Prospect Report:
Second Guessing

David Cameron

Second base is perennially the least talented position in the minor leagues. The most talented infielders are usually placed at shortstop to begin their careers. The shift to the right side of the bag comes only when it is determined that you aren't capable of handling shortstop. Players who begin their careers on the right side of the infield are at a disadvantage: eventually, borderline shortstops and third basemen will slide to second and first base, taking away opportunities from the players already there.

Nothing reflects this like the current crop of second base prospects. It is quite possible that none of these guys will make a major impact at the major-league level. Even the number one prospect at the position is going to have to make some major improvements in his game to become an everyday player. This list could easily be renamed Future Utility Players and be just as accurate.

The cream of this crop is Joey Thurston. Nicknamed Joey Ballgame because of his work ethic, Thurston plays above his tools. He's a ballplayer, not an athlete. He does run well, but he'll never be the fastest guy on the field. Considering that's his best asset, he hasn't overly impressed too many scouts. However, Thurston swung the bat well in AAA this year, nearly achieving 200 hits in 5 months.

Whether he can repeat this kind of season at the major-league level is a big question. He only drew walks in five percent of his at-bats and he showed marginal power. Las Vegas is a hitter's park in a hitter's league, so take Thurston's gaudy batting average with several grains of salt. He could get an opportunity to win the job in Los Angeles next year.

The consensus was that the Astros were reaching when they selected Chris Burke 11th overall in 2001. He was the rare college-polished shortstop who can hit, but defensive questions caught up to him as he was moved to second base. He had a terrible beginning to the season and even a solid second half couldn't rescue his numbers. He's a good defensive player, but Houston signed him for his bat. With Craig Biggio still collecting paychecks, expect Burke to get a chance to redeem himself in AAA next year.

Remember when Jerry Hairston was a hot prospect? Well, now it's his brother's turn. Scott Hairston destroyed Midwest League pitchers this year and continued to flash impressive power for a middle infielder. However, he was playing against younger competition and still hasn't been challenged by the Diamondbacks. He continued to hit after a promotion to high-A, but Lancaster is the best hitters park in the minor leagues, so that isn't much of an accomplishment.

Hairston's defense is regarded somewhere between terrible and awful, depending on who you talk to, and a good number of scouts think he'll end up in the outfield. He's going to have to hit to have any value, and we still haven't seen him face quality pitching. The attitude questions surrounding him don't help matters at all.

The Red Sox will give Freddy Sanchez a chance to break camp as the team's everyday second baseman next season, which is a testament to how well he played this year. Viewed as a utility player, Sanchez hit his way onto the radar screen. After blitzing AA, he held his own in AAA, but there are still concerns.

While he makes good contact, he doesn't draw a lot of walks, so he's going to have to hit .300 to be valuable. He's got spray-power and won't ever be a legitimate home run threat. His defense at second is questionable, but he is improving. In the long run, Sanchez will probably eventually become a utility player, but he's got a shot to make himself an everyday player for at least a few years.

The Padres moved Jake Gautreau from third base hoping to get a Jeff Kent-type bat in their lineup. While his work with the glove does remind people of Kent, his bat doesn't look nearly as potent. He has some power, but he drives mostly mistake fastballs and he still struggles with breaking balls and pitches in on his hands. With Sean Burroughs going back to third base, "The Goat" is going to have to stick at second. With his mediocre defense, he'll have to hit a lot. He's got a shot, but he's far from a sure thing.

The Blue Jays continue to develop second basemen as Dominic Rich emerged as a name to watch this year. He was the best player in the Florida State League, but his lack of power looks like it will catch up with him at higher levels. After the jump to AA, only six of his 36 hits were for extra bases. He's not fast enough to convince a manager to hit him leadoff and not strong enough to hit anywhere else. He's not a tools guy, but he does get on base, so the Jays will give him a look. If he hits the weight room, he could turn into a solid enough leadoff hitter.

The Mariners used to hail Antonio Perez as their shortstop of the future, the jewel received in the Ken Griffey trade. Now, his last productive season is a distant memory, he's been moved to second base, and he has a questionable future with the club. His power and speed combination were lauded in his teens, but then we found out that he wasn't really in his teens. His work ethic is highly questionable and he's missed most of the past two years with injuries. He didn't hit at all in AA, and he'll probably have to repeat the level. He still has talent, but he's yet to put it to use.

Michael Woods missed almost all of this season after a devastating knee injury, but returned late in the year and continued to show why the Tigers are quite high on the young man. His knowledge of the strike zone is tremendous and he has surprising pop in his bat. Despite hitting .225, he was a productive part of Lakeland's lineup, and he's got the stick to hit .270-.280 in the majors. With his plate discipline and power, he could be a solid offensive contributor. His defense isn't as advanced, but he has good instincts around the bag. He's one to watch in 2003.

The White Sox were hoping Tim Hummel would be ready to replace Ray Durham in 2003. Well, Durham is gone, but Hummel has been passed after a miserable season in AAA. He finished strong, but hit in the .230's most of the year. Scouts have never been fond of his defense, with some even questioning whether he could handle second, but his bat has been able to carry him until now.

There are reasons for optimism, however. Despite just hitting four home runs, Hummel has power. He also whacked 33 doubles, and some of those will gain length as he grows. He's probably not going to be a real threat to go yard, though. He will draw walks, but he swings at bad pitches as well. He'll have to improve his approach at the plate and hope to rebound at Charlotte in 2003.

When the Rangers picked a college shortstop in the first round, they drew some curious looks. Drew Meyer was the best player on the board, though, and Texas sees him as a potential all-star second baseman. Meyer showed he can hit in college, but that didn't translate well with the wood bat in his debut season. The consensus is that he'll move to second base soon, and he played there during the season this year.

Meyer has an all-around game without any standout skills, which makes him tough to project. If he can make the adjustments necessary to return to his college hitting ways, he'll be near the top of this list next year.

about the author

David Cameron is hoping to fool elderly ladies into buying his series of Tim Hummel figurines. Cluck your tongue against your teeth at dac@strikethree.com.