Tyler Greene Stats & Scouting Report

AB	675
AVG	.224
OBP	.289
SLG	.356
HR	17

Full name James Tyler Greene
Born 08/17/1983 in Raleigh, NC
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Georgia Tech
Debut 04/30/2009
Drafted in the 1st round (30th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005 (signed for $1,100,000).

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The latest Georgia Tech shortstop to wear No. 5, Greene falls somewhere between Nomar Garciaparra and Victor Menocal, now the Yellow Jackets' first-base coach. Greene has had a roller-coaster college career, struggling defensively as a freshman (31 errors) but surprising with the bat. As a sophomore, he made just 11 errors but hit .273. In the last two summers, Greene showed aptitude with wood, hitting a team-best .431 with four homers for Team USA in 2003, then batting .296 in 2004 in the Cape Cod League, where he was the No. 2 prospect. Greene's junior season was delayed by an offseason broken jaw. When he came back, he showed scouts the tools to be drafted again in the second-round range, as he was out of high school. Green is a 60 runner (some say 70 under way) on the 20-80 scouting scale, with good instincts on the basepaths and elsewhere. A plus arm and good range make him at least an average defender at short. The question is offense. His hands are just OK both at the plate and in the field. Greene's swing has evolved to a metal-bat, inside-out style that doesn't incorporate his hands, short-circuiting his power and leaving him with several holes. His aptitude with wood, however, reminds scouts of Cubs prospect Matt Murton, who also hit better in summers on the Cape than with Georgia Tech.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The career surge that started in the second half of 2008 continued through last season for Greene, who signed for $1.1 million as the 30th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He caught the eye of the major league coaching staff in spring training and turned that into a 48-game stint with the Cardinals. Greene's athleticism is his most marketable tool and was on full display in his first full pro season, when he hit 20 homers and stole 33 bases. But in June 2007, he dislodged his right kneecap on a swing. It took time for him to regain trust in his knee, and it took longer to regain traction with his career. Greene has plus speed and good pop for a middle infielder, but he continues to fight his freewheeling, all-or-nothing approach at the plate. He has more than enough arm strength to play shortstop, but he can get erratic at times and may not be able to play there on an everyday basis in the big leagues. Greene played all four infield positions as well as center field for St. Louis last season, and he'll try to win a utility role in spring training.
The Cardinals planned to take Greene with the 28th pick of the 2005 draft but caught wind of interest in Colby Rasmus, so they switched their picks and got both players. Greene, a decorated college player, arrived with a $1.1 million bonus and heady expectations. Only in 2008 did he start to reach them, thanks in large measure to regaining trust in his knee. In July 2007, Greene took a swing that ripped his kneecap loose and dislocated it. For a shortstop whose game was based on speed, the injury was a major setback. It took him a year to find his stride again, and he hit .328 after the all-star break in Double-A and left an 18-game hitting steak behind when he was promoted to Triple-A. Overall, he finished four homers shy of a second 20-20 season. The Cardinals added him to the 40-man roster after the season, and he headed to the Arizona Fall League to continue refining a freewheeling approach at the plate. Greene struck out 134 times in 485 at-bats last season, still fighting his habit of chasing pitches. He has the footwork and the arm strength to play short, though he has worked at third and second to give him more versatility. Second base could be the best long-term fit. The Cardinals say Greene has earned an audition for a major league bench job, if not out of spring training then certainly sometime in 2009.
Taken two picks after Colby Rasmus in the 2005 draft, Greene was a decorated college player who received a $1.1 million bonus. His pro career has been uneven to say the least, as he has hit just .233 above low Class A. If there's an element of his game that has translated easily to pro ball, it's his speed. Greene led the system with 33 steals in 2006. But even his speed is a question now, as Greene has to recover from knee surgery. He went on the disabled list with knee pain in June, then returned only to crumple in pain during his first at-bat. Surgery in July cleaned up his knee and ended his season. Greene needs to start making progress with his bat. He began driving the ball more to all fields before his injury, and half of his 54 hits were for extra bases. He still exhibits poor plate discipline and chases too many bad pitches, however. Greene has the arm strength to play shortstop, but his size, footwork and erratic play (64 miscues in 244 pro games) may make him a better fit at third base. He'd have to step up his offensive game even more if he moved to the hot corner. The Cardinals say things were just starting to click for Greene when he got hurt, and at 24 he needs to start moving. He'll start 2008 back in Double-A
Greene capped his uneven college career by batting .372 as a junior at Georgia Tech in 2005, yet questions still surrounded his bat and future profile in the scouting community. After a solid pro debut, he seemed primed to take off, but stumbled in his return to Palm Beach last year. Greene was erratic in the field and wasn't producing at the plate when he was demoted to low Class A. He turned 23 at the end of the season, so the organization is anxious to see some returns on his $1.1 million bonus. One of the organization's top athletes, he may be its swiftest basestealer, with a sprinter's legs and a pickpocket's timing. He made adjustments at the plate after his demotion and learned to use the middle of the field and stop chasing pitches. He showed power potential at Quad Cities, but scouts wonder if he'll be able to handle better pitching. He has the strongest infield arm in the system, though he committed 23 errors in 71 games before his demotion because of poor footwork. Some scouts project him as a third baseman, where he thrived while playing for USA Baseball's college national team in 2003. Greene will give Palm Beach another try to open the season.
Greene had an up-and-down career at Georgia Tech, alternating success with struggles on both offense and defense. He showed better hitting aptitude with wood, batting a team-best .431 for Team USA in 2003 and .296 in the Cape Cod League in 2004. His junior season was delayed by a broken jaw, but he still went 30th overall in the 2005 draft and earned a $1.1 million bonus. When in a groove, Greene hits to all fields and shows pop. The Cardinals regard him as a pure shortstop with a plus arm and good range. He's an impressive specimen with legs that look like a sprinter's, and an above-average runner who's an efficient basestealer. Greene's ultimate value will be determined by what he does with the bat. He tends to be streaky and needs to use his hands better. He gets erratic with his defensive footwork at times, leading to throwing errors. Greene has impressive tools to go with great makeup and a willingness to learn, so he should move quickly if he hits. He'll return to high Class A Palm Beach to start 2006.

Minor League Top Prospects

At Georgia Tech, Greene had a reputation for showing star-caliber offense and defense but rarely at the same time. That continued in his pro debut this summer after the Cardinals made him the final pick in the first round. NY-P observers thought his defense and baserunning were nearly big league-ready, but he hit a soft .261. Greene showed plus range, soft hands and a powerful if sometimes inaccurate arm. He also has above-average speed and swiped 13 bases in 14 attempts. At the plate, however, he was too pull-conscious and swung and missed too often. Greene previously showed good aptitude with wood bats with Team USA and in the Cape Cod League, so the potential is there.