Micker Adolfo report

[southsider2k5]

Video at link

 

http://gradingonthecurve.com/2014/05/27/fi...-micker-adolfo/

 

Adolfo does not look 17 when you stand next to him. He has a mature body, looking every bit the 6’3″ and 225 lbs. he is listed at. Growing up in the US Virgin Islands until the age of 14 has allowed Adolfo to become fluent in both English and Spanish, making him one of the rare youngsters in Extended Spring that doesn’t seem to be stuck in a cultural click.

 

On the field, he has been described as a five-tool talent, but I give him three and a half. His speed is decent right now, but his already big frame will likely get a little bigger and slow him down some. Even as it stands now, he is not all that fast, and his base running is in need of real help. I saw him get picked off at first base when he took a secondary lead more than a third of the way up the line with a runner on second.

 

In the outfield, he has decent range and a very strong arm. He might see some time in center in the low minors, but I see him eventually settling into right field and being an above-average defender there.

 

At the plate, his bat is quick through the zone but currently has a big load, leaving him behind on some fastballs. He will probably be a big strikeout risk early in his minor league career, but as he improves his pitch recognition, the Ks should drop and the average should improve. He has real power in the bat, which is his greatest tool, and the power will only improve in time.

 

He will likely start the year in the Dominican Summer League, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him come back stateside before the season is over. If he makes contact consistently, he could easily flirt with being a top 10 prospect in the White Sox organization by the Spring of 2015.

[bmags]

I can't believe he is 225 lbs. That is some serious build at that age.

 

 

[Rowand44]

I can't believe he is 225 lbs. That is some serious build at that age.

That's freakin huge at that age.

[NorthSideSox72]

Same writer says he'll be reporting on some other White Sox guys in Extended ST in a few days, so we'll track that.

 

Well now, who does that sound just like?

 

Except this kid is 17 and with less experience, and that kind of rawness is very much expected. Let's not sentence every power bat with some swing-and-miss at that age to being Courtney Hawkins.

 

[Eminor3rd]

Well now, who does that sound just like?

 

Every positional prospect in the entire system.

[Bigsoxhurt35]

Every positional prospect in the entire system.

Ha, was just thinking that.

[witesoxfan]

I wasn't speaking towards their rawness, rather when scouts saw Hawkins they said basically the exact same things. I am not trying to draw any parallels or imply that Adolfo will have a career path similar to Hawkins.

 

Check this May of 2012 scouting report on Hawkins. Their tools are profiled the exact same way.

 

http://baseballprospectnation.com/2012/05/...ney-hawkins-of/

 

Great pro bodies likely will lose speed after maturation, power is biggest tool, swing needs a little help, arm strength is legit, could start in CF likely destined for RF, etc.

 

Sounds like Justin Upton too. That turned out OK.

[witesoxfan]

Yeah.. only differences being Justin Upton was the first pick in the draft and was one of the most decorated high school baseball players ever. Hawkins/Adolfo are largely unknown commodities.

 

Courtney Hawkins was the 13th overall draft pick and Micker Adolfo was the #9 prospect who signed for a $1.6 million signing bonus. They're incredibly talented players and both are incredibly young still too.

 

I mean, if you want the Sox to stop bringing in guys with LTP, projectable bodies, incredible bat speed, and off the charts athleticism, that's your prerogative, but maybe we should at least halt the criticism of Adolfo until he has a professional at bat just because he has a similar scouting report to Courtney Hawkins (who, even with a dropping average, has shown the ability to walk and very good power).

[oldsox]

Courtney Hawkins was the 13th overall draft pick and Micker Adolfo was the #9 prospect who signed for a $1.6 million signing bonus. They're incredibly talented players and both are incredibly young still too.

 

I mean, if you want the Sox to stop bringing in guys with LTP, projectable bodies, incredible bat speed, and off the charts athleticism, that's your prerogative, but maybe we should at least halt the criticism of Adolfo until he has a professional at bat just because he has a similar scouting report to Courtney Hawkins (who, even with a dropping average, has shown the ability to walk and very good power).

I think Hawkins had Wite at the back flip.

[Eminor3rd]

I think Hawkins had Wite at the back flip.

 

I think Hawkins had wite at the "young for his level and showing marked improvement."

 

Seriously, I've NEVER seen so many people jump off a bandwagon so fast. I can't even see the argument -- underaged prospect struggles in midst of very aggressive promotion, immediately labelled bust. Repeats level, still young for it, shows substantial improvement, still a bust.

[witesoxfan]

I think Hawkins had Wite at the back flip.

 

I think you lost Hawkins at "he strikes out a lot" when so do a lot of other prospects.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

I think Hawkins had wite at the "young for his level and showing marked improvement."

 

Seriously, I've NEVER seen so many people jump off a bandwagon so fast. I can't even see the argument -- underaged prospect struggles in midst of very aggressive promotion, immediately labelled bust. Repeats level, still young for it, shows substantial improvement, still a bust.

 

Seriously. Even if Hawkins is in high A again next year he'll be totally fine. If he can keep up his 26% k rate this year, keep hitting HRs at a good rate, improve his BA and BB the rest of the year then it's a win. Then next year you hope for the big jump that would justify a push into AA. And he'd still be just 21 years old. Hell, if it takes him 4 more years to reach Chicago he'll still be under 25. It's ridiculous how young he is and to have so many people acting like chicken little about him

[harfman77]

I think Hawkins had wite at the "young for his level and showing marked improvement."

 

Seriously, I've NEVER seen so many people jump off a bandwagon so fast. I can't even see the argument -- underaged prospect struggles in midst of very aggressive promotion, immediately labelled bust. Repeats level, still young for it, shows substantial improvement, still a bust.

 

NEVER? Really it is business as usual here as demonstrated by the people that giving up on Semien as a big leaguer after his limited exposure. I think people vastly underrate the amount of development that goes on, especially in the minors and expect highly rated prospects to dominate at every level. I would argue that if Hawkins was on the same promotion schedule as Buxton, he would still have been a top 50 prospect going into this season, but the aggressive promotion exposed some warts a more quickly.

[Balta1701]

Seriously. Even if Hawkins is in high A again next year he'll be totally fine. If he can keep up his 26% k rate this year, keep hitting HRs at a good rate, improve his BA and BB the rest of the year then it's a win. Then next year you hope for the big jump that would justify a push into AA. And he'd still be just 21 years old. Hell, if it takes him 4 more years to reach Chicago he'll still be under 25. It's ridiculous how young he is and to have so many people acting like chicken little about him

So wait, I just noticed this by reading 2 threads back to back. Hawkins's K rate this year is almost identical to Kris Bryant?

[NorthSideSox72]

So wait, I just noticed this by reading 2 threads back to back. Hawkins's K rate this year is almost identical to Kris Bryant?

Yup. His K rate is down substantially.

 

This slump he's been in for a few weeks was going to happen, as it does for virtually every prospect. The keys were - does he start flailing like he was strikeout-wise, or does he keep the contact rate reasonable even when he's down? And, does he bounce back eventually? He's answered the first in the affirmative. Time will tell on the second. But it is way, way too early for anyone to be giving up on him as a prospect.

 

[GGajewski18]

White Sox had an Instagram photo of Micker Adolfo taking batting practice in Glendale, Arizona. So he's probably beginning the season there like we've suspected.

[oldsox]

Polanco, now 22, also struggled a bit in Pittsburgh chain a couple of years ago. Now a can't miss guy.