10 Prospects Who Could Be the Next Tony Gwynn

A 2007 inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Tony Gwynn was one of the purest hitters the game has ever seen. In his 20-year career, the left-handed hitting outfielder batted .338/.388/.459 with 3,141 hits, 543 doubles, 85 triples, 135 home runs, 319 stolen bases, 434 strikeouts and 790 walks.

A 15-time All-Star, Gwynn played in 2,440 games, all with the San Diego Padres. He led the league in hits seven times, while capturing eight National League batting titles—including in three consecutive seasons (1987-1989).

Statistically, his best season came in 1987 when he batted .370/.447/.511 with 218 hits, 36 doubles, 56 stolen bases and 82 walks (with only 35 strikeouts), resulting in a 8.3 WAR.

Excluding his rookie season in 1982 when he batted .289 over 209 plate appearances, Gwynn posted at least a .300 batting average in the next 19 seasons.

As we look at today’s minor league prospects, are there any young outfielders capable of a Tony Gwynn-like career? Here are 10 prospects who I believe may have a chance.

10. Josh Bell, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age: 20

Current Level: Low-A

2012 Stats: .274/.288/.403, 6 XBH, 21 K/2 BB (15 G)

Josh Bell was the premier prep bat in the 2011 draft class and would have been one of the first 10 names off the board had signability not been a concern. 

He has quick wrists and raw, wiry strength that generates easy power while still allowing him to hit for average.

His defense in center field is highlighted by extraordinary range and a strong arm that's better than people gave him credit for prior to the draft. He’ll likely wind up as a corner outfielder, where those tools will be an even better fit.

Unfortunately, Bell has missed a majority of the 2012 season following knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus sustained while running the bases on April 24.

9. Leon Landry, OF, Seattle Mariners

Age: 22

Current Level: High-A

2012 Stats: .341/.371/.584, 153 H, 65 XBH (18 3B), 27 SB, 66 K/19 BB (104 G)

Selected by the Dodgers in the third round of the 2010 draft out of Louisiana State, Landry has plus speed and defense that allows him to handle all three outfield positions.

A left-handed hitter with a compact swing and direct bat path, he makes a lot of hard contact but hits for limited power.

Therefore, it’s hard to see him reaching the major leagues as a corner outfielder. It’s more likely that he’ll either see time exclusively in center field or become a fourth outfielder.

Regardless, Landry is enjoying a breakout season after posting a .667 OPS last season at Low-A.

8. Rymer Liriano, OF, San Diego Padres

Age: 21

Level: Double-A

2012 Stats: .281/.351/.420, 44 XBH (32 2B), 31 SB, 118 K/40 BB (126 G) 

Liriano struggled at High-A to begin the 2011 season and was subsequently demoted to Low-A, where he garnered Midwest League MVP honors after putting up these numbers, .319/.383/.499.

Loaded with athleticism, he possesses average power and plus speed as well as an above-average knowledge of the strike zone. Liriano’s ability to hit for a high average remains suspect, but that shouldn’t detract from his overall game.

Liriano’s ability to cover ground and above-average arm should allow him to stay in center field for the time being, but his thick build suggests he might get bulky over time and require a move to right field.

Already on the Padres’ 40-man roster, Liriano was promoted to Double-A after posting an .803 OPS at High-A in 74 games.

7. Brandon Nimmo, OF, New York Mets

Age: 19

Current Level: Short Season

2012 Stats: .260/.386/.413, 26 XBH (20 2B), 73 K/44 BB (63 G)

The only first-round draft pick to come out of Wyoming, Nimmo's baseball skills are surprisingly advanced. He has an understanding of the strike zone and a short, direct stroke from the left side. His bat path is pretty flat, but as he continues to fill out and add strength, he should generate at least average power to all fields.

At 6'3", Nimmo is a plus runner who covers considerable ground in the outfield in all directions. However, because his arm strength is only average, he’ll likely be forced to remain in center field. His overall game is still very raw, so don’t expect the Mets to rush him through their system.

6. Albert Almora, OF, Chicago Cubs

Age: 18

Current Level: Short Season

2012 Stats: .331/.341/.480, 14 XBH (11 2B), 17 RBI, 5 SB, 12 K/2 BB (30 G)

Although he’s merely an average runner with an average arm, Almora is an excellent outfielder who gets excellent jumps on the ball (lending to his plus range). Everything he does in the outfield is fundamentally sound, and he takes aggressive routes to the ball. He’s not a particularly fast runner, but his all-out hustle and footwork should allow him to stick in center field. 

A right-handed hitter, Almora has a quick bat and surprising power that allows him to go yard to all fields. He has a controlled swing with a consistent path that allows him to jump on the best of velocities while still keeping enough weight back to drive off-speed pitches.

After batting .347/.363/.480 over 18 games with the Cubs’ Arizona Rookie-level affiliate, he was promoted Short Season Boise where he currently owns a .308 batting average.

