Written by Greg Fertel
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25 May 2007
- Age: 24 (officially)
- Height: 6'0
- Weight: 220 lbs
- Acquired: Signed to a 4 year, 2 million dollar deal in 2006
- Position: 1st Base
- Bats: Left
Scouting Report: When he's swinging right, Miranda has a high average, above average power swing to both fields. He was signed out of Cuba with a reputation for an excellent eye for the strike zone and an ability to drive a 2-1 pitch over the fence. He's a big guy who a power hitter's body, and slow foot speed to go with it. He's below average at 1st base, and has none of the tools to make him an option at any other position. He played outfield in Cuba, but would be a pretty poor outfielder in the major leagues.
History: We don't know a whole lot about Miranda's time in Cuba, but he did hit over .300 and flashed 35-40 home run power. The Yankees signed him after he fled the country to a 4 year, 2 million dollar deal. They probably thought that he'd be heading for AAA or AA instead of to A+ Tampa, because that's a pretty reckless contract to give a guy who could be two years away from the bigs. Miranda will be taking a spot on the 40-man roster for a long time now, using up his option years.
This Season: Miranda had a very rough start to his professional career, hitting .238/.292/.321 in April. He has picked it up since then, hitting .250/.319/.524 in May, but something is still obviously wrong. Miranda is supposed to be a disciplined hitter. He has 44 strikeouts in 44 games against just 14 walks. There are two schools of thought: the EJ school and the other guys. The other guys (namely, Baseball America) say that Miranda is having trouble hitting the breaking ball. I think that he's getting pull happy, specifically at home. The Florida State League has some tough ballparks to hit in, and that right field wall at Legends Field has to feel pretty juicy for him. He's may be having trouble with breaking pitches, but Miranda is hitting .213/.250/.360 at home and .277/.357/.494 away. Those numbers scream "Anxious for the short porch" to me.
Outlook and Movement: The Yankees will probably bite the bullet and keep Miranda at Tampa for most of the year, unless he really goes on a big tear. He needs time to adjust to America both on the field and at home. The Yankees have a much better organizational support structure for Miranda in Tampa than they do in Trenton. He'll head to Trenton in 2008, which could put him in contention for a MLB spot in early 2009. He'll have just turned 26 years old, as far as we know.
Ranking: I placed Miranda up here largely out of respect for his reputation. I've been hearing his name mentioned for years without really knowing anything about him. He was a big power hitter there, and he garnered enough respect from major league organizations to command an immediate major league deal after defecting. He has shown flashes of ability in Tampa, but the Yankees obviously aren't getting the polished product that they expected. I wouldn't be surprised to see the man settle down and put together a fine season in the Florida State League by the time September rolls around. I could see him ending up a similar player to Oakland's Dan Johnson when all is said and done.
Next up: #23 Ross Ohlendorf
