[農場] [BA] Prospect Pulse (April 25, 2006)
主題是近年來招收的游擊手:
FORT MYERS, Fla.--One of the major weaknesses in the Twins system is the lack
of impact bats, but looking beyond the missing pop, there appear to be
questions in the middle infield as well.
That's one of the reasons the club acquired second baseman Luis Castillo
during the offseason for righthanders Travis Bowyer and Scott Tyler and dealt
lefthander J.C. Romero to the Angels for shortstop Alexi Casilla.
The Twins weren't entirely sold on Jason Bartlett filling the shortstop hole
for the short or long term, as shown when they sent Bartlett down to Triple-A
Rochester and opted for Juan Castro on the major league roster. And with 2004
first-rounder Trevor Plouffe and 2005 second-rounder Paul Kelly in the
system, it seems the future at the position lies in the lower rungs of the
organization.
"We still don't have one shortstop that's really cemented himself (in the
major leagues)," farm director Jim Rantz said. "It's been a heck of a battle
over there and we feel like we have some guys who could fill that role. But
obviously those guys are a little ways away."
Trevor Plouffe
Plouffe is the frontrunner and will likely begin the year at high Class A
Fort Myers. While many clubs liked him better on the mound as an
amateur--where he flashed a four-pitch mix and could command a 91-92 mph
fastball--Minnesota saw him as a shortstop. They still see him in the center
of the diamond after struggling through his first full season at low Class A
Beloit, where he finished up batting .223-13-60 in 466 at-bats.
"His numbers didn't show that he had an outstanding year with the bat, but he
put the ball in play, he made improvements," Rantz said. "He showed that he
has some pop in his bat, and in the long run I think he's going to be an
everyday shortstop. This will be his third year out and he's still working at
it.
"He obviously has enough arm to play any position on the diamond, but his
footwork and the overall smoothness of the game has to be ironed out a little
bit."
Paul Kelly
Behind Plouffe is Kelly, and scouts continue to rave about the Flower Mound
(Texas) High product's arm--which grades out as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting
scale--as well as his leadership skills and presence on the field.
"He just goes about his business as a young player," a scout from an American
League club said. "The arm makes you gasp a little bit, but there are a lot
of things to like. He controls the strike zone pretty good, and I think he's
going to hit for some power down the road. The thing you like about him is
his defense at this point, though. But for me, he's a guy who could move
quickly."
Kelly hit .281-3-24 in 153 at-bats between the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League
and low Class A Beloit last season in his pro debut.
Alexi Casilla
The X-factor is Casilla, a career .297 hitter who has hit just three homers
in 694 at-bats. The 21-year-old wows scouts and Twins officials alike with
his range, soft hands and fearlessness on the double play. Though Casilla
will never hit for as much power as either of the other candidates, his speed
on the bases and his ability to get on base give the Twins three legitimate
shortstops at three levels heading into the 2006 season.
"This young man could be an exciting player for us in a very short time,"
Rantz said. "He moves well, has arm strength and range. But right now, we're
looking at how much his bat is going to play into what he's going to be able
to do. We know he can bunt, and we know he's going to leg out a lot of ground
balls, but we'd like to see a little more consistency offensively. Right now,
he could be a .260 hitter with those wheels.
"We're just hoping he can handle New Britain right now."
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