Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Scouting Tim Tebow | BaseballAmerica.com

Scouting Tim Tebow | BaseballAmerica.com

This is a sober, fair and honest assessment of the pluses and minuses of Tim Tebow's effort. It does not include any of the usual histrionics, hysterics and biases that most commentators bring to their assessments. It shouldn't coming from a professional scout. They make their bones being correct about their opinions, not politically correct.  

This is just a very professional analysis of the kids skills and chance to succeed. And if you don't think Michael Jordan wouldn't have gotten a call up by the White Sox back in the day, whether he "deserved" it or not, you're being naive and disingenuous.


Scouting Tim Tebow


Tim Tebow (Photo by Tom Priddy)

COLUMBIA, S.C.—Baseball America provided readers with a scouting report of basketball star Michael Jordan in March 1994 before the beginning of what turned out to be his one season in professional baseball in the White Sox system.
Jordan, who was 31 at the time and had just claimed three consecutive NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls, hit .202/.289/.266 in 127 games at Double-A Birmingham.

Tim Tebow may not be as accomplished as Jordan, but his celebrity immediately translated into robust crowds for the Mets, who signed the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner last September. Fans flocked to see Tebow, whether at instructional league or the Arizona Fall League last year or at big league camp or in the low Class A South Atlantic League this spring.

Through his first 25 games at Columbia, the 29-year-old Tebow hit .236/.313/.360 with two home runs and 25 strikeouts. A major league scout who requested anonymity furnished BA with the following scouting report of the former University of Florida quarterback.

BATTING

Tebow shows some bat speed, but his swing is stiff. He is a physical specimen in the box (listed at 6-foot-3, 255 pounds) with good balance in his swing. He is just stiff, but I understand he has loosened up.

His limited pitch recognition is his issue. That is going to probably be his demise, just because of him being out of baseball for so long.

What he is doing is really difficult, but if somebody is going to (succeed), it is definitely going to be him.

POWER

Tebow has slightly above-average raw power. When he gets on plane and on time in batting practice, he can hit the ball as far as any big leaguer.

He is probably going to hit for a little better power once he gets a better feel for the strike zone.

He is probably going to be a high-strikeout, low-walk guy because he has an amateur approach, which is understandable.

There are a lot of things he does not have. Because he plays left field, he is going to have to hit, and hit a lot. He is going to run into a ball every now and then because he is extremely strong and is a physical specimen.

But being able to get into the batter's box against a Max Scherzer in a playoff game—that is not going to happen.

SPEED

He is an average to slightly above-average runner, but at times he does not give effort and just kind of goes through the motions. That is what you see in a lot of players . . . Nobody runs a hard 90 feet all the time anymore.

At times, he will show a little burst, but he is a side-to-side runner. He runs hard and runs strong. You know what he is. You have seen him on TV playing football. He runs the same way. He's an aggressive, athletic runner with a super athletic body. 

That is not going to translate, especially after his body breaks down over 140 games in the minor leagues. He is not going to be a plus runner.

DEFENSE

Defensively, Tebow has choppy footwork (in left field). His first step is slow. He will get to the routine play, but he is not going to win you a ball game there and potentially could get you beat. He is a left fielder only, and that is being generous in the evaluation.

ARM

Tebow has a below-average arm with a below-average arm action.

MAKEUP
Tebow has unbelievable makeup. You want your son to be him when he grows up. 

He is the type of guy you want to have around young players. He is a plus in every department on the makeup side, from his work ethic to who he is deep down inside to who he is as a teammate. He's just an absolutely good person.

His motto is "pursuing your dreams in any way possible," and I tip my cap to him.

SUMMARY

I believe Tebow is an organizational player. I do not think he is a major leaguer. But if he progresses like he has at low Class A and continues to hit at other levels, then if not this September, it will be next September—if the Mets are out of playoff contention—that he will (receive a callup), just as a marketing, public relations thing.

