Chris McConnell Stats & Scouting Report

AB	2833
AVG	.239
OBP	.315
SLG	.335
HR	26

Full name Christopher Michael McConnell
Born 12/18/1985 in Philadelphia, PA
Profile Ht.: 5'9" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Delsea Regional
Drafted in the 9th round (265th overall) by the Kansas City Royals in 2004 (signed for $40,000).

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SS Chris McConnell is athletic and small-framed with outstanding defensive skills. He has average arm strength with soft hands and quick feet, but his speed is below-average and he needs a lot of work with the bat.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Royals were too late finding McConnell in 2004 to send a crosschecker to see him. Instead area scout Sean Rooney borrowed a home video of McConnell's at-bats filmed by his mother, and team officials were impressed enough to give him a bargain bonus of $40,000. The team thought it had a steal after McConnell's tremendous pro debuts in 2004 and '05, but then tinkered with his awkward swing and McConnell responded by hitting just .211 in 2006. He may have turned the corner in re-establishing himself at the plate last season despite hitting just .233. McConnell's defense is what will get him to the big leagues, and the Royals would like to see him take a more conservative approach at the plate to help his advancement, learning to hit behind runners and bunt. While he has some power for a player his size, his swing gets a little long and he needs to stay on top of the ball. Defensively, McConnell could be ready for the big leagues. He has a plus arm that has improved significantly since he was drafted, and he can throw from three different angles. He has above-average range and made just three errors in Wilmington after his promotion. He split time at short with Bianchi in low Class A and the two will compete for the job in high Class A this year.
The Royals thought they had a ninth-round steal when McConnell hit .333 and showed good gap power through his first two seasons, but he took an enormous step backwards with the bat in 2006. He struggled early in the year in low Class A, stopped trusting his swing and his approach disintegrated. He would chase a curve in the dirt and then stare at a fastball right over the plate for strike three. McConnell has an unorthodox swing with a low crouch and a high back elbow, and it remains to be seen whether that will work above Rookie ball. Kansas City was impressed that his problems at the plate didn't carry over into the field. McConnell is a plus defender with quick feet, good hands and an above-average arm, though he is also a little unorthodox in the field as well. He's a slightly above-average runner who's still honing his instincts on the bases. McConnell rallied to post decent numbers after a demotion to Idaho Falls, so his season was not a total loss. The Royals will try and keep him and Jeff Bianchi separated so they can both play shortstop, but both need to advance to low Class A this year. They may split time between second base and short together at Burlington this year.
Area scout Sean Rooney took game tapes he got from McConnell's mother to Kansas City's draft room and used them to support his case to draft the fast-twitch, slick-fielding infielder. McConnell signed for $40,000 as a ninth-round pick instead of attending Louisburg (N.C.) JC. The Royals knew of McConnell's defensive skills--plus range, plus arm, quick feet, soft hands--but his bat has produced more than expected. Though he has an unorthodox stance with a high back elbow and low crouch, his hand-eye coordination and quick hands have produced a .333 average in pro ball. Added strength from maturing physically now allows him to drive the ball into gaps, and he should produce average power for a middle infielder. Instinctive and fluid defensively, McConnell must improve on the bases. He has slightly above-average speed but needs to learn the nuances of baserunning and basestealing. Otherwise, inexperience is his only negative at this point. McConnell's arm strength would push Jeff Bianchi to second base if the duo played together. That won't happen immediately, as McConnell is set for Burlington and Bianchi ticketed for Idaho Falls.
After McConnell's pleasantly surprising offensive debut, the Royals compare him to Mike Aviles, another overachieving shortstop from the New York/New Jersey area. Kansas City drafted him in the ninth round and signed him for $40,000--primarily for his glove. A flashy defender, McConnell has plus-plus range, soft hands and an average arm. His bat was something of a concern, but he hit well in the Arizona League thanks to excellent hand-eye coordination and what scouting director Deric Ladnier calls "good hitting hands." Even when he starts his swing early, McConnell can keep his hands back long enough to make solid contact. His bat control and short, quick swing mean he puts a lot of balls in play. It's questionable how much pop he'll have down the road. McConnell can make spectacular plays at shortstop, but he'll have to cut down on his errors after making 16 errors in 29 games at shortstop. He'll likely move through the system with fellow 2004 draftee Josh Johnson (third round), and they could share shortstop duties at Idaho Falls this year.

Minor League Top Prospects

The third of three shortstops the Royals drafted in the top 10 rounds in 2004, McConnell has exceeded expectations. A ninth-rounder, he outplayed Josh Johnson, Kansas City's third-round pick in the same draft, in every phase of the game this summer. McConnell's strong suit is his defense. He has plus range, good instincts, soft hands and an adequate arm. He's nimble around the bag turning the double play. He has been somewhat of a surprise at the plate, with good bat speed, a patient approach and a proclivity to stay on top of the ball. A dead-pull hitter McConnell showed enough pop that he spent time batting third for the Chukars, though he profiles as a No. 2 or No. 8 hitter. He draws comparisons to 15-year big leaguer Greg Gagne.