with an amazing 30 RBI recorded with 2 outs. Massanari was a 1^st Team All-SEC selection as a junior. His last college season added even more accolades to his already-impressive resume: his 19 homers was good for 6^th all-time on Georgia’s single season list, again showed a propensity for clutch hitting with 24 of his 57 RBI coming in 2-out situations, he was named Second Team All-SEC, and became the 8^th Georgia player to hit three homers in a game after hitting three homers in as many AB April 3^rd-4^th.

Overview:

He certainly looks the part, with a prototypical catcher’s build. Sloped shoulders, good upper body strength and a thick, sturdy base help him to drive through the ball with relative ease. He carries himself with a quiet coolness and appears every bit the confident player in all facets of the game. While he certainly doesn’t appear very athletic, this is a pretty common occurrence with catchers. After all, how many Joe Mauers or Jason Kendalls can there be?

Batting:

Massanari doesn’t get cheated at the plate, as he usually takes a big cut. He’s not quite a “grip it and rip it” type at this level, though may fall into that approach when he is faced with better pitching at the higher levels. While he has fairly quick reaction time, his swing is a little slower than you’d like to see from a young hitter with the history of success that he has. Even so, he wastes little movement in getting to the ball and tracks pitches well. When he connects, which thus far this year is often, he can put a real charge in the ball. As he makes the rounds in the Sally, there’s no doubt that he’s going to put fear in the hearts of moundsmen everywhere. Once he reaches Class AA and faces better breaking pitches I would expect him to struggle mightily for some time until he adjusts. He will probably end up being an all-or-nothing type of batter if he makes The Show. He doesn’t take much of a stride, preferring instead to use the powerful torque he generates from his hips. As I mentioned before, his solid base helps him to keep his balance very well and he squares up the barrel often. He’s got plus power and puts a lot of air under the ball, and can drive it to left and left-center, but needs to work on driving the ball the other way in order to take full advantage of his power. He certainly can create the leverage to do this on a regular basis. Massanari has a long history of performing under pressure (at least as far as prep and college are concerned), and I see no reason that this wouldn’t carry over in his pro career. He can be made to chase out of the zone, but can handle the slower curves.

Baserunning:

As I said before, he’s definitely built like a catcher. As such, his baserunning speed leaves something to be desired. Since we’re not talking about a leadoff hitter here, I’m not putting a lot of weight (ahem!) on this subject, and he will learn to make up for the lack of speed by learning to be smarter instead of faster. He takes a comfortable lead but is visibly aware of his shortcomings in the speed department and plays accordingly.

At this stage he is just a click above being a station-to-station runner, and that’s not going to get a whole lot better.

Fielding:

Massanari sets a very low target for his pitchers, sometimes even sitting in half-Indian style with one leg outstretched, ala Tony Pena. He gloves the short pitches easily and shifts left to right adequately. Of note in this regard is the two letters he earned while in high school as a TENNIS player, a game which demands strong lateral movement and quickness of foot. You don’t find too many catchers who can make this claim. He also appears to be at least average in blocking pitches in the dirt. Massanari frames pitches well, but can sometimes hold the ball a bit longer than he should, which brings out the impatience in some umpires and could lead to them squeezing his pitchers in the later innings. His pop times are sub-2.00 consistently, but his footwork coming out of the crouch could use a little work and his glove-to-hand transfer is a little slow. He seems to be relying almost purely on arm strength, and could end up above-average in controlling the running game with a little work on these issues. He appears confident in calling pitches; he gives the sign, takes the pitch, and almost immediately gives the next sign. He helps his pitcher maintain a good rhythm because of this.

Outlook:

Massanari looks the part of a late-round gem, at this point. He does have some rough edges in certain areas, but most of it can be corrected with a little coaching and some hard work. My main concern is that he’s facing players who are 3-5 years younger than him in the SAL, and his numbers show the results of this, but only to a point. The talent is certainly legit. However, as is the case with so many others, his eventual promotion to AA ball will tell the story. Still, there’s reason to believe that he will make the adjustments necessary to compete at the higher levels. Conditioning will be of primary concern as he reaches his late 20’s, and he doesn’t have any leeway in this regard. He can’t afford to lose agility or speed, because that would be the kiss of death for a player like him. I would project him to be at least a solid 2^nd catcher in the Majors, assuming he can make the changes required to play higher than A ball, but either deconditioning or the inability to adjust to the breaking ball would keep him from ever leaving the minor leagues. He’s a solid overall catcher at this stage, but he’s probably not going to win any Gold Gloves (at least, not as a catcher).

Projection:

.275, 18, 65 (as full-time ML catcher)

2012 Season:

It's do-or-die time for Massanari, as he's not getting any younger. Granted, catchers often take longer to develop, but come April he turns 26, an age when many hitters are either in The Show or bagging groceries. I still see him as becoming a viable MLB backstop, but if he can't progress through AA this year, he might want to think about a new profession. I expect he'll make the adjustment. 

Green Diamonds: Mike Kvasnicka, 3B, Lexington Legends (Class A, SAL, Houston Astros)

Kvasnicka swings away vs. Asheville Tourists, 8-23-2011;
Photo by Clinton Riddle

Michael Kvasnicka

Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6' 2", Weight: 200 lb.
Born: December 7, 1988 in Lakeville, Minnesota, US (Age 22)
Drafted by: Minnesota Twins in the 31st round of the 2007 MLB June Amateur Draft and the Houston Astros in the 1st round (33rd) of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft.

