Javier Baez Scouting Report
by cubsfan1 on Jun 6, 2011 7:28 PM CDT
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PrintThis is just a quick run down on the scouting report for the Cubs 2011 1st round (9th overall) pick.
SS. 6'1 205 Arlington Country Day H.S./Jacksonville Fla.
This is a player who was not on my radar for the Cubs pick but has been moving up draft boards as the draft has been coming up. Baez is an explosive player who's bat profiles better then Francisco Lindor's who went a pick ahead @ 8 to the Indians. Lindor's SS defense is much better then Baez but his bat could play @ multiple positions. Prior to the pick I heard Hanley Ramirez type tools ( though not sure what his speed is).
Baez has good hitting ability and above average to plus power. The thing that stands out Is his bat speed which may have been the best in the draft and is getting Gary Sheffield comps. He can be to agressive @ times which is normal for many H.S. prospects. His offensive ceiling can rival anyones in the draft. With the questions about his range probably means he will move off SS. He does have the arm and offensive tools to make the move to 3B. Ihave heard some teams were interested in his potenial behind the plate but I think this would be a disservice to his development. He may also profile better as an offensive minded 2B.
There are some questions about his make up and attitude. He does have good baseball instincts. I like his athletic body and he has the look of a ball player. I don't think signability should be a problem. Overall I like his explosiveness and potential with the bat. I'm fairly happy w/ this pick (although I was higher on Springer) and think he should be a force with the bat. There are many similarities between Baez and Gary Sheffield in temrs of bat speed, ametuer position, where they both went to school, explosiveness and, attitude.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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I like Baez
a lot more than Springer. I’ve been on Baez for a couple of weeks now. No, he wasn’t my first choice, but none of my first choices fell to #9.
Your right.
And you’ve turned me around on Baez.
If he has patience too? Watch out.
"It's easy to do what's ordinary, it's difficult to do what's deemed impossible -- I guess that explains why my life is so hard, because nothing is impossible for me"
This I like
No offense to others who may have another opinion of Baez, but it is very reassuring to hear Josh’s approval. Actually, I want to thank all of you who have followed the draft so closely for providing us with so much information. In my four years here, this is the first time I have seen such in-depth analysis on the draft, which probably has much to do with the current state of the Cubs. But your work and others helped me to take interest in something I had not in the past. So thanks.
My questions is
With Castro presumably holding down the SS position for years to come, why use such a high draft pick on another SS, especially when we need arms?
"Whenever one finds himself in the majority, it is time to step back and reflect," Mark Twain.
by WindisBlowingOut! on Jun 7, 2011 11:54 AM CDT up reply actions
Because Baez
is likely going to be a third baseman in the majors.
See my report on the front page on that.
by Josh Timmers on Jun 7, 2011 12:11 PM CDT up reply actions
I assumed
We’d move him to 2nd, as Vitters is our best 3b prospect
"Whenever one finds himself in the majority, it is time to step back and reflect," Mark Twain.
by WindisBlowingOut! on Jun 7, 2011 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions
I'll check out your report
"Whenever one finds himself in the majority, it is time to step back and reflect," Mark Twain.
by WindisBlowingOut! on Jun 7, 2011 12:17 PM CDT up reply actions
It's not that simple, and in baseball you simply don't draft for need.
Baez is a possibility at SS, a better chance a 2B, and an even better chance at 3B. but we’re talking about an 18 year old, anything can happen here. Let’s just hope he hits for a similar average in the pros as in high school (I kid, I kid).
Baez was hands down the best player available at the time
Huge potential at the plate, they could not let him pass. He may end up as a SS in the bigs, if he does, Castro moves to 2B. If Baez transitions to 3B, Castro remains at SS and Vitters, assuming he ever amounts to anything (highly debatable), moves to 1B.
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Jun 8, 2011 9:30 AM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, I loved him
To me, he was the second best bat in the draft after Rendon. (Starling could be, but he’s riskier.) We’ll have a lot of options on where he plays if he hits like we think he can.
If you want some fun, check out Brewer blogs. They wanted Baez badly and are all cursing the Cubs for taking him.
by Josh Timmers on Jun 8, 2011 11:31 AM CDT up reply actions
Yeah, true
I just didn’t even consider Bell. It will take at least $10 million to sign him and while he’s good, he’s not THAT good.
Drafting for "need" is how Seattle missed on Tulowski
And ended up with Yuniesky Betancourt. They passed on Tulo because they thought they had their future SS in their system already.
2012!
Cubs get No. 1 pick! Who’ll it be?
by bringbackbanks on Jun 7, 2011 9:06 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't know
there isn’t anyone like Strasburg or Harper that is just an obvious choice a year ahead of time.
by Josh Timmers on Jun 7, 2011 10:13 PM CDT up reply actions
He's a possibility
If the Cubs can keep up their awesome performance on the ML field, maybe we’ll have a shot at him. His teammate SS Kenny Diekroeger should be another top 5 pick next year.
