PadresRunDown.com Top-Shelf Analysis of Padres Minor Leagues and Prospects

Top 5 Position Players: Corner Outfielders

Corner Outfielders:

As always my rankings are a mix of upside and likelihood to reach the big leagues…

RF

1. Sawyer Carroll

Sawyer Carroll is not given the credit he deserves for being the athlete he is. Since becoming a professional he has stolen 21 bases (caught 8 times) hit 42 doubles, 6 triples, and 14 HR over three levels (148 games and 561 AB). As a draft prospect he was not credited with much speed, however, since becoming a professional scouts have started suggesting that he could be a sleeper 5-tool prospect that was overlooked in college. He’s not a Justin Upton-type talent obviously, but he may be a poor man’s Paul O’Neil.

2. Drew Macias

Drew Macias is probably more of a 4^th outfielder type than a true right-fielder, but he has the range to play CF and the arm to handle RF. He has never posted an OPS greater than .816 as a minor leaguer. So he is not a high-upside hitter, but in limited at-bats in the Major Leagues Macias has handled himself well and hit 4 doubles and three home runs in 38 at-bats. 

3. Craig Cooper

Craig Cooper is the rare left-handed fielder who hits right-handed. He is athletic enough to have played centerfield in college and when drafted was described as a slick-fielding first-baseman. He also plays a more than legitimate RF. Like Macias his future is likely no more than a back-up corner outfielder/corner infielder, however, legitimate bench players can or break or a team’s season when a star player goes down (see: Ramirez, Manny).

4. Luis Domoromo

Luis Domoromo has the highest upside of any of the players listed… He is still incredibly young; 17 years old and playing in the Dominican Summer League. When the Padres signed the Venezuelan outfielder, he was described with above-average power and an above-average throwing arm. He is a LONG way and we are equally far from knowing how good he may be.

5. Yefri Carvajal

Yefri Carvajal, like Domoromo, was a legitimate power-hitting RF international free agent prospect… Unfortunately, Yefri has shown us enough (1053 AB hitting .270/.307/.379) to make us think he is no longer a top prospect. In fact, he was recently demoted from High-A back to Low-A. On the other hand, the system is weak in players who profile as RF and who are already playing there and Carvajal’s power, range, and arm strength merit inclusion on this list.

LF

1. Jaff Decker

Decker is THE darling prospect in the Padres system. Right now, all 5 tools play above average but as his already thick body matures and fills out, he will lose some speed. But he still profiles as an above average hitter with above average power. He also has a strong enough arm to play RF (he was clocked at 93 as a high school pitcher) but the Padres see him as a left-fielder and is playing there now.

2. Kellen Kulbacki

At the end of 2008 Kulbacki would have topped this list. He hit .332/.428/.589 in 304 at-bats at High A last season. A shoulder injury, which still is not fully healed, has prevented a similar 2009 campaign. As a collegian he posted .944, 1.511, and 1.323 OPS in his three seasons. Kulbacki can hit. Unfortunately he’s below average as a defender and thus limited to LF.

3. Chad Huffman

Chad Huffman is a solid player. He reminds me a lot of Bubba Trammel. He has the talent to play in the bigs and is even better than most people give him credit for. However, he is not a middle of the order run-producer on a championship caliber club. With this in mind, as well as other more heralded prospects (namely Kyle Blanks) getting action at LF, Huffman has played some 1B this season…

4. Danny Payne

Danny Payne adds some speed to this list. He was highly regarded in college but has not been impressive in professional baseball… The Padres explain that he had an aluminum bat swing and his swing-path would wrap around the ball… He is just now starting to get their short-swing mechanics and is finally showing why he was a first round supplemental selection. Unfortunately with the group ahead of him (not to mention Kyle Blanks) he has serious work cut out for him if he going to get significant playing time in the big leagues.

5. Dan Robertson

Dan Robertson is old for his level (he is 23 in Low-A – incidentally, he and I share a birthday) but he can hit. Through 142 career minor league games (and 542 at-bats) Dan has hit .349/.423/.470 with 30 doubles, 6 triples, and 8 home runs. He stole 32 bases and was caught 10 times. Additionally, he only struck out 61 times (while walking 61). He needs to continue hitting at elite levels as he progresses if he wants to be an every-day player in the big leagues.  

Commentary:

Right-field in particular is weak, but either or both positions could eventually be manned by players already in the big leagues – or if nothing else, the top 5 would look significantly different if I included rookies in the big leagues for this list – (Kyle Blanks and/or Will Venable) or players moving off of their current positions… As Geoff Young has pointed out, it is tough to break into the big leagues as a left fielder… 

Programming note: the Players of the Day post is forthcoming – I had a late night… Please forgive the inconvenience.