Entering the 2003 MLB Draft, Sean Rodriguez was a shortstop coming out of Braddock High School in Florida. He was the 14th rated prospect coming out of a very deep and talented Florida draft class and was ranked 84th overall. He was viewed as a guy who had the arm, range and hands to play shortstop, but scouts that he might wind up at second or behind the dish. He was seen as a guy with excellent linedrive swing and outstanding instincts and makeup. He also had excellent pedigree, his dad is a minor league manager and his brother is in the minors. He was slated as a third-to-fifth round draft pick and that came true as the Anaheim Angels took him with their 3rd round pitck (90th overall).
He signed quickly for $400,000 and made his debut in the Arizona Summer League. He got in 54 games hitting .269/.332/.380 flashing good extra base power and swiping 11 bases. He only knocked 2 homers, and struck out 37 times to just 14 walks. Something he needed to work on at the time. He was overshadowed by Brandon Wood on the team, starting out at third before moving to shortstop once Wood was promoted. He was rated the 18th best prospect in the league. He was not in the Angels top 10, which was no surprise as they had a very deep system at the time. The rumor still was that he might have been great behind the dish, but that never happened.
Going into 2004 the Angels shipped him up to fullseason Low A Cedar Rapids to start the season. Because of Howie Kendrick and Brandon Wood in the middle infield, he split time between centerfield and thirdbase. The Angels still thought he would stick at short, but they didn't have a spot for him. He struggled through the beginning of the season hitting .250/.333/.393 in just under 200 ABs. He showed gap power, but struck out 54 times and only walked 18. Once shortseason Provo started up in June they moved him down (where he was still underaged to the league) so he could play short. He flatout raked for 64 games hitting .338/.486/.569 with 51 walks and 62 strikeouts. He really made strides with the walk rate, a good sign for him. To go with the 51 walks he was hit 15 times. Overall he had about 440 ABs and hit 14 homers, stole 23 bases with 69 walks. Baseball America didn't rank him in the MWL top 20, but he was third in the Pioneer League ahead of Billy Butler and Scott Elbert. They commended his patience at the plate and advanced approach. He was the league's MVP and was thought to be moved behind the plate in the instructional league.
That move never happened, and he stayed in the middle infield. He was just out of their Top 10 that year and started back at Low A Cedar Rapids as a 20 year old in 2005 (mainly to Kendrick and Wood). He didn'thit for the guady average he showed in Provo, but he hit a solid .250/.371/.422 overall with 14 homer and 29 doubles. He also stole 27 bases and walked 78 times in 124 games. He showed his great patience, but struck out a bit. Still it was a solid season, but BA took the toolsy nature and didn't think much of him. They slapped the potential utility label on him. He was close to the top 20 in the league, but didn't make that or the Angels top 10. He was quietly becoming the underrated saber prospect. BA said he had the best discipline in the system, and said he had tools.
This year they moved him up to the California League. It's an offensive enironment and he torched the league. Yes, he did hit 16 of his 24 homers at home - but his park plays as a below league average home run park, so what gives? I doubt there's much in the splits. He hit .302/.379/.548 overall in the league with 24 homers. He didn't have the godly walk rate, 47:447 ABs and 122 strikeouts. However, to silence the critics he had an impressive final month in double a hitting .354/.462/.662 with 5 homers in 65 AB with 11 BB and 18 Ks. Granted his home park there is a home run park, but even in the small sample he showed he could hang in Double A. Overall a shortstop hitting 29 homers with 60 walks would get a lot of publicity, but not Rodriguez. They once again slapped the utility tag on him as they ranked him the 12th prospect in the league. Again a lot of their ranking was that they didn't think he could stick at shortstop. He's probably going to slot somewhere in the Angel Top 10 this year, but where is anyones guess.
In Sean Rodriguez we have a guy saber guys are going to love. Yes he's going to strikeout a lot and probably won't hit over .280 much, but he's going to take his fair share of walks, totalling between 50 and 80 a season one would think to go with 10-20 HBPs. That's good for .350 or so OBP. He also flashes average power hitting 15-20 home runs power. That's excellent production out of a shortstop with serviceble but below average defense. It's okay for centerfielder or secondbaseman as well. If he moves to third, it's probably league average at the position. Regardless his bat is good enough he can hit at any position except first and leftfield. BA does not properly value the walk, and it obviously affects Rodriguez. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he's the second coming of Carlos Guillen, but I expect he's good enough to be a regular in the majors. He could have been special if they moved him to catcher...
