Dennis Raben Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1618
AVG	.292
OBP	.374
SLG	.543
HR	95

Full name Dennis M Raben
Born 07/31/1987 in Hollywood, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Miami (FL)
Drafted in the 2nd round (66th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2008 (signed for $616,000).

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Lefthanded power hitters are always in demand, and with this draft class being low on quality college outfielders, Raben satisfies two areas of desire. A 49th-round draft pick by the Mariners in 2005, Raben chose to attend Miami and helped lead the Hurricanes to the College World Series as a freshman. Following his sophomore year, Raben played in the Cape Cod League for Orleans, hitting six home runs and earning all-Cape Cod League honors. A preseason All-American, Raben was recognized as one of the top hitting outfield prospects in the upcoming draft. Raben has a strong build at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds. He is aggressive at the plate and can often times get caught chasing pitches out of the zone. His swing has some length, but Raben has tremendous power that translates to the game. In the outfield, he is a below-average runner but does have good instincts and takes proper routes. However, Raben could be moved to first base at some point in his professional career.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

Raben didn't have the chance to build on his promising 2008 pro debut, when he slugged .560 in the Northwest League despite a nagging finger injury. He missed all of last season after having microfracture surgery in April to help aid his body in replacing cartilage in his chronically sore right knee. Raben will return with the same offensive profile, though his decreased mobility will now limit him to first base. His range in left field was nothing special, though his arm is average. Raben stands out in the batter's box, where his résumé as a lefthanded power source is bolstered by his track record with wood. He shined in the Cape Cod League in 2007 and might have been a first-round pick in 2008 if not for a back injury during his junior year. Raben's plus power to all fields comes at a cost. He strikes out a lot and never hit higher than .292 in three college campaigns, so expecting him to hit for average in the major leagues is a stretch. He wasn't a factor on the bases even before his knee surgery. Raben turns 23 in July and has yet to play a game in a full-season league, so reaching high Class A in 2010 is imperative.
The Mariners drafted Raben out of high school in the 49th round in 2005, but he opted to attend Miami, where he led the Hurricanes to the College World Series in 2006 and 2008. He starred in the Cape Cod League as a sophomore, marking him as one of the top college power prospects for 2008, but back problems dropped him to the second round, where Seattle signed him for $616,000. Raben has a patient approach, advanced feel for the strike zone and huge lefthanded power to all fields. He already has demonstrated prowess with wood bats in Cape Cod and in his debut, when he slugged .560 despite a nagging finger injury. He has strong instincts in the outfield, where he's an average defender. His arm is average but quite accurate, as he also pitched in college. The drawback to Raben's power approach is that his long swing leads to frequent swings and misses, which will cut significantly into his average. He hit .275 in his pro debut and topped out at .292 as a junior at Miami. He's a below-average runner, and he may face a move to first base as he slows down. A lefty version of former Hurricane Pat Burrell represents Raben's ultimate upside. He could skip a level and start 2009 in high Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Raben's prodigious power had a chance to carry him into the first round of the 2008 draft, but back problems hampered him last spring and helped drop him into the second round. He looked like a premier prospect when he batted .324/.471/.632 in his first month in the NWL, though he missed most of August with a nagging finger injury. Raben focuses on power at the plate, with a big swing and an aggressive approach that translate into some tape-measure blasts when he connects. He may never hit for a huge average, but he does draw walks. A below-average runner, he has good outfield instincts and enough range for right field.