Curtis Thigpen Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

AB	118
AVG	.229
OBP	.289
SLG	.297
HR	1

Full name Curtis Barnard Thigpen
Born 04/19/1983 in Dallas, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Texas
Debut 06/06/2007
Drafted in the 2nd round (57th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2004 (signed for $625,000).

View Draft Report

Thigpen isn't a consensus third- to fifth-round pick, but there are teams that could draft him that high because they love his makeup and versatility. Thigpen is an adequate defender and could start behind the plate for many college teams but not at Texas, which has projected 2005 first-rounder Taylor Teagarden. He plays a lot of first base for the Longhorns, and has enough athleticism to play anywhere on the diamond except for shortstop and center field. Offensively, he makes consistent line-drive contact and has some gap power. He led the Longhorns with a .370 average. Thigpen could be very useful in the major leagues as a backup catcher who could play multiple positions.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Thigpen played on three College World Series teams from 2002-04 with Texas, where he served as Taylor Teagarden's backup. Because his catching skills were thought to be less refined, it was a surprise when Thigpen reached Double-A in his first full season and the major leagues in his third. Though he showed a keen eye at the plate and a line-drive stroke as he climbed the ladder, his bat regressed once he reached Triple-A and Toronto. In 593 at-bats for Syracuse from 2006-08, Thigpen batted just .245/.295/.341 with seven home runs and 36 doubles. That might be acceptable if he were an outstanding defensive catcher, but he's merely adequate behind the plate. His receiving skills are strong and he's quite agile, but Thigpen has consistently posted low caughtstealing percentages in the minors. Last season, he nabbed just 16 percent of basestealers. When Brian Jeroloman advanced to Syracuse at the end of July, Thigpen shifted to first base. He also played a handful of games at third base and one at second, and it's as a jack-of-all-trades that he best profiles at the big league level. Because he's so athletic, the Blue Jays have given Thigpen a pass for his poor 2008 campaign and expect him to compete for a backup catcher role until J.P. Arencibia and Jeroloman are ready.
Thigpen was a member of three College World Series teams at Texas from 2002- 04. More advanced as a catcher than the Blue Jays thought, he reached Double-A in his first full season and the major leagues in his third. Thigpen commands the strike zone and handles the bat well, spraying line drives all over the field. He exhibited those skills in Toronto, as well, though his gap power wasn't as evident. He gets good backspin on the ball, hinting that the potential to hit for power is there. An agile athlete, he offers mobility, actions and soft hands behind the plate. He has average arm strength and a quick release. His biggest drawback behind the plate is inconsistent footwork, and he has been slow to improve in that regard. He threw out just 17 percent of basestealers at Triple-A Syracuse, but that number rose to 36 percent in Toronto. His power is below-average but in line with the positional demands. He may lack the build to hold up as a catcher over the course of a grueling season. Much of Thigpen's value is tied to him staying behind the plate. But because he's athletic and light on his feet, he often takes ground balls at the infield corners, and he runs well enough to play the outfield corners. He even has gotten minimal exposure to second base. Toronto will give him every opportunity to stay at catcher, though he could become an extremely versatile utilityman.
Thigpen was a member of three College World Series teams at Texas from 2002-04. The Blue Jays drafted him as a catcher, even though he got little time behind the plate as a teammate of defensive standout Taylor Teagarden. More advanced as a catcher than Toronto thought, Thigpen reached Double-A in his first full season, and managers rated him the Eastern League's top defensive catcher in 2006. Thigpen commands the strike zone and excels at making contact, spraying the ball all over the field. His power is gap-to-gap, and he generates good backspin and carry on the ball. Behind the plate, Thigpen is extremely mobile and athletic for a catcher. He's a solid-average defender with good hands and slightly above-average receiving and blocking skills. His makeup is impeccable and he has the agility to handle the corner infield or outfield positions. Thigpen has average arm strength and a quick release, but his mechanics are inconsistent. He threw out just 24 percent of basestealers in 2006, including one of 14 in Triple-A. New Hampshire manager Doug Davis focused his attention last season on getting Thigpen's feet in sync with his release. An early-season staph infection cut into Thigpen's development time behind the plate. Toronto views Thigpen as its catcher of the future. His bat was probably ready for Triple-A this season, but the organization left him at Double-A to get extra time with Davis. Ticketed for Triple-A in 2007, he could make his major league debut in the second half.
A member of three College World Series teams in three years at Texas, Thigpen saw more action at first base because the Longhorns had one of college baseball's top defensive catchers in Taylor Teagarden. Thigpen has taken to full-time catching even better than the Blue Jays expected, throwing out 40 percent of basestealers and reaching Double-A in his first full pro season. Strike-zone judgment and athleticism are Thigpen's calling cards. He's a line-drive hitter with a short stroke and gap power. He's a cerebral catcher who studies ways to set up opposing hitters, and he works well with his pitchers. He's versatile enough to play anywhere but shortstop and center field. Thigpen is agile behind the plate and has made strides with his footwork, but still can improve his receiving skills. When his mechanics break down, his arm can rate as slightly below-average. The Jays see Thigpen as an everyday catcher and will give him every opportunity to succeed. His strong finish at Double-A was encouraging. He'll likely start 2006 back with New Hampshire.
Thigpen was a member of three College World Series teams in three years at Texas, where he caught sparingly. Taylor Teagarden, a potential 2005 first-round pick, handled most of the catching duties, while Thigpen played first base. But the Blue Jays saw enough of him behind the plate to take him in the second round as a catcher last June. His offense is ahead of his defense at this point. Thigpen starts from a balanced stance, and he has quick hands and a line-drive stroke. He uses the whole field and has a solid approach, but he doesn't have a lot of lift in his swing. Though he showed good pop in his pro debut, he could have a harder time hitting for power against better pitching. He's agile behind the plate, though his catch-and-throw skills are ordinary. He threw out 29 percent of basestealers in the short-season New York-Penn League. He can play anywhere on the diamond except for shortstop and center field, so even if he doesn't become a big league regular he could become a versatile utilityman. He could handle a jump to high Class A, but Robinzon Diaz is one rung ahead of him in the system, which may mean Thigpen will begin 2005 in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Thigpen didn't play much behind the plate at Texas because the Longhorns also had Taylor Teagarden, the best defensive catcher in college baseball. But the Blue Jays saw enough in Thigpen to draft him in the second round as a catcher. He's not raw as a catcher, but his defensive skills do lag behind his offensive game. Thigpen has some pop in his bat and very good pitch recognition. He's versatile enough to play anywhere on the diamond except for center field and shortstop, so he could be a super utilityman if he's not a regular. "He does a terrific job at the plate," Auburn manager Dennis Holmberg said. "He works the count, has a good approach and he's got a knack for putting a consistent swing on a majority of pitches. He's got a chance to be a good big league catcher."