Appel: Mid 90’s can reach 98, mid 80’s slider and an above average change up all coming from the right side. What gets me excited is that he’s 6’5 and only 190 pounds and already hitting mid 90’s. That’s pretty lean for 6’5 so if he can beef up then it’s going to be scary.
You also have Lance McCullers out of a FL highschool who can throw upper 90’s. I don’t love him though, think he would be better of refining himself in college.
Kevin Gausman is LSU’s ace and one of my favorites in this draft. He might still be around for us in the 4-7 range. Who knows though.
Lance McCullers.
Any relation to the former major league pitcher by that name?
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I figured as much with the name.
Thanks for confirming. Geez, it doesn’t seem like Lance McCullers the major leaguer would be old enough to have a MLB draft age son.
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What about Pudge?
His son just got drafted and he’s still in the bigs.
Should be fun watching him progress
Any word on whether the Cubs will try to make his stick at short or whether they’ll move him to 3rd straight off?
"Playoffs?!" -Jim Mora
by Castro Por Presidente on Jun 6, 2011 7:43 PM CDT reply actions
I really like this pick.
Can’t wait to see him get started. Best bat upside in the system…on sheffield comp…he was drafted as a ss too.
by SenorGato on Jun 6, 2011 7:48 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Right on Sheffield.
And he wasn’t very good at SS, which is why he wound up in the outfield.
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He got too big....
Also saw time at 3b early in his career iirc. with the brewers I’m thinking…after they moved him off short.
by SenorGato on Jun 6, 2011 8:30 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
It's crazy because...
teams aren’t allowed to do things like move players around. I thought once you were labeled you were always that thing in baseball.
what's in it for me?
flippity floppity floop
by jesus christos on Jun 8, 2011 4:03 PM CDT up reply actions
He almost won the Triple Crown
Playing 3rd base in San Diego. Batting 3rd in front of Fred McGriff.
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
Damn.
Baez hit .771 with 20 doubles, 6 triples, 22 HR, 52 RBI, 46 R, 28 SB and 32 walks to just 3 strikeouts in 115 plate appearances this season.
via Cubs Insider
Those are better numbers than anyone in my 16" softball league put up. That’s MASHING.
Twitter: @brandonrifkin
Blog: The Hot Glove || Heckler: The Heckler
Those numbers
don’t really indicate the hacker that they say he is. On the other hand, HS numbers are pretty meaningless.
PD
H.S. numbers are very inflated for high end talents such as Beaz v. lesser talents but the area he’s from is very very talented. I agree w/ Josh that his PD looks better then what the reality is. But wow these numbers are sick. He is very offensive minded.
scoutingthesally.com scouting service $17.95. Very cool service check it out.
Kid like that who so overmatched the competition...
I don’t think he’s a hacker so much as it’s so easy for him o make contact.hard contact.
by SenorGato on Jun 6, 2011 8:03 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Hell I hit .375 as a varsity member!!
Now I am umpiring softball!!
"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Cubs win....what a lucky break!!" ---Harry
Shawon Dunston hit .790 his Sr. year in high school.
He was a career .269 hitter.
"I'd rather hit home runs you don't have to run as hard." -- Dave Kingman
by BucknerKongCardenal on Jun 6, 2011 9:01 PM CDT up reply actions
More Dunston #s?
I am wondering if you have Dunston’s K/BB #’s from HS. An n=1 for comparison is of course meaningless, but, what the heck.
Eamus Ursuli!
Dunston played in Brooklyn
and Baez played in Florida. No comparison really. Baez faced much tougher competition.
by Josh Timmers on Jun 6, 2011 10:52 PM CDT up reply actions
He was also awesome in every which way possible
If you could assure me we just drafted another Shawon Dunston, I’d assure you I’d start making a Baez-O-Meter for deployment down the third base line.
by Orval Overall on Jun 6, 2011 10:28 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
That's correct
If we just drafted someone who is going to play 18 years in the majors, we did real well.
by Josh Timmers on Jun 6, 2011 10:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Highly Rec'd
But I might stop buying tickets down the 1B line. Just in case Shawon 2 has the same arm as the original recipe Dunston.
"Sometimes you eat the bar and sometimes..."
FYI, Dunston Jr plays the outfield
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Jun 8, 2011 9:33 AM CDT up reply actions
He bats left-handed, too
Although he throws with his right.
by Josh Timmers on Jun 8, 2011 11:34 AM CDT up reply actions
Valley Christian (San Jose) is a very good baseball school
I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren
by lookingdeadred on Jun 8, 2011 3:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Any kid who is going to make it as a pro will look like a god in HS ball
Hitters with .700 BAs, pitchers who throw 20+ K no-hitters.
