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Top 10 second base prospects
Posted: Sunday January 19, 2003 9:18 PM
BOSTON (Ticker) -- While defense has generally been considered the most important aspect for a middle infielder in the past, the wave of offensive-minded players up the middle have all but eliminated the one-dimensional defensive whiz.
Second basemen of late have begun to follow the lead created by shortstops in the mid to late 90s. Though there is no young second base foursome in the majors to rival the likes of Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter and Miguel Tejada, the likes of Alfonso Soriano and Junior Spivey have begun to pave the way on the other side of the second base bag.
The cream of this year's second basemen crop further evidences the development of the offensive middle infielder.
Joe Thurston batted .334 and led the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in hits (196) and runs (106) as the circuit's third-youngest player to start the season.
Scott Hairston led the Midwest League with a .462 on-base percentage and hit .345 with 22 homers and 98 RBIs over two Class A leagues.
Freddy Sanchez grabbed headlines by hitting in 27 straight games at Double-A Trenton.
Andy Phillips emerged from relative obscurity to lead all minor league second basemen with 28 home runs while splitting his season between Double-A and Triple-A, earning a spot on the Yankees' 40-man roster.
Led by the players on this list, the second basemen seen making the jump to the majors in the near future will be relied upon to do more with the bat than just move a runner into scoring position.
Top 10 second basemen
(Note: Players with less than 200 major league at-bats were considered)
1. Joe Thurston, Dodgers
The Dodgers' fourth-round pick in the 1999 draft, Thurston put it
all together in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League last year.
The 5-11, 170-pounder ranked in the top five in 10 offensive
categories and set career highs with 39 doubles, 13 triples and
12 homers before hitting .462 in 13 big league at-bats. A
left-handed contact hitter with good speed, Thurston also legged
out 34 infield hits and stole 22 bases in 31 tries. The
23-year-old's quickness also aids his defense, yielding
exceptional range. With Mark Grudzielanek dealt to the Cubs
this offseason, the second base job in Los Angeles could be his
to lose in spring training.
2. Scott Hairston, Diamondbacks
The latest in the ongoing line of Hairstons to hit the pro
circuit, Scott may turn out to be the best. The 22-year-old
brother of the Orioles' Jerry has hit .346 with a .597 slugging
percentage since being drafted by Arizona in the third round of
the 2001 draft. In 2002, his first full season as a pro,
Hairston hit .332 with 16 homers and 72 RBI at lower level Class
A South Bend. After an August promotion to high Class A
Lancaster, he hit in 17 of 18 games at a .405 clip. Hairston,
who knocked in a minor league-best 39 runs in August, has hit
consistently well in every situation and posted a career .430
on-base percentage. The product of Central Arizona JC has a
strong throwing arm and may eventually see a move to third base
with the presence of Spivey in the big leagues.
3. Orlando Hudson, Blue Jays
Despite getting off on the wrong foot with general manager J.P.
Ricciardi, Hudson will get his chance in Toronto. The
25-year-old presumed heir to the Blue Jays second base job last
year found himself back in the minors after some ill-advised
comments in spring training. To his credit, Hudson played hard
after not making the cut and hit .305 with a career-high 10 home
runs and committed a career-low 10 errors in the Triple-A
International League, earning SportsTicker All-Prospect Team
honors. The switch-hitting Hudson, who batted .276 with four
homers in 192 at-bats with the big club, is a sparkplug with a
contagious energy level.
4. Jake Gautreau, Padres
The 14th overall pick in the 2001 draft, Gautreau is a pure
hitter from the left side of the plate. The 23-year-old was an
All-Star in the Class A California League last year, hitting
.286 with 10 homers and 62 RBI. Gautreau, who batted .355 with
21 homers as Tulane's team captain in 2001, has pop in his bat
that has yet to reach its full potential in the pros. A
converted third baseman, Gautreau has a strong arm and soft
hands to go with a firm grasp on turning the double play.
