Written by Greg Fertel
|
11 January 2008
- Age: 18
- Height: 5'9"
- Weight: 170 lbs
- Position: Centerfield
- Bats: Switch
- Throws: Right
Scouting Report: Almonte has a lot of baseball ability. He's fast, has a quick bat, knows how to command the strike zone, and may even have some power locked away. At 5'9", he has a major challenge to overcome. His speed should translate well into an ability to play center well enough, and if all goes to plan, his bat will make him an asset there.
History: Almonte spent his age 17 season in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .254/.409/.450 with 55 walks and 45 strikeouts in 63 games, equal to 137 (!) and 112 over a full MLB season. He flashed power, hitting 8 home runs, 3 triples, and 11 doubles over that time, equivalent to 20 home runs, 8 triples, and 30 doubles.. He stole 36 bases with 14 (72%) caught stealing, equal to 90 (!) and 35 over 162. Its hard to put stock in a DSL season (the level of competition is just so low), but Almonte was an absolute monster down there. Remember though all of your standard sample size warnings.
This Season: Almonte made his American debut in the Gulf Coast League in 2007. He hit a respectable .288/.372/.406 in 49 games, with 34 strikeouts and 21 walks. His power diminished, with just 10 extra-base hits. Strangest of all, he stole just 8 bases while being caught 9 times. Overall though, he held his own at the age of 18 in a pitcher's league while adjusting to a new position. There's not much more to say - he had a debut very similar to Austin Jackson and Jose Tabata.
Outlook and Movement: Charleston is Almonte's probable destination for 2008. He's a long way off, and would really need to explode to move quickly. Almonte will be one of the league's youngest players, and the Yankee's model with Jose Tabata clearly shows an unwillingness to push him even in success.
Ranking: I had Almonte at 15, while Eric had him down at 22. I think that there is a good chance that a year from now, we're talking about him in the same way that we talk about Jose Tabata. He's a unique type of player, being a small guy with a lot of big-guy potential. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a good comparison, even though comparisons are pretty foolish at this age. Because he has a lot of power and speed, and he's a Latino Yankee, people have mentioned Alfonso Soriano. Considering that Soriano is a big guy with long arms and a telephone poll for a bat, I think that this is a superficial comparison. My first gut feeling was Brian Roberts, but I think that Almonte could be a lot better than Roberts has been. In light of the frivolity of trying to compare an 18 year-old to a MLB player, and the frivolity of trying to convince HOF voters to be reasonable, I'd say that Abraham if everything goes great could be a Tim Raines type. Take that with a grain of salt though.
Next: Brad Suttle. Note that Tyler Clippard was #20 overall.
