Todd Linden Stats & Scouting Report

AB	502
AVG	.231
OBP	.303
SLG	.335
HR	8

Full name Todd Anthony Linden
Born 06/30/1980 in Edmonds, WA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: S / Throws: R
School Louisiana State
Debut 08/18/2003
Drafted in the C round (41st overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2001 (signed for $750,000).

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The Cape Cod League's top prospect in 2000, Linden showed four strong tools and figured to be one of the first picks in this year's draft. He hasn't lived up to that billing after transferring from Washington to Louisiana State and now looks more like a sandwich pick. It's possible a team will take him earlier than that based on last summer. Linden offers power from both sides of the plate. This spring he has used an all-or-nothing swing that good pitchers have been able to exploit. He has missed a lot of pitches, though his production did increase in the second half of the season. He hasn't run as well or looked as smooth as he did on the Cape. He has played both left and center field for the Tigers, with left his likely destination as a pro because his arm is average at best. His immaturity, which prompted a transfer, bothers some scouts.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

No position player has been better positioned to break into the Giants' lineup the last two years, but Linden has failed to prove he can contribute in San Francisco. After bursting on the scene in 2002, he finished his first pro season in Triple-A--and has been mostly stuck at Fresno ever since. A .186 hitter in his cups of coffee with the Giants, Linden has been unable to make adjustments, forcing the club to go with stopgap corner outfielders such as Michael Tucker. He has yet to temper his all-or-nothing approach, as he sells out for home runs and makes it easy for pitchers to exploit the holes in his swing. He led the system with 149 strikeouts last year and continued to have difficulty making contact in Venezuela in winter ball. Linden does have above-average power from both sides of the plate, and enough athleticism and arm strength to play solid defense at either corner-outfield spot. He'll be waiting in Triple-A if 39-year-old Moises Alou or 40-year-old Barry Bonds breaks down in San Francisco.
Linden was the Pacific-10 Conference batting champion and the Cape Cod League's top prospect in 2000, then led Louisiana State in home runs after transferring in 2001. He has moved rapidly through the system since signing late in 2001, when he negotiated his own signing bonus after a needlessly protracted holdout. Linden has good raw power and projects to hit 30 homers in the major leagues. He generally holds his own against lefthanded pitching. Though he's a bit bulkier than when he signed, he still has good athletic ability, runs well for his size and has an average throwing arm. One club official summed up Linden's offensive plan thusly: "He swings very hard in case he hits it." That wild approach was exploited by Triple-A pitchers. His high leg-kick swing can get out of sync in a hurry, leading to slumps and strikeouts. The free-agent signing of Michael Tucker and the re-signing of Jeffrey Hammonds throw two more obstacles in Linden's way to San Francisco. He'll likely return to Triple-A Fresno for 2004.
The Giants had given up on signing Linden as a supplemental first-round pick in 2001, but then he dumped agent Tommy Tanzer and cut a deal for a $750,000 bonus on his own. Though his pro debut was delayed until 2002, he made up for it by tearing up Double-A and reaching Triple-A. Linden is a switch-hitter with 30-homer potential. Guys like that tend to move quickly, and he has. He sprays the ball around the field and is willing to draw walks, so he'll probably hit for average as well. He has a strong arm suited for right field. He runs well enough to get to balls in the oufield and steal bases if he's ignored. Linden's stroke can get long, and he occasionally overswings and gets herky-jerky with his mechanics. He needs work on his routes to fly balls. Linden finished 2002 in Triple-A and he'll probably start there this year. The Giants don't have a clear-cut right fielder, so it's possible he could break camp with them if he has a big spring. Realistically, he's another year away.
Linden hit .390 as a sophomore at Washington and was named the No. 1 prospect in the Cape Cod League in 2000. He had a stormy breakup with the Huskies, transferred to Louisiana State and had an inconsistent junior season. He returned to Baton Rouge in August but changed his mind and signed, negotiating the contract sans agent Tommy Tanzer. Linden reminds the Giants of Will Clark with his sweet swing and absolute confidence in his ability. He immediately became the system's top power prospect with an impressive instructional league effort, showing pop from both sides of the plate. He recognizes breaking balls well and is a good runner for his size. Linden shows at least average arm strength and projects as a right fielder. His swagger rubbed people the wrong way at Washington, and his makeup was questioned in the Cape League. The Giants would like to see him 15-20 pounds under his fall weight. The organization is barren in the outfield in the minor leagues, and Linden has a chance to move very quickly. If he's in shape, he could advance to Double-A with a good spring.

Minor League Top Prospects

Linden and Foppert were two of the only bright spots in a depressing final season in Shreveport. The franchise will move to Frisco, Texas, next season, and just 24,569 fans came out all season to see the Captains off. Linden also had to contend with one of the better pitcher's parks in the league. He handled it well, earning a promotion to Triple-A for the last month of the season. Like Teixeira, Linden had no professional experience coming into the season. Also like Teixeira, Linden is a switch-hitter with a smooth, natural stroke who tasted immediate success. Managers said Linden was better from the left side than the right. He has the power and athleticism to be a potential 30-30 player, and no one could overlook his confidence either. He improved his defense and arm strength from right field.