But if you are looking at him, without looking at those things, he is a mid-level organizational player. I would not recommend him to our club because we try to scout to build a championship club. He does not check those boxes for me.


Sent from my iPhone

No comments:

Giants Top Minor League Prospects

  • 1. Joey Bart 6-2, 215 C Power arm and a power bat, playing a premium defensive position. Good catch and throw skills.
  • 2. Heliot Ramos 6-2, 185 OF Potential high-ceiling player the Giants have been looking for. Great bat speed, early returns were impressive.
  • 3. Chris Shaw 6-3. 230 1B Lefty power bat, limited defensively to 1B, Matt Adams comp?
  • 4. Tyler Beede 6-4, 215 RHP from Vanderbilt projects as top of the rotation starter when he works out his command/control issues. When he misses, he misses by a bunch.
  • 5. Stephen Duggar 6-1, 170 CF Another toolsy, under-achieving OF in the Gary Brown mold, hoping for better results.
  • 6. Sandro Fabian 6-0, 180 OF Dominican signee from 2014, shows some pop in his bat. Below average arm and lack of speed should push him towards LF.
  • 7. Aramis Garcia 6-2, 220 C from Florida INTL projects as a good bat behind the dish with enough defensive skill to play there long-term
  • 8. Heath Quinn 6-2, 190 OF Strong hitter, makes contact with improving approach at the plate. Returns from hamate bone injury.
  • 9. Garrett Williams 6-1, 205 LHP Former Oklahoma standout, Giants prototype, low-ceiling, high-floor prospect.
  • 10. Shaun Anderson 6-4, 225 RHP Large frame, 3.36 K/BB rate. Can start or relieve
  • 11. Jacob Gonzalez 6-3, 190 3B Good pedigree, impressive bat for HS prospect.
  • 12. Seth Corry 6-2 195 LHP Highly regard HS pick. Was mentioned as possible chip in high profile trades.
  • 13. C.J. Hinojosa 5-10, 175 SS Scrappy IF prospect in the mold of Kelby Tomlinson, just gets it done.
  • 14. Garett Cave 6-4, 200 RHP He misses a lot of bats and at times, the plate. 13 K/9 an 5 B/9. Wild thing.

2019 MLB Draft - Top HS Draft Prospects

  • 1. Bobby Witt, Jr. 6-1,185 SS Colleyville Heritage HS (TX) Oklahoma commit. Outstanding defensive SS who can hit. 6.4 speed in 60 yd. Touched 97 on mound. Son of former major leaguer. Five tool potential.
  • 2. Riley Greene 6-2, 190 OF Haggerty HS (FL) Florida commit.Best HS hitting prospect. LH bat with good eye, plate discipline and developing power.
  • 3. C.J. Abrams 6-2, 180 SS Blessed Trinity HS (GA) High-ceiling athlete. 70 speed with plus arm. Hitting needs to develop as he matures. Alabama commit.
  • 4. Reece Hinds 6-4, 210 SS Niceville HS (FL) Power bat, committed to LSU. Plus arm, solid enough bat to move to 3B down the road. 98MPH arm.
  • 5. Daniel Espino 6-3, 200 RHP Georgia Premier Academy (GA) LSU commit. Touches 98 on FB with wipe out SL.

2019 MLB Draft - Top College Draft Prospects

  • 1. Adley Rutschman C Oregon State Plus defender with great arm. Excellent receiver plus a switch hitter with some pop in the bat.
  • 2. Shea Langliers C Baylor Excelent throw and catch skills with good pop time. Quick bat, uses all fields approach with some pop.
  • 3. Zack Thompson 6-2 LHP Kentucky Missed time with an elbow issue. FB up to 95 with plenty of secondary stuff.
  • 4. Matt Wallner 6-5 OF Southern Miss Run producing bat plus mid to upper 90's FB closer. Power bat from the left side, athletic for size.
  • 5. Nick Lodolo LHP TCU Tall LHP, 95MPH FB and solid breaking stuff.