Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6' 2" Weight: 180 lb
Age: 20
Acquired: 2012 Rule 4 Draft, 1st Round, Alfred M. Barbe High School (Louisiana)
2013: (SS-A) .273/.319/.314, 0 HR, 14 RBI, 2 SB (40%), 14 BB, 30 K
2012: (R/SS-A) .240/.307/.321, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 5 SB (56 %), 18 BB, 44 K
Cecchini has to be the most unexciting 1st round draft pick the Mets have had since Eddie Kunz in 2007. There is just no plus tool to to speak off when it comes to him. He's an above average hitter, below average power, above average defensive SS, above average arm, above average speed, above average range, just average everything. An yet because of all these average to above average tools, he's got a very legitimate chance of being an MLB caliber SS.
In his second season of Short Season ball, Gavin suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for almost a month as he labored through a .259 early season average. However once he returned, Cecchini caught some serious fire, batting .324 in the month of August. That said though, he only had 5 extra base hits and carried a SLG rate that was below his OBP rate for most of the season. If he thought hitting in the NY-Penn League was tough just wait till he gets to Grayson Stadium and the South Atlantic League.
The good news is that Gavin is still young and has room to add a little more power. His work ethic has always been admired having grown up in a baseball family and his brother's break-out season occurred in the South Atlantic League. He certainly still has time to show us if he was worth the 1st round pick, especially since you know.....Courtney Hawkins, Lucas Giolito, Michael Wacha, and Stryker Trahan were all available at the time he was drafted.
Anticipated Assignment: (A) Savannah Sand Gnats starting SS
Ceiling: Unexciting albeit productive MLB SS starter
Floor: Good defensive but poor offensive MLB IF bench piece.
Last I checked, isn't "Above average" typically considered plus?
ReplyDeleteEven if you don't, I do believe most scouts consider his speed and defense as plus tools. Especially if he moves over to second, he could be an elite defender.
As for the bat, it's tough to say. He wasn't drafted to be a power hitter nor will he ever be. He does make good contact and if you've seen him play, you know how fast he is. I think he'll use that on the base paths more this year.
This is always going to be a controversial pick. Giolito all but told teams not to draft him because he wasn't signing. Ditto for McCullers. Hawkins had some serious holes in his game that are still there and still contributing to serious contact issues. Trahan slipped on draft boards but he looks solid and absolutely no one had Michael Wacha going that high. Just my personal opinion, but I don't think Wacha will have the career everyone expects him to. He has a good fastball/change combo so he'll always find success but I watched him in college and I know why no one drafted him out of high school and he fell as far as he did on draft day. He's good but he's not elite.
Cecchini was a boring pick but he wasn't a bad one. Good shortstops are really hard to find and a guy like Lindor profiled similarly as a young player. I don't think Cecchini ever gets to Lindor's level but you're right, he could be a run of the mill shortstop that no one seems to appreciate as much as they should.
Hey Sinfield -
ReplyDeleteCecchini had a year similar to Brandon Nimmo. It's very hard to extract the stats in the games they played that they were not at 100%.
Sometimes you are placed back in lineup to help speed up the strength and conditions of the injury you suffered earlier that year (the only other way to do that could get you a 50 game suspension).
Observers last year told me that he was a hitting machine when he was healthy. They also said he was a defensive gem.
That's enough for me right now.
Last decision to make this spring... he's being pushed from behind by two guys that had good Kingsport seasons, Jeff McNeil and Victor Cruzado... he also is being pushed at Savannah by Amed Rosario... so, who starts in St. Lucie in 2014, him or Rosario?
We should have more problems like this.
Morning Caesar,
ReplyDeleteWhen I say above average tools....I like to think of it as grading a 50 out of 80.
20- poor
30- below average
40- average
50- above average
60- plus
70- plus, plus
80- once in a lifetime
Thanks for the clarification, Christopher. I see what you mean now although I am with Mack, I do see the defense and hit for average tools as plus. Power is probably a 30 at best.
ReplyDeleteMack, I like what you said about Gavin. It's really tough to write the verdict on him so early. As for his placement, I don't see Rosario passing him just yet so I would be a bit aggressive with him and put him in St. Lucie while letting Rosario get the reps in Savannah. I actually do very much like McNeil a lot and he's quite a bit older as well. Is Binghamton too aggressive for him? You figure Muno will be in Vegas, so you go
Savannah- Rosario
St. Lucie- Cecchini
Binghamton- McNeil
Vegas- Muno
Is that good you think? Am I missing anyone?
Sinful - gonna lead off my Friday morning report with this...
ReplyDelete