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November 5, 2007

Player Profile

Brooks Conrad

by Marc Normandin

Following the World Series, and before the major league free agent market opens up, the list of minor league free agents is released. Oftentimes this can result in a shuffling of organizational soldiers and career minor leaguers, but on occasion potential late-start major leaguers slip through the cracks and end up available as well. One of the intriguing names on this year's list is former Astros farmhand Brooks Conrad. The 27-year-old Arizona State product struggled through most of 2007 during his third go-round at Triple-A, and failed to crack the majors this time around due to those struggles and also the ceremonial season-long Craig Biggio Death March, not to mention the signing of Mark Loretta. What can Conrad provide to a new employer in 2008 and beyond, and is he anything more than a solid Triple-A lifer?

Brooks Litchfield Conrad played for Arizona State University, with one very productive season and a second less satisfying campaign:

Year Team                  AB   AVG/ OBP/ SLG  XBH%  ISO  2B+3B   BB%    K%
2000 Arizona State(NCAA)  226  .336/.442/.575   40% .239   20    12.9%  16.9%
2001 Arizona State(NCAA)  216  .278/.403/.431   37% .153   18    13.3%  12.2%

The 2000 campaign is the more obviously strong season, with the quality Isolated Power and lofty batting average. Without the .391 BABIP that supported his first campaign, his 2001 stint saw a decrease in both average and power, though his control of the strike zone improved. The dip in stats hurt his draft status, and the Astros took him with their eighth-round pick. The switch-hitter signed shortly afterward, and was assigned to Pittsfield in the New York-Penn League:

Year Team             AB   AVG/ OBP/ SLG  XBH%  ISO  2B+3B   BB%    K%
2001 Pittsfield(A-)  232  .280/.375/.444   39% .164   21     9.3%  18.5%

Though his strikeout rate jumped, Conrad's professional debut went well, as he replicated his production from Arizona State. Conrad also managed to steal 14 bases while only getting nabbed twice on theft attempts. Baseball America did not mention Conrad in their top 30 organizational prospects for the Astros, which is not all that surprising given his low draft stock following a few years of college ball. Conrad was considered an undersized player, much like last week's profile, former Arizona product Dustin Pedroia. Chris Burke, drafted the same year as Conrad, profiles similarly as well—both are listed at 5'11”. Unlike Conrad, Burke had a few more obvious tools, while Brooks was considered more of an overachieving hustler. Like Pedroia, Conrad has surprising gap power for his size, and aims for the lines and corners with his liners.

Conrad spent the entirety of his 2002 campaign in the Midwest League playing for Low-A Michigan, seemingly a pretty ignominious assignment for a college-tested player, but the Astros didn't have a High-A affiliate. Conrad's performance was solid enough:

Year Team          AB   AVG/ OBP/ SLG  XBH%  ISO  2B+3B   BB%    K%
2002 Michigan(A)  499  .287/.368/.477   37% .190   39    10.7%  17.7%