5. Mason Williams, OF, New York Yankees

Age: 20

Level: High-A

2012 Stats: .298/.346/.474, 37 XBH (11 HR), 20 SB, 47 K/24 BB (91 G)

In his first professional season, Williams ranked as the New York-Penn League’s top prospect after leading the league with 28 steals and posting a .349 batting average. He has the projectable athleticism and the baseball skills to one day be a dynamic outfielder in the major leagues.

At the plate, the left-handed hitter has quick wrists with solid hand-eye coordination and a swing that projects for some power. Right now, he’s mainly an arms/upper-body hitter, so the incorporation of his lower half should yield significant results.

He has good speed that plays better in the outfield than it does on the basepaths. His range is excellent in center field, and he has a strong enough arm to be considered for right field. Williams has the speed but lacks the intuition of a polished base-stealer.

After posting an .848 OPS through 69 games at Low-A, the Yankees promoted him to High-A Tampa along with fellow prospects Tyler Austin and Gary Sanchez. However, Williams suffered a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery and hasn’t played since July 25.

4. David Dahl, OF, Colorado Rockies

Age: 18

Current Level: Rookie (Pioneer League)

2012 Stats: .377/.423/.607, 97 H, 37 XBH, 53 RBI, 12 SB, 37 K/5 BB (61 G)

A left-handed hitter, Dahl has a level, smooth swing and plate discipline that allows him to handle quality pitching and drive the ball across the whole field. He does project to have some power, though it’s only come in flashes thus far, as Dahl appears more focused on roping base hits rather than jumping the yard.

He has the speed to stick in center, as his instincts have improved over the course of the season.

Recently named the top prospect in the Pioneer League, Dahl has absolutely torn the cover off the ball, collecting 97 hits in 61 games. In the 28 games since the All-Star break, he is batting .400/.433/.632 with 50 hits.

3. Jackie Bradley, OF, Boston Red Sox

Age: 22

Current Level: Double-A

2012 Stats: .318/.429/.485, 145 H, 54 XBH (41 2B), 24 SB, 85 K/84 BB (125 G)

After an injury-plagued 2011 season playing for South Carolina, it appears the Red Sox landed a steal when they drafted Bradley in the supplemental first round of the 2011 draft.

A natural center fielder, Bradley gets phenomenal reads and possesses above-average range. While his arm is strong enough to play right field, his defense is such an asset that he should have no problem sticking in center field in the major leagues.

Even though his plate discipline is among the best in the minor leagues, he doesn’t necessary have the power to play a corner position.

Bradley is an above-average hitter from the left side who is even more effective because of his knowledge of the strike zone and on-base skills. Furthermore, his speed makes him a threat on the basepaths, where he gets excellent jumps and repeatedly demonstrates a knack for swiping bags.

His plate discipline and ability to drive the ball from line-to-line has made him one of the more impressive position prospects in the minors this season, and it’s likely he’ll reach the major leagues at the end of the 2013 season. For now, however, it seems as though he’ll finish his first full professional season at Double-A, where he’s currently batting .275/.369/.441 in 58 games.

2. Oscar Taveras, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

Age: 20

Current Level: Double-A

2012 Stats: .319/.378/.575, 65 XBH (23 HR), 91 RBI, 10 SB, 56 K/40 BB (120 G)

Taveras takes forceful hacks but retains the ability to generate hard contact thanks to his outstanding hand-eye coordination and knowledge of the strike zone. Despite its violent appearance, his swing is balanced and smooth, as he generates exceptional torque and, in turn, the ability to unload on inner-half offerings.

There’s nothing more encouraging than a 20-year-old developing his power at Double-A while retaining a high batting average. It’s hard to predict which tool will ultimately be his best: hit or power.

His above-average speed has allowed him to play all three outfield positions so far, but his highest ceiling comes as a corner outfielder. Given his strong arm, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t end up in right field. His speed is slightly below average, especially on the basepaths, but it plays up a grade in the outfield due to his instincts.

Taveras is arguably the best pure hitting prospect in baseball. That he still has so much time to mature could make him a superstar in his prime. The Cardinals have always been conservative with their development of prospects, so don’t expect to see Taveras before late 2013 at the earliest.

1. Christian Yelich, OF, Miami Marlins

Age: 20

Current Level: High-A

2012 Stats (A+): .321/.394/.508, 45 XBH (12 HR), 48 RBI, 19 SB, 84 K/47 BB (104 G)

Still just 20 years old, Yelich already is a plus-hitter, and still has room to grow with improvement in his plate discipline. A left-handed hitter, his swing is incredibly smooth and fluid, as he keeps his bat in the zone for an extended period of time and attacks pitches throughout the entire strike zone. 

Due to the level plane of his swing, Yelich will only hit for slightly above-average power. But if he's able to add some lift, he has the potential to produce 20 to 25 home runs annually. As of now, most of his power is to the pull side, but he’s started to drive the ball out the other way—something that will only improve with experience.

His easy speed and good instincts on the bases suggest that Yelich will have 20-20, perhaps even 30-30, potential in his prime, while hitting for a high average.