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July 13, 2006

Future Shock

Position Breakdown: Second Basemen

by Kevin Goldstein

Much like first baseman, second base is a destination, as opposed to a place where prospects begin their career. Many of the prospects on this list started elsewhere on the infield, and many of the top shortstop prospects in the game will be eventually joining them, as second basemen drafted in the first-round like Todd Walker and Rickie Weeks are the exception and not the norm. Just a clarification: when choosing these prospects, the pool of players to select from is defined as players in the minor leagues right now who have played the majority of the year at the position.

1. Howie Kendrick, Angels
Age: 23.0 Hitting: .369/.407/.627 in 68 G (AAA)

An obvious choice. Kendrick is the best pure hitter in the minor leagues right now, threatening .400 at various times throughout the year and showing unprecedented power--43 of his 106 hits have gone for extra bases, including 13 home runs in 287 at-bats. He'll never be more than an average defender, but his hitting skills in no way warrant criticism. His hand-eye coordination is off the charts and he can hit any pitch, anywhere. He doesn't walk much, but it's hard to walk when nearly every pitch you see is one you can drive. See Guerrero, Vladimir. A lot has been made of late about the failures of former uber-prospects Casey Kotchman, Jeff Mathis and Dallas McPherson, and people are now questioning if Kendrick is next in line to dissapoint. I don't think so. While they are admittedly a minority, I can find scouts who were just so-so on Mathis, I can find scouts who thought McPherson's swing was just too long, and I even know of one scout who was never high on Kotchman. As far as Kendrick goes--I've looked long and hard, and I can't find a scout who doesn't love him.

2. Blake DeWitt, Dodgers
Age: 20.9 Hitting: .273/.352/.427 in 82 G (A+)

The Dodgers first-round pick in 2004, DeWitt hit .283/.333/.428 last year in the South Atlantic League, and while his numbers are highly similar, he's moved up a level and gone from a hitter's league to a pitcher's league, so this is a slight step forward. Still, and this might sound odd for a guy ranked second overall, DeWitt has yet to really live up to scouts' expectations, or his own reputation as the best high school hitter in the 2004 class. Scouts still project him to hit for average and power when all is said and done. Drafted as a third baseman--where he played last year--his transition to the middle of the diamond hasn't been perfect, as scouts have called him unpolished at his new position, but he does possess the athleticism to become at least average there.