Chris Snelling

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #4 prospect in 2006
  The story never changes with Snelling. In 2005, he hit .370 to raise his career average to .323. He also tore the meniscus in his left knee in spring training, costing him the first two weeks of the year, and sprained the same knee shortly after a big league callup in August, ending his season. Former Seattle manager Lou Piniella wanted Snelling on his Opening Day roster in 2001--when he was 19--and he has been ready to hit in the majors for years. His quick hands, discerning eye and tremendous nstincts have allowed him to rake everywhere he ever has played. He has solid gap power and average arm strength. Snelling hasn't had a healthy season since his 1999 pro debut, and he has played in more than 72 games in a season just once. His litany of injuries includes a broken left hand and ligament damage in his left wrist (2000), a stress fracture in his right ankle (2001), a broken right thumb and blown-out left knee (2002), more problems with his left knee (2003) and a deep bone bruise in his right wrist (2004). Knee surgeries have left him with slightly below-average speed, relegating him to an outfield corner, where his 15-20 homer power is fringy. If Snelling can stay healthy, he'd be an asset in the Seattle lineup. But that's such a big "if" that the Mariners can't count on him. They signed Carl Everett this offseason, meaning Snelling will have to start the year at Triple-A Tacoma.
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  Ranked Seattle Mariners #7 prospect in 2005
  Snelling never has hit less than .305 in six pro seasons, but he never has stayed healthy for a full season, playing just 96 games in 2002-03 because of left knee problems that required multiple surgeries. A deep bone bruise in his right wrist cost him all but 10 games in 2004. Snelling's explosive hands generate hard line drives to all fields. His instincts and drive allow him to maximize his tools. He has average arm strength and can handle either outfield corner. Given his injury history--which also includes breaks in his left hand, right thumb and right ankle, plus a strained left wrist--Snelling needs to tone down his aggressiveness. He hurt his right wrist because he was so eager to come back that he took too many swings. The knee operations have left him with slightly below-average speed. His power ceiling may be 15 homers, subpar for a corner outfielder. Snelling had a setback late in 2004, so the Mariners had him take the winter off. The goal is for him to be 100 percent for spring training and help the big league club after a tuneup in Triple-A.
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  Ranked Seattle Mariners #6 prospect in 2004
  As usual, Snelling produced at the plate and spent time on the disabled list in 2003. He hit .316, matching his previous career average. He missed April recovering from surgery on his left knee, another 21⁄2 weeks in June with tendinitis in the knee and the final three weeks when he tore the meniscus in the knee. Snelling is such an obviously gifted hitter that former Mariners manager Lou Piniella wanted him on his Opening Day roster in 2001--when Snelling was 19. He has quick, explosive hands and makes hard contact to all fields. Tremendously instinctive and driven, he has an average arm and can play solid defense on either outfield corner. Snelling plays so aggressively that he can't stay in one piece. The knee injuries and natural physical maturation have knocked his speed down to a tick below average. His home run power is still developing and may not exceed 15-20 per year, which is fringy for a corner outfielder. After his second knee surgery, Snelling should be 100 percent for spring training. He'll probably go to Triple-A to get much-needed at-bats in 2004. Next year he could replace Edgar Martinez at DH.
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  Ranked Seattle Mariners #2 prospect in 2003
  Since signing at 17, Snelling has done two things: rake line drives and get hurt. He was the Midwest League's best hitting prospect in 2000, when he broke his left hand and injured his left wrist. He won the high Class A California League batting title despite a stress fracture in his right ankle in 2001. Last year, he broke his right thumb in spring training and then blew out his left knee in his eighth big league game. Snelling is a pure hitter who has batted .316 as a pro despite annually being one of the youngest regulars in his league. He has average speed, but his tremendous instincts allow him to play center field. He has the arm for right field when he moves to a corner in the majors. His recklessness is exciting, but Snelling may have to tone it down. He has good gap power but may never hit more than 20 homers, below-average power for a corner outfielder. Snelling is expected to miss part of spring training as he completes his recovery from knee surgery. He's the best candidate for left field but may get some Triple-A seasoning.
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  Ranked Seattle Mariners #4 prospect in 2002
  Some Mariners officials thought Snelling was undersized when they signed him, but he has played big since arriving in the United States. A member of Australia's 2000 Olympic team, he was rated the best position prospect in the low Class A Midwest League that year. Last season he won the California League batting title while playing through a stress fracture in his right ankle. Hitters don't come much more pure than Snelling, but his best attributes might be his confidence and instincts. He has no trouble making hard contact or handling lefthanders. Despite just average speed, he's a terrific center fielder because he gets tremendous jumps and takes direct routes to balls. He has enough arm to play in right. Snelling often gets compared to Lenny Dysktra, and like Dykstra he plays so aggressively that he beats himself up. He broke his hand and injured his wrist diving into a wall in 2000, then hurt his ankle last year. While he has good gap power, he may not hit more than 15-20 homers a season in the majors. Though Seattle has promoted Snelling aggressively, he hasn't been fazed. Don't bet against him reaching Triple-A this year or challenging for a big league job in 2003.
