1/10/11

The Keepers - #16 - 1B/2B - Josh Satin

16. Josh Satin



Satin was drafting in the 6th round of the 2008 draft by the New York Mets.


Baseball America in June 2008: - Phelps' closest comparison may be California senior Josh Satin, who after two difficult springs put it all together as a senior. Satin showed he can hit with wood in the Cape Cod League—he was the league's all-star MVP in 2006—and has above-average bat speed that produces excellent power. He has played mostly second base in college, though many scouts believe he's a better fit in the outfield as a pro due to fringy range and infield actions.


http://www.insidebayarea.com/ : - "That was a huge wake-up call," he said. "That led to the revelation that I really had to improve my game. I had to force myself to become the player that I perceived myself to be." 
So Satin gave himself a crash course on the art of hitting. He worked with Cal's coaching staff on his swing, stuck to a vigorous diet and exercise routine and watched countless videos of different hitters (Miguel Cabrera is his favorite).


John Manuel: "How did Josh Satin last until the sixth round? That’s a surprise, but he’s a college value pick with legit power and a small chance to stay at second base as a pro. The California senior has enough ability to be a useful outfielder and has the raw power to at least have a chance to reach the big leagues. He could be a utility player if he retains his athleticism and can play second or third base. Satin was the Cape Cod League all-star game MVP in 2007."


Satin was drafted at 23 years old, so he’s moving as fast as he can. After signing in 2008, he played for Kingsport (.583/.615/1.000/1.615… okay, it was only 12 at bats) and Brooklyn (.280/.350/.462/.812).


2009 brought Savannah (.284/.385/.418/.803 in 440 at bats, 7-HR, 60-RBI) and a taste of St. Lucie (.364/.464/.591/1.055).


His 2-year professional totals are: .292/.384/.446/.830


Forecast:


It’s obvious that Satin was a good draft pick and the kid can definitely get on base. We should see a little more power this year, but his biggest problem is the fact that Reese Havens is currently being converted to a second baseman in the Winter Leagues. Havens looks timed perfectly for the end of the Luis Castillo contract, which leaves Satin where?


I wrote on Feb 10: - Josh Satin – I didn’t spend much time with Josh last year in Savannah (hell, I didn’t spend much time with anyone there…). There’s no rush for Satin, who will settle into various minor league levels for a couple more years. He was tagged early on as a poor defensive infielder which just isn’t true.


6-21-10 from: - http://www.minorleagueball.com/  - One player who does not have age on his side is New York Mets farmhand Josh Satin, already 25 years old. Scouts discount the UC-Berkeley (sixth round, 2008) product due to so-so tools and his age, but he's hit at every level of pro ball to which he's been exposed, including a .316/.406/.459 mark in the Florida State League this year. He moved up to Double-A last week and is 8-for-25 (.320) so far, albeit with a weak BB/K ratio of 1/7, granted sample size issues. Primarily a second baseman (although he has some experience at third and first), his range is limited but he's reliable on the routine play, not making many errors. A career .298/.388/.450 hitter so far, he's rated mostly as an organizational player, but strikes me as the type of guy who could end up being a surprise contributor in the majors in his late 20s.


7-13 from: - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2010/7/13/1565273/mid-term-farm-system-review-part  - Another impressive Pac-10 product (Cal), Satin has continued to hit his way through the Mets system, one level at a time. Without the raw tools of fellow '08 draftees Havens or Nieuwenhuis, Satin has had to prove himself at each stop and hasn't disappointed. For the second straight year, Satin started the season on fire posting a .343 AVG for the month of May with four home runs (.362 April in '09). Not only did he make the FSL All-Star Game, he won the game MVP. Soon after he was promoted to Binghamton and he's continued to do more of the same, hitting for good average with solid plate discipline and decent pop. His numbers haven't jumped up like Havens but the fact that he's maintained them at Double-A is the key factor here. Satin doesn't have any one skill that jumps out at you but he does everything well, with the exception of speed. Different story on the defensive side where he isn't as strong and probably doesn't profile as an everyday major league second baseman. However, it's his bat that will need to continue carrying him, possibly into a long-term role as a solid offensive-minded utility man.


8-17-10: - from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/436319-unsung-new-york-mets-minor-leaguer-joshua-satin  - A California native, Satin was selected by the Mets in the sixth round of the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft. He's logged some great hitting numbers in the Mets farm system, as he is a career .303 hitter and has shown good discipline. The right-handed hitting Satin began the year at Class A St. Lucie, and has since earned a promotion to AA Binghamton, where he has spent half the year. It is almost difficult to think of Satin as a prospect at this point. The 25-year-old is getting to the point where he is just another minor league player. But this burst of solid hitting should start getting him some attention. To say that Satin has hit regularly doesn't really sum his game up enough. He hit .316 with a .406 OBP in 58 games at St. Lucie. Since his promotion, the hits have kept coming. In 56 games with Binghamton, Satin has posted an even higher batting average of .325 and a .417 OBP.


Sept 2010 from: - http://www.nyfuturestars.com/userblurb.php?item=2026  - The guy just hits and hits wherever he goes. He has turned many skeptics into believers that he can eventually play at the mlb level as a possible utility player. He doesn’t look to be defensively equipped to be a starting 2nd basemen as he spent most of his time this year at 1st base. He doesn’t hit for enough power to play 1st but if he can increase his versatility he can be a valuable player off the bench.


11-15-10 from: - http://networkedblogs.com/ayM5h  - Satin reminds me a lot of a right-handed version of Dan Murphy. He can clearly hit, for average and gap-power with the occasional pull-side homer, and what's more he'll take some walks. Unfortunately he just doesn't have the kind of defensive skill set or even that one plus offensive tool to profile as an every day player. On the bright side, like Murphy, Satin too has been able to get comfortable all over the field which in and of itself creates some of that defensive value that he is otherwise lacking. Satin profiles well as an offensive-minded major league utility man; though with guys like Murphy, Evans & Justin Turner in the fold, there may be a bit of a logjam in that role with the big club.

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