Especially at HS's with tough quality competition
Like FL, CA, or GA
Sounds like a solid pick.
I’m curious about the nature of these attitude problems.
Baseball is pitching, hitting, baserunning and defense.
by daver on Jun 6, 2011 8:02 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
RE;
Said to be aloof but I;ve heard this about many young talented players.
scoutingthesally.com scouting service $17.95. Very cool service check it out.
I bet if you made scoutingthesally.com a link in your sig, you'd get a few more people to click.
$.02
Twitter: @brandonrifkin
Blog: The Hot Glove || Heckler: The Heckler
Aloofness
I think a lot has to do with the fact they are so focused which is taken as aloofness. You have to realize players at this level eat drink and sleep baseball and it takes up so much of their lives and in many ways they sometimes don’t do things normal high school kids do.
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
by puckishcubsfan on Jun 6, 2011 8:47 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm not really worried about his makeup much
He’s a kid and he’s never been in any serious trouble. He seems to come out of a troubled background. He’ll likely grow out of it. I do think it’s worth mentioning and monitoring though.
Lives with his HS coach, mother is in his life but obviously not capable of raising him?
Sounds like a tough background, but he’s never been in trouble, which is a good sign he can be worked with.
I was more worried about Guerreri's makeup
since apparently his changing high schools wasn’t by choice. I don’t know what happened, but that’s the type of thing that causes red flags for me. Not getting angry on the field, which is what Baez has done.
by Josh Timmers on Jun 6, 2011 10:55 PM CDT up reply actions
I've heard a few things
He’s had a few blowups on the field. He’s also been called a bit of a show off on the field—the kind of stuff that gets a ball in your side in the majors. Off the field, they say he’s a bit aloof.
They also
said he comes from a broken home, his coach took legal guardianship of him, but his mom is still in his life to some extent.
If he didn’t have the off-field stuff I’d be really excited about the pick. But giving a kid in that fragile of a situation a few million dollars and independence seems like a pretty risky proposition for a top 10 pick—certainly (imo) as risky as an injury situation or a hole in the swing or anything like that that makes kids fall.
DEJESUS!!!
Interesting stuff.
Thanks to all you guys for the responses.
Baseball is pitching, hitting, baserunning and defense.
by daver on Jun 6, 2011 9:18 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
As I posted in the other thread
Javier’s older brother seems to be a key influence in his life. 8 years older, drafted out of college when Javier was just a middle schooler, surely a bit of a role model. Rolando Agosto (as he’s listed on b-ref) was also a SS, but his main tool was his glove. I could see him living with Javier through the next couple of years. Sure, that means there’s somebody who can legally buy beer, but given Baez is such a workout freak, I’m hoping there’s more of a positive influence. At least his wing man would be looking out for him.
No one should be untouchable on this roster unless his name is Eliot Ness...or Starlin Castro.
Man, he looks good
Infield of the future
1b: Fielder/Pujols
2b: Javier Baez
Ss: Simon Castro
3b: DJ LeMahieu/David Wright/Zimmerman from The Hoarders
by SenorGato on Jun 6, 2011 8:35 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
In case you're not sure
Simon is the one with the goatee.
No one should be untouchable on this roster unless his name is Eliot Ness...or Starlin Castro.
What about
What about his evil uncle Fidel?
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
by puckishcubsfan on Jun 6, 2011 8:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Already givin up on Barney?
Baez could be the 3B of the future as well … as could Vitters. However, if Baez were to end up at 2nd, I wouldnt mind a 2nd basemen with some pop… someone in the mold of Chase Utley would be wonderful.
Barney will never outhit any of these guys
if things go well.
by SenorGato on Jun 6, 2011 8:51 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
As soon as I saw Simon...
…I thought auto correct from a mobile device.
"Pounding sand since 1982...."
Ding ding ding.
I followed the whole draft via the phone. For 30 seconds at the beginning of the draft this site kind of lagged for a second, and I flipped. It worked perfectly during every other second of the day.
My friend's son
My friends son who is 1 year behind has played against him. He’s considered a prospect for 2012 but probably late round needs more development at college level,
This kid is simply an exciting player to watch to put it midly.
And a good kid as well.
She’s going to see if she can send me some video of the games her son played against him.
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
My friends' son
Meant my friends son is considered a possibility for 2012 draft but will probably be late round and college bound for more development.
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
by puckishcubsfan on Jun 6, 2011 8:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Thanks
I just posted below if we had heard from you yet! There you are!
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
by puckishcubsfan on Jun 6, 2011 8:43 PM CDT up reply actions
Have we heard
HAve we heard from Josh yet?
I was going to suggest to him that he write a piece how much he loves Hendry and tell us all about him.
BEcause right after he finished writing up the prospects last fall they traded his big write ups for Garza.
So I’m hoping if he spends time writing up Hendry Hendry will be gone so his time will be wasted :).
