[First Inning] Ten Most Popular Outfield Prospects
http://firstinning.com/
November 17, 2006
The following ten players were the most popular prospects at their position
during the past week according to our site statistics.
Billy Butler
RF | Kansas City Royals
Butler is one of the top hitting prospects in all of baseball. He doesn't
really have a position to play, but he could probably hold his own as a DH in
the big leagues as soon as next year. In his first full season as a
professional ballplayer, Butler hit 30 home runs. Skeptics note that Butler
played for hitter-friendly High Desert, but he hit almost as well on the road
in the California League and continued to hit in double-A and the Arizona
Fall League. Butler is a patient hitter who can compliment his power
production with good on-base skills.
Trevor Crowe
CF | Cleveland Indians
Jacoby Ellsbury
CF | Boston Red Sox
Justin Huber
LF | Kansas City Royals
Huber crushed AA pitching in 2005, but his impressive batting average can be
partially explained by an unusually high .398 BABIP. He is unlikely to hit
for that high of an average again, but he is a patient hitter who is capable
of an above-average OBP even if his batting average dips to .260-.270 in the
major leagues. His strikeout rate experienced a significant increase when he
made the move to triple-A and the major leagues last year, so he may need a
bit more time to adjust to advanced pitching. However, FIPro's long-term
projection for Huber is solid. He could get on base during 35% of his plate
appearances hitter and launch 20 or more home runs per season in his prime.
Lastings Milledge
LF | New York Mets
FIPro projects improved power from Milledge in 2006 and a productive career
as a slightly above-average outfielder in the major leagues. Milledge is not
a .337 hitter; his double-A batting average was inflated by an unusually high
BABIP. He could hit .270 or so and be a productive player at the major league
level if he develops adequate patience at the plate and 20 HR power. Milledge
is fast, but he was terrible at stealing bases in 2005. Expect a dropoff in
stolen base totals in the near future.
Ryan Patterson
LF | Toronto Blue Jays
Hunter Pence
RF | Houston Astros
Pence launched 31 home runs during the 2005 season, but he was a bit older
than his competition so some analysts remain skeptical about his future as a
hitter. He will face more advanced pitching in double-A and possibly triple-A
during the 2006 season and FIPro projects he will continue to slug along the
way. He projects as a .280 hitter capable of hitting 30 home runs per season
at the major league level. He is not a very good fielder but his bat could
more than make up for that.
Felix Pie
CF | Chicago Cubs
Pie was on pace to hit 20 home runs in the Southern League when he injured
his ankle halfway through the 2005 season. He could get a lot of attention
with his power this year, but his poor strike zone judgment is an area of
concern. He has not shown much improvement in plate discipline during his
time with the Cubs, so he risks evolving into the second coming of Corey
Patterson. Pie is a good defensive outfielder with above-average speed, but
that speed hasn't translated into success when Pie tries to steal bases.
Nolan Reimold
RF | Baltimore Orioles
Jose Tabata
RF | New York Yankees
Tabata's FIPro forecast reflects the fact that his approach at the plate is
already advanced enough to ensure reasonable on-base skills in the future,
but his ability to hit for power is not a sure thing. The teenager rarely
pulled the ball in the air and did not show overwhelming power at Charleston.
He has plenty of time to grow, however, and his success versus older
competition in 2006 is an encouraging sign.
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 61.228.180.56
Prospect 近期熱門文章
PTT體育區 即時熱門文章
9
16