Overview: Originally played OF with occasional catching duties when signed out of University of Minnesota...Three-sport star (baseball, football and hockey) who competed in state championships in baseball and hockey...Minnesota State High School Player of the Year in 2007..While playing for Lakeville HS (Lakeville, MN), set all-time school records in HR, RBI and consecutive games played...Father Jay was drafted in the 8th round in 1988 by Minnesota Twins, reaching Class AAA...Mike batted .314, driving in 26 runs while playing for the Brainerd Lakes Area Lunkers of the Northwoods League in 2009, gaining All-Star honors...Led Tri-City (Class A-, NY-Penn League) in RBI with 36 in 2010...Batted .260, led team with 59 RBI and 32 doubles at Lexington (Class A, SAL) in 2011.

K-Man in the field; Photo by Clinton Riddle

Strengths: Kvasnicka manages to square up and make solid contact reasonably well for someone who doesn't use his lower half in his swing. His bat speed and aggressive nature at the plate allows him to let the pitch get deeper in his zone before he swings. He has mainly gap-to-gap doubles power at this point, but he still has time to allow his power to develop. In the field, Kvasnicka handles the hot corner well for someone who is relatively new to the position. His range is slightly better to his glove side, and he makes the majority of routine plays (see below). His arm strength is solid, no doubt helped along by his catching experience, and projects to be at least ML average if not plus. He makes throws to first with confidence, and cannot be underestimated even when throwing from deep behind the bag. He seems to take real joy in what he does, and is often smiling and cutting up with his partner at short between innings.

Weaknesses: While he doesn't seem to be overmatched at third, he is still a work in progress at the position. His 31 errors will attest to that. He can sometimes be caught off-guard by harder ground balls, which is likely due (again) to his having to learn the position while on the job. At bat, he can be overpowered at times by even average fastballs and is often cuffed on pitches up and in. He can battle pitchers who throw a steady diet of breaking pitches, but those at-bats end in groundouts too often. Because he doesn't use his lower body to drive into the pitch he doesn't drive the ball as well as he could, and this also translates into pop-ups on high fastballs that he otherwise could either lay off or drive the other way. He seems to rely on his bat speed and instincts more than he ought to, and will have to learn to leverage himself better if his power potential is to develop. Even so, he is likely to be little more than average (or slightly below) in that department when/if he reaches the majors.

Outlook: Because Houston is in the position it is in (ahem), Kvasnicka may find himself bumped up with regularity. He could probably handle a promotion to AA next year, but would benefit from more time at Lexington before that happens. He strikes me as the type of player whose intangibles make him a positive clubhouse presence, and he did handle advancing to Class A well, while bettering all of his major offensive stats, in the process. Kvasnicka fit in very well with the Legends, and seemed to bond especially well with SS Ben Orloff, which was beneficial to them both as they learned each others' habits and tendencies in the field quickly. Overall, he may not ever be the type of slugging third sacker we've seen in recent times, but at the very least he should at least be a versatile bench player and part-time starter at the ML level (especially when you factor in his experience behind the dish), and the needs of the big club could have him finding out for himself sooner rather than later.

2012 Season-Should start the year with Lexington, with consideration for advancement around mid-season.


Clinton Riddle
The Grand Old Game

Green Diamonds: Hank Conger, C, Cedar Rapids (A, LAA)

Hyun Choi (Hank) Conger, C
DOB: Jan. 29, 1988
HT: 6' WT: 205
B:B T:R
Drafted: Huntington Beach, CA (HS), 2006, 1st Rd.
Signed By: Bobby DeJardin

HISTORY: Given name is Hyun; was nicknamed Hank by his grandfather, taken from Hank Aaron, having had difficulty pronouncing Hyun Choi...Signed for $1.35 mil...Rated as #1 prospect in Arizona League in 2006, debut season cut short to only 19 games after suffering hamate fracture in right hand...Hit .319/.382/.522 in 69 AB in '06, .290/.336/.472 with Cedar Rapids (A) in the Midwest League in '07...Also had 21 2B, 11 HR, 51 RBI, 9 SB in his Class A debut...Gatorade's 2006 California Player of the Year...Has also played 3B, 1B, SS and the OF as a prep player...Named by Baseball America as Best Power Hitter among HS players, 4th best position player in the 2006 Draft (20th overall)...2006 Louisville Slugger Pre-Season High School All-American first team, 2006 and 2005 Cal Hi Player of the Year, and 2005 AFLAC All-American first team.

STRENGTHS: Aggressive hitter, plus power to all fields from both sides of the plate and makes consistent contact...Impressive makeup, mature beyond his years...Arm grades well at C; Pop time of 1.85 sec (measured in 2004)...7.3 in the 60 (also in 2004)...Works very hard at honing his craft, from all accounts.

WEAKNESSES: Does not currently project well if he remains behind the plate; there is some question as to whether he will remain mobile enough to handle the position...Hands and catch-and-throw skills play well now, however...Swing is more a matter of trying to muscle the ball, and has not yet learned to let his leverage work for him...Somewhat pronounced uppercut will cost him Ks at the plate in the higher levels...9 steals was probably a stretch, as he is not a great runner.

OUTLOOK: His power is enough to take him to the Majors, but I doubt he'll be behind the plate when he gets there. If he can maintain some kind of mobility and improve his footwork, he could be a fine corner infielder. The arm strength is already there, and he has the makeup to adjust well to learning a new position. If I'm running the Angels, I'm getting him some work at third and first before he rises above High-A. His value would obviously be higher if he were able to remain behind the plate, but that's not likely to happen. As things stand, I'd like to see a bit more from him before I make a judgement on him, but I like the potential here. You should watch his progress; it may be interesting.

Clinton Riddle