B.J. Szymanski Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1464
AVG	.24
OBP	.299
SLG	.411
HR	53

Full name Brandon Joseph Szymanski
Born 10/01/1982 in Wichita Falls, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Princeton
Drafted in the 2nd round (48th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2004 (signed for $725,000).

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Szymanski has been one of the biggest revelations in this year's draft class. After spending his freshman year as a starting wide receiver on the Princeton football team, Szymanski took part in a Reds tryout camp and was urged by scouts to give baseball a shot. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound center fielder was an instant hit, batting .330 and earning second team all-Ivy League recognition as a sophomore. He rocketed up the draft charts this spring after he hit a mammoth homer off Old Dominion righthander Justin Verlander in front of about 100 scouts in his first game of the 2004 season. He moved up to first team all-Ivy after batting .378-6-48 in the regular season and leading the Tigers in most offensive categories. Szymanski is a gifted, five-tool athlete with a long-limbed body. He has been clocked in the 60-yard dash at 6.45 seconds and shows loose, graceful actions in the outfield with above-average arm strength. At the plate, he has an upright, slightly open stance and a smooth swing. He's a switch-hitter whose swing is almost a mirror image from both sides of the plate, and he has above-average power potential. Szymanski's swing can get long at times, and he could stand to be more patient at the plate.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The book on Szymanski coming into the season was that he needed to prove that he could stay healthy after two injury-prone pro seasons. Szymanski was healthy in 2006, but that was about the only good news in a very difficult season for the former Princeton football star. He'll have to cut down on the strikeouts to have any chance of making the majors. He led the minors with 191 whiffs--one every 2.5 at-bats--in his second year in low Class A. His aggressive approach leaves him an easy mark for offspeed offerings, as he's struggled with pitch recognition. His lefthanded swing isn't as smooth and natural as his stroke from the right side, which explains his large splits (.302 against lefties, .216 against righties). The Reds will keep giving Szymanski chances because of his great athleticism, plus raw power, plus speed and above-average defense in center. He hasn't really earned a promotion to high Class A, but it's hard to imagine the Reds sending him back to Dayton for a third straight season.
A two-sport star at Princeton, Szymanski was the football team's leading receiver and led the baseball team to the Ivy League title as a junior in 2003-04. Already lacking experience thanks to his dual-sport commitment, he has been hampered by injuries as a pro. A quadriceps injury shortened his 2004 debut, and he missed time in 2005 because of arthroscopic knee surgery and a broken hand. When healthy, Szymanski showcases three impact tools, including explosive raw power from both sides of the plate. He has 30-homer potential in the majors. A chiseled athlete, he can fly around the bases and cover the gaps in center field. His arm is average. Szymanski's swing gets long, and strikeouts and a lower batting average will be a tradeoff for his power. He's still raw and must improve in the fine points of the game, such as getting jumps and running the bases. Injuries have limited him to just 272 pro at-bats. Coming into 2005, Szymanski looked poised for a breakout season. Ticketed for high Class A Sarasota, he's again a prime candidate if he can stay in the lineup.
Szymanski broke out as a junior in two sports at Princeton. In football, he had more catches (44) and yards receiving (823) than in his first two years combined. He then led the Tigers to the Ivy League baseball title as their top hitter (.362). The Reds were surprised he fell to the 48th overall pick and signed him to a $750,000 bonus. Szymanski instantly became the top athlete in the organization and shows five-tool potential. He can cover 60 yards in 6.5 seconds, has plus arm strength and has shown above-average power potential. A switch-hitter, he shows a similar swing from either side. A quad injury short-circuited Szymanski's first pro season, and the Reds already had agreed to let him return to Princeton to complete his psychology degree. He may need to shorten his swing and develop more patience. His ability to make consistent, hard contact will determine his success. If he has a strong year in low Class A, he could zoom to the top of this list.

Minor League Top Prospects

Szymanski went two picks ahead of Smith and also has a college football background, having played wide receiver at Princeton. Considered the best athlete among college position players in the 2004 draft, Szymanski had his pro debut shortened by a nagging quadriceps strain. He missed almost three weeks and was shut down in early August, then returned to Princeton to work toward his undergraduate degree. When healthy, Szymanski is a dynamic player with speed and power. He drives balls into both alleys and projects to hit for above-average power. He's savvy, possesses good instincts and is a solid defensive center fielder. He needs to shorten his swing a bit and close his front side on throws from the outfield.