Prospect Report:
Someone Say 'Centered?'

David Cameron

How could you not love the trade between Texas and Oakland this week? In a time when almost all trades are about salary, attitude, or long-term contracts, this was a good old-fashioned scouting trade. The A's part with half of their best prospects but in return get a potential superstar in Carlos Pena. The Rangers move a player who wasn't needed and add some depth in areas where their system is a bit shorthanded.

I think Oakland is going to be happier with this trade in the long run, but getting a pair of upper echelon prospects in Mario Ramos and Ryan Ludwick gives this trade a chance to improve the Rangers as well. Speaking of Ludwick, he's one of the best center field prospects in the game, as we'll see below.

Joe Borchard is not your typical center fielder. He's a slugger, plain and simple. After giving him a $5.3 million signing bonus in 2000, the White Sox compared his power to Mark McGwire, who was never seen patrolling the alleys in St. Louis. A former QB at Stanford, Borchard is a big guy with powerful arms whose swing generates some tape-measure home runs.

His body is built more for right field, but with Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Lee at the corners, the Pale Hose have incentive to see if Borchard can stick in center. He'll never win a Gold Glove there, but with his offensive potential, he could be one of the most valuable players in the game.

Speaking of football, Marlon Byrd looks like he should be playing middle linebacker for the Eagles this weekend rather than center field for the Phillies. Short and stocky, his physique certainly doesn't scream center field, but Byrd makes it work with terrific instincts and hard work. He's a legitimate 30/30 threat and has evoked comparisons to soon-to-be-teammate Bobby Abreu. He's got a solid approach at the plate and should be well above average offensively. If he can stay healthy and play center field on a daily basis, the Phillies could have an annual all-star.

There is no question that the Devil Rays have rushed Carl Crawford. There are, however, two distinct opinions on what this means for his future. There are those who believe that pushing Crawford to AA at age 19 hindered his development as a hitter, pointing to his well-below-average offensive numbers. He needs to get a lot more patient if he's going to live up to the Kenny Lofton comparisons, no matter how fast he is. However, there are also those who believe that Crawford showed tremendous maturity and ability for being at such a high level when most players his age are in short-season ball.

I fall somewhere in between. There is no mistaking Crawford's defensive ability, as he should cover enough ground to be a Gold-Glove-caliber center fielder. He has the potential to be a valuable hitter, but he's not very close to reaching it. He probably should repeat AA next year, but the Devil Rays may continue to be aggressive. If he doesn't get to enjoy some success pretty soon, it may damage his confidence. Overall, I'm cautiously optimistic. He's the biggest risk on the list, but he's got a lot of potential.

Alex Escobar has had one of the more interesting careers in baseball over the past few years. After a huge 1998 season, he couldn't stay healthy in 1999, and had an up-and-down year in 2000. He's been compared to both Andruw Jones and Marquis Grissom. At this point last year, I would have called him one of the most overrated prospects around. After a disappointing 2001, I'll call him one of the most underrated.

Escobar won't be the star that most projected him to be, but he's got great wheels in center field. He is top notch defensively right now, requiring no projection to see him handling center on a daily basis. He's got more power than most players his size and should hit 20-25 HR in the majors. The key will be to refine his approach at the plate. If he can cut down his swing and be more patient, he has the physical skills to be a superstar. If he continues to try and hit every pitch out of the park, he'll simply be a solid starter. The Indians should be happy with him if they stick him in center field and just let him play.

If ever there was a player who could be sued for false advertising, its Jamal Strong. With a name like that, I immediately think 6'7" bar bouncer with arms the size of tree trunks. Quite the opposite, Strong is 5'8" in high heels and can barely hit the ball out of the infield. His game is speed, and he's probably the best base runner in the minor leagues. He's a prototypical leadoff hitter and has remarkable patience. He knows how to get on base and what to do when he's there.

There are questions about his ability to turn on major-league fastballs, and AA will be the true test of his offensive potential. If he can hit .300 at the major-league level, he'll be a terrific top-of-the-order hitter. It's possible that his size will prevent him from being more than a pinch runner, however. Defensively, he's got good range but mediocre instincts. He's capable defensively in center, but probably won't be a huge asset there.

Abraham Nunez went from Arizona to Florida in the Matt Mantei trade a few years ago. Problems with health have limited his development, but he reminds scouts of current Marlins center fielder Preston Wilson. He's got good power and runs well, though isn't very disciplined at the plate and is a mediocre fielder. He actually reminds me a lot of Rondell White, and I could envision a very similar career from Nunez.

Nic Jackson has Cubs fans excited after tearing up the Florida State League, notorious for being a pitchers' haven. He showed solid gap power with the potential to develop into a 25-HR player with good speed. He needs to work the count more, as his poor 39:96 BB:K ratio illustrates.

I think Jackson's getting a little too much hype at the moment. He's still quite a ways away from Wrigley, and needs some refining before he'll be able to compete for a major-league job. With Alou, Patterson, and Sosa patrolling the outfield, Jackson may not have a future in Chicago anyway. 2002 will be a big year for him. I wouldn't be surprised if he really struggled in his first appearance at AA.

The aforementioned Ryan Ludwick is basically Joe Borchard Lite. He doesn't hit for as much power, run as well, or have the same defensive abilities, but he's a similar style of player. His tools won't excite scouts, but he's disciplined at the plate and should produce offensively. Texas has no need to rush Ludwick, so I'd expect him to spend 2002 in Tulsa.

David Krynzel is a strange prospect. His BB:K ratio of 27:122 is abominable, and is generally found in slugging prospects that swing for the fences. However, Krynzel hit just five home runs and slugged .392. So what on earth is he doing on this list? Well, the Brewers rushed him to high-A at age 19, so I can forgive his poor performance a bit.

Krynzel is extremely fast and has a Johnny Damon-like skill set. He hits for high average despite the large strikeout numbers, but I'm somewhat optimistic he'll become more patient as he gets older. He probably won't ever be a star, but he could be a solid player who hits .330 a few times and has a Roger Cedeño-type career.

Speaking of pushing kids, Alexis Gomez probably didn't belong in AA, but held his own anyway. His numbers look similar to Carl Crawford's, though Gomez is slightly older. He doesn't have the same physical skills as Crawford or Escobar, though he has the ability to handle center field. Gomez has a lot of room for growth and needs a couple more years in the minors. He won't be unseating Carlos Beltran in KC anytime soon anyway.

David Cameron has been referred to as a "one-tool player." Let him know that in some parts of town that isn't so bad at dac@strikethree.com.