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  Ranked Seattle Mariners #5 prospect in 2001
  Snelling signed as an underdeveloped 17-year-old, but he soon convinced the Mariners they had an Australian Lenny Dykstra on their hands. He was second in the Midwest League with a .342 average when he broke his hand and injured his wrist diving into an outfield wall. He wasn't at full strength when he came back at the end of the season and played on the Australian Olympic team, along with Class A Wisconsin teammate Craig Anderson. Snelling's hustle and all-out play have become his trademark. The Mariners love his attitude and knack for getting the fat part of the bat on the ball. For such an aggressive player, he knows when to be patient at the plate and has more walks than strikeouts as a pro. He runs well and is a solid defender in center field. There's nothing that stands out as a deficiency in Snelling's game. He may learn in time that curbing his aggression might keep him healthier and in the lineup. Snelling could develop into an exciting leadoff hitter, though his bat control would be valuable anywhere in the order. He should open 2001 at high Class A San Bernardino.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Texas League #10 prospect in 2003
  Snelling hasn't been around forever. It just seems that way. After establishing himself as a premium prospect in 2001, Snelling tore the ACL in his left knee last year and got just 116 at-bats. He played well in San Antonio this year and earned a promotion to Triple-A, but again his season was cut short because of tendinitis and then a torn meniscus in the same knee. Snelling is still just 21 and combines good tools with great baseball instincts and incredible drive. Baseball comes easy to him, and he's a pure hitter with quick hands and good pop. His average speed with above-average instincts allow him to play anywhere in the outfield, but he's probably best off on a corner. He probably came back too soon from last year's knee injury, but that's just a product of his drive to succeed. "He has one gear, and that's fourth gear," Brundage said. "He's a great kid to have on your team. Chris Snelling has one objective, and that's to win the ballgame."
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  Ranked California League #4 prospect in 2001
  Lake Elsinore manager Craig Colbert gave Snelling the highest possible compliment when he put him on par with Nady. "He has the best approach to hitting in this league," Colbert said. Often compared to Lenny Dykstra, Snelling proved he was tough as "Nails" when he played nearly two months with a stress fracture in his foot before it was diagnosed two weeks before the season ended. Despite the injury, Snelling captured the Cal League batting crown and piled up 12 outfield assists. Injuries might halt Snelling's progress. Because he plays so hard, bumps and bruises tend to accumulate over the course of the season. He played just 72 games last year, when he broke his hand when he ran into an outfield wall. His aggressiveness also sparked a bench-clearing brawl with High Desert this year.
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  Ranked Midwest League #3 prospect in 2000
  As with the league’s top pitching prospect, the MWL’s best position-player prospect had trouble staying in the lineup. Snelling broke a bone in his left hand in early June, missed a month, then strained a ligament in his left wrist in his seventh game back, costing him another month. When healthy, there was nothing Snelling couldn’t do and he was an easy choice as the league’s most exciting player. "This guy is a threat," West Michigan manager Bruce Fields said. "There’s fear everytime he gets to the plate. We’d say, ‘Geez, we don’t want to pitch to this guy.’ " Though listed a 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Snelling can hit for power and average. He has average speed, center-field range, a right-field arm and good all-around instincts. He also was one of the youngest players in the league at 18, and played on the Australian Olympic team in September.
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  Ranked Northwest League #5 prospect in 1999
  Don't tell Snelling that 17-year-olds are supposed to be overmatched in the Northwest League. The young Australian not only showed solid tools, especially offensively, but impressed everyone with his instincts and desire. "This kid's upside is scary," one manager said. "His instincts are just outstanding and he is an intense competitor and a leader. When he grows a bit more and fills out, he's going to be some kind of hitter." Despite playing his first year in the United States against primarily college-level pitching, Snelling combined power, average and an excellent approach at the plate (33 walks versus only 24 strikeouts). Snelling's speed, arm strength and defensive ability all grade out around average. Although he played center field in Everett, Snelling is likely to end up at a corner outfield position in the future.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #39 prospect in 2003
• Ranked Baseball America's #46 prospect in 2002
• Ranked Baseball America's #98 prospect in 2001

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  As with the league’s top pitching prospect, the MWL’s best position-player prospect had trouble staying in the lineup. Snelling broke a bone in his left hand in early June, missed a month, then strained a ligament in his left wrist in his seventh game back, costing him another month. When healthy, there was nothing Snelling couldn’t do and he was an easy choice as the league’s most exciting player. "This guy is a threat," West Michigan manager Bruce Fields said. "There’s fear everytime he gets to the plate. We’d say, ‘Geez, we don’t want to pitch to this guy.’ " Though listed a 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Snelling can hit for power and average. He has average speed, center-field range, a right-field arm and good all-around instincts. He also was one of the youngest players in the league at 18, and played on the Australian Olympic team in September.