5. Freddy Sanchez, Red Sox
Beginning with his 27-game hitting streak, Sanchez reached base
safely by hit or walk in 45 consecutive games, extending to the
Triple-A International League. The 25-year-old Sanchez, who
established career highs with seven homers, 66 RBI and 24 steals
last year, is a career .319 hitter with only 152 strikeouts in
1,193 at-bats. He has gap power and keen instincts at the
plate, allowing him to adjust to pitches and hit the ball
routinely hard to all fields. Drafted as a shortstop in the
11th round in 2000, Sanchez has a strong arm and good range.
Though figured to be Boston's starting second baseman upon the
departure of Rey Sanchez, Freddy will likely get a full year of
seasoning at Triple-A Pawtucket with the Red Sox signing Todd Walker.
6. Shaun Boyd, Cardinals
Rebounding from a beaning that ended his 2001 campaign, Boyd
showed no ill effects at the plate in a repeat season in the
Class A Midwest League. Possessing a very quick bat, the
21-year-old ranked second in the league with 245 total bases and
fourth with a .313 average. The 13th overall pick in the 2000
draft, Boyd is a consistent hitter with a good batting eye and
gap power. He also has very good speed, evidenced by 58 steals
in 73 career attempts. With 40 errors last season, the main
question is his defense and a move to the outfield may be
warranted.
7. Robinson Cano, Yankees
Playing in a full-season league at just 19 years old, Cano
slugged 14 homers and knocked in 66 runs to emerge as a Class A
South Atlantic League All-Star. He batted .320 with 14 RBI in
his first 11 games and didn't wear down as the season did,
hitting .367 in his final 11 games with Greensboro before
spending three weeks in the short-season Class A New York-Penn
League to help Staten Island on its championship drive. The
left-handed-hitting Cano, who ranked second in the South Atlantic
League with nine triples, has great power potential and can run
despite a lack of stolen base attempts. Very athletic, Cano has
all the tools to play both second base and shortstop.
8. Andy Phillips, Yankees
Below the Yankees' radar screen entering the 2002 season, the
25-year-old Phillips busted out over the minor leagues' two top
levels. The right-handed hitter led all minor league second
basemen with 28 home runs and batted .287 with 87 RBI between
Double-A and Triple-A. Entering last season, Phillips had only
37 career homers in 1,210 professional at-bats. The Alabama
product is a career .292 hitter who routinely makes solid
contact, but tends to lack patience, evidenced by only 175 walks
in 1,904 plate appearances. Lacking a strong arm, Phillips was
moved to second base in 2001 and has blossomed. With Soriano
manning the position in the big leagues, Phillips' future with
the Yankees is unclear.
9. Chris Burke, Astros
The 10th overall pick in the 2001 draft, Burke moved to second
base last year after being primarily a shortstop. The
22-year-old's positional transition was much smoother than his
adjustment to Double-A pitching, however. He began by going
1-for-21 and finished with a .264 average and only three homers,
30 extra-base hits and a .330 on-base percentage in the
hitter-friendly Texas League. Still, the former University of
Tennessee standout is thought of as a very solid
top-of-the-order prospect with good speed and some pop. With
Jeff Kent recently signed to a two-year deal, Burke will not
need to be rushed.
10. Antonio Perez, Devil Rays
A key to the deal that sent Ken Griffey from Seattle to
Cincinnati in 2000, Perez is now the future up the middle in the
Devil Rays' organization. Traded for Randy Winn when Lou Pinella
was named Tampa Bay's manager, Perez immediately became the best
infield prospect in the Devil Rays' system. A slick fielder with
a live bat, the 22-year-old Perez has plenty of upside, but draws
few walks and has had questions raised about his attitude.
Hampered with wrist injuries since breaking out with a Class A
California League-leading .527 slugging percentage in 2000, the
native of the Dominican Republic will need to reacquaint himself
offensively after managing only 276 at-bats over the last two
seasons. Barring injury setbacks, expect to see him alongside
Rey Ordonez in Tampa's infield before the end of 2003.
Others worth watching: Josh Barfield (Padres), Chone Figgins
(Angels), Ismael Castro (Mariners), Jesus Medrano (Marlins),
Dominic Rich (Blue Jays); Freddie Bynum (Athletics).
© 2003 SportsTicker Enterprises, LP
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