He signed quickly for $400,000 and made his debut in the Arizona Summer League. He got in 54 games hitting .269/.332/.380 flashing good extra base power and swiping 11 bases. He only knocked 2 homers, and struck out 37 times to just 14 walks. Something he needed to work on at the time. He was overshadowed by Brandon Wood on the team, starting out at third before moving to shortstop once Wood was promoted. He was rated the 18th best prospect in the league. He was not in the Angels top 10, which was no surprise as they had a very deep system at the time. The rumor still was that he might have been great behind the dish, but that never happened.
Going into 2004 the Angels shipped him up to fullseason Low A Cedar Rapids to start the season. Because of Howie Kendrick and Brandon Wood in the middle infield, he split time between centerfield and thirdbase. The Angels still thought he would stick at short, but they didn't have a spot for him. He struggled through the beginning of the season hitting .250/.333/.393 in just under 200 ABs. He showed gap power, but struck out 54 times and only walked 18. Once shortseason Provo started up in June they moved him down (where he was still underaged to the league) so he could play short. He flatout raked for 64 games hitting .338/.486/.569 with 51 walks and 62 strikeouts. He really made strides with the walk rate, a good sign for him. To go with the 51 walks he was hit 15 times. Overall he had about 440 ABs and hit 14 homers, stole 23 bases with 69 walks. Baseball America didn't rank him in the MWL top 20, but he was third in the Pioneer League ahead of Billy Butler and Scott Elbert. They commended his patience at the plate and advanced approach. He was the league's MVP and was thought to be moved behind the plate in the instructional league.
That move never happened, and he stayed in the middle infield. He was just out of their Top 10 that year and started back at Low A Cedar Rapids as a 20 year old in 2005 (mainly to Kendrick and Wood). He didn'thit for the guady average he showed in Provo, but he hit a solid .250/.371/.422 overall with 14 homer and 29 doubles. He also stole 27 bases and walked 78 times in 124 games. He showed his great patience, but struck out a bit. Still it was a solid season, but BA took the toolsy nature and didn't think much of him. They slapped the potential utility label on him. He was close to the top 20 in the league, but didn't make that or the Angels top 10. He was quietly becoming the underrated saber prospect. BA said he had the best discipline in the system, and said he had tools.
This year they moved him up to the California League. It's an offensive enironment and he torched the league. Yes, he did hit 16 of his 24 homers at home - but his park plays as a below league average home run park, so what gives? I doubt there's much in the splits. He hit .302/.379/.548 overall in the league with 24 homers. He didn't have the godly walk rate, 47:447 ABs and 122 strikeouts. However, to silence the critics he had an impressive final month in double a hitting .354/.462/.662 with 5 homers in 65 AB with 11 BB and 18 Ks. Granted his home park there is a home run park, but even in the small sample he showed he could hang in Double A. Overall a shortstop hitting 29 homers with 60 walks would get a lot of publicity, but not Rodriguez. They once again slapped the utility tag on him as they ranked him the 12th prospect in the league. Again a lot of their ranking was that they didn't think he could stick at shortstop. He's probably going to slot somewhere in the Angel Top 10 this year, but where is anyones guess.
In Sean Rodriguez we have a guy saber guys are going to love. Yes he's going to strikeout a lot and probably won't hit over .280 much, but he's going to take his fair share of walks, totalling between 50 and 80 a season one would think to go with 10-20 HBPs. That's good for .350 or so OBP. He also flashes average power hitting 15-20 home runs power. That's excellent production out of a shortstop with serviceble but below average defense. It's okay for centerfielder or secondbaseman as well. If he moves to third, it's probably league average at the position. Regardless his bat is good enough he can hit at any position except first and leftfield. BA does not properly value the walk, and it obviously affects Rodriguez. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he's the second coming of Carlos Guillen, but I expect he's good enough to be a regular in the majors. He could have been special if they moved him to catcher...
1 comment:
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