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
Meant now that he is the pick what you think of it as to what was still out there.
I was kidding about the Hendry thing. So many want him gone and I was joking about if you spent a lot of time writing him up he’d probably be gone like with the prospect write up that wound up having to be redone when they were traded for Garza.
Came out wrong.
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
by puckishcubsfan on Jun 6, 2011 8:45 PM CDT up reply actions
Baez was my choice
once Springer, Rendon and Archie Bradley were off the board. I was wishing one of those guys would drop.
That's the gist
Thanks. I trust you when it comes to the farm system and that’s the gist I got from reading your Baez writeup.
If Baez is in the infield with Castro and Barney we have a singer, a dictator and a dinosaur with the last names :).
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
by puckishcubsfan on Jun 6, 2011 8:49 PM CDT up reply actions
Starling not Springer, right?
thought Bubba might drop, but ah well…he’s a project too.
by PrincetonCubs on Jun 6, 2011 9:26 PM CDT up reply actions
I knew it was a joke as I was reading it...
because it was whistling down like the dropped bomb of a joke it was.
by SenorGato on Jun 6, 2011 8:54 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
This is a very fun pick...
Kudos to Hendry and Wilken for this ballsy pick. They could have picked someone safer, perhaps Jungmann or Reed, but they went with the huge upside.
I like.
Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.
One thing I can say about this pick
is that it satisfied a need this team had. I credit Wilken for realizing that the system lacked an impact power bat without any huge red flags. If they can teach this kid some serious DP and he can learn to become a more mature hitter, watch out.
Also, I realize that HS stats are typically meaningless, but 22 HR’s is A LOT even for high school. Couple that with the fact that he played in a amateur hotbed in Florida and it becomes even more impressive. If he can take a few walks and learn to hit a professional curve ball he can be fine. He’s not going to be a quick riser though.
I'm asking this as...
someone who doesn’t really know much about the MLB draft process, but… why would the Cubs take a SS with their top pick when they have 21 year old Starlin Castro playing at the big league level? I know it varies by draft strategy, but is this just a case of the Cubs taking the best player available, rather than taking the best player that fits their needs?
You should always go BPA
The Nats did this with Rendon as well. They already have an all-star in Zimmerman, but Rendon was by far the best player available.
Baez doesn't profile as a SS.
He played there in HS, but he profiles as a 3B with good defense or a 2B with okay defense and a big bat.
You usually draft best avaliable.
And Baez has the arm to move to 3rd.
"It's easy to do what's ordinary, it's difficult to do what's deemed impossible -- I guess that explains why my life is so hard, because nothing is impossible for me"
by Unique on Jun 6, 2011 10:44 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Along with the smooth actions and nimble hands for 2B
It wouldn’t surprise me to see him end up at 2B long term.
Heck, the Cubs might even try him at catcher.
by Outshined_One on Jun 6, 2011 10:56 PM CDT up reply actions
I wonder if second base
wouldn’t be a waste of his arm. Still, you’d like his bat there.
by Josh Timmers on Jun 6, 2011 11:04 PM CDT up reply actions
Just out of curiosity.... weren't they saying similar things about Vitters when we picked him?
Point is…. there’s a reason these high school kids are getting picked in the 1st round…. because they put up very impressive numbers at their amateur level.
There’s also a reason why the draft is a crap shoot.
I hope we found a future HOFer… but I’ll stay more grounded until a year or two from now, when we have a better idea of what we got.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
Only real comp is bat speed.
Baez has better glove, better arm, more athletic and more raw power than Vitters does, IMO.
As you say
Vitters didn’t have the power potential of Baez. Vitters’ upside is higher BA though.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
High risk
I kinda like the pick. We could have gone with a college pitcher. That’s slightly less of a crap shoot, but we went with a hs player. 3-4 years minimum for him to see the majors I’m guessing.
Kinda OT
But it’s nice to be able to talk about something positive for once.
by NOLACubs on Jun 6, 2011 10:42 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
I'm just glad we got through the night
without having to shut down comments like we did last year. In fact, while there was a few “meh” reactions to the pick, no one out and out hated it.
by Josh Timmers on Jun 6, 2011 10:58 PM CDT up reply actions
Crazy how the internet works...
If this pick had sucked there would be a dozen threads about it and thousands of posts. People who didn’t care that the draft was going on today would be showing up announcing this as a further sign of the coming apocalypse. Instead there is one draft thread, one scouting report thread, and a mention in the minor league wrap up.
So very true.
If this would have been a surprise pick, BCB may have burned down from the pitchfork and torch crowd.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
Omelki Garcia Speck
What could have been.
I like him.
I was really hoping for Starling, Rendon, or Bradley, but Javy isn’t a bad pick. Definite upside. And I wasn’t impressed at all with the Brewers draft.
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