Fred Lewis Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1562
AVG	.266
OBP	.344
SLG	.403
HR	27

Full name Frederick Deshaun Lewis
Born 12/09/1980 in Hattiesburg, MS
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Southern
Debut 09/01/2006
Drafted in the 2nd round (66th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2002 (signed for $595,000).

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The top two-way player in the state, Tisone signed with McNeese State rather than LSU or Tulane so he could continue to see time at pitcher and shortstop. He played shortstop at the outset of his high school career, and there's little question he could be a productive college hitter. If he signs, he'll give that up and stay on the mound. He just started pitching a year ago, and his fastball has jumped from 87-88 mph to 89-91, with nice sink to boot. Tisone's slider is a plus pitch, his changeup is above-average and his curveball is a tick below-average. He's not huge at 6 feet and 180 pounds, but his stuff isn't short.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Lewis was a wide receiver at Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College and wasn't serious about baseball until he transferred to Southern. His lack of baseball experience showed early in his career, as he needed to repeat levels and struggled with slow starts. But when he arrived as a major league callup in September, Lewis went 3-for-3 as a pinch-hitter and wowed the coaches with his athleticism. The best all-around athlete in the system, Lewis does things on the basepaths the Giants haven't seen from a position prospect since Darren Lewis (no relation). He has the raw skills (bat speed, strength, speed) to hit .300 with 20-25 homers and 30-40 steals annually. He does a good job of recognizing pitches and taking walks. At 26, Lewis is still more about potential than production. He strikes out too much, though he would benefit from swinging at more early count strikes. He doesn't use his speed as well as he could on the bases or in the outfield. He takes poor routes to balls, prompting his move from center field to left last summer. Lewis is ready for a major league role as a spare outfielder, but the Giants want him to play every day to see if he can finally figure things out. There's a good chance he'll return to Triple-A.
Instead of building on a breakthrough 2004 season, when he led the organization in on-base percentage (.424), walks (89) and steals (34), Lewis got off to a miserable start in his first stint in Double-A. His average sat at .223 in early July before he recovered to hit .339 in his final 58 games. A cousin of big league outfielder Matt Lawton, Lewis played wide receiver at Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College and Southern. Lewis' bat speed and level swing could make him a .300 hitter, and he could steal 30-40 bases annually with his plus speed. He has the raw power to hit 20 homers a year, and he took better routes and showed a more accurate arm when he moved from center field to left at midseason. Despite three full seasons in the minors, Lewis remains raw. He's far from mastering pitch recognition, which often leaves him letting hittable pitches go by. His power won't come until he starts to pull the ball more often. The Giants' strength is outfield depth, so they can be patient with Lewis. He might repeat Double-A and could get another shot in center field.
A two-sport athlete who played football at Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College and Southern, Lewis was raw when he was drafted but added significant polish in 2004. He fought off nagging leg injuries early in the season to lead the system in on-base percentage, walks and steals, making it an easy decision for the Giants to protect him on the 40-man roster. No one in the system can match Lewis' all-around offensive tools, and his skills are starting to catch up. His bat speed and plate discipline are the best among Giants farmhands. As he grows into his pull power, he should start to hit 20-25 homers annually. He runs well and has good range in center field, where his jumps and routes have improved. Lewis doesn't play with consistent intensity and can be moody, and he needs experience to improve his instincts and learn nuances of the game such as pitch recognition and situational hitting. He's most raw on the basepaths, where he needs to learn to take more aggressive leads and get better jumps. Though he struggled in the Arizona Fall League, Lewis' combination of tools and hitting ability have him close to breaking the Giants' drought of developing an everyday player. He'll start 2005 in Double-A and isn't far from supplanting veteran Marquis Grissom in center field for San Francisco.
Lewis remains one of the organization's more raw players, owing to his playing more football than baseball at Mississippi Gulf Coast JC. He spent one year at Southern and made as much progress between instructional league in 2002 and 2003 as any Giants farmhand. The fastest runner in the system, Lewis' speed rates a 65 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He worked extensively with former Giants outfielder Darren Lewis (no relation) to improve his reads and jumps in the outfield and to become a better baserunner. Club officials say Lewis' 2003 numbers don't do justice to the juice in his bat and his good raw power. He earns comparisons to former all-star Devon White. Lewis drew a good number of walks in his first full season, but the Giants say that happened by accident. His inexperience leaves him with little feel for the strike zone, which is why his raw power hasn't translated into game power yet. He has work to do turning his speed into stolen bases and making more consistent contact. Lewis needs time to mature physically and emotionally. He'll move up to high Class A in 2004 and could be ready by mid-2006.
Lewis played more football than baseball at Mississippi Gulf Coast JC before transferring to Southern. He's part of a recent wave of Southern prospects that includes Tigers 2001 first-rounder Michael Woods and Rickie Weeks, the possible No. 1 overall pick in 2003. Lewis was the Northwest League's top position prospect in his pro debut. Though he's raw, Lewis is as close to a five-tool player as the Giants have in their system. He slashes the ball all over the field, which should help him maintain a high average, and he also has good patience for a player with his limited experience. He's the fastest player and best athlete in the system. Lewis has trouble tracking balls in center field, though his speed helps make up for some of that deficiency. He needs to learn how to steal bases and how to pull pitches for power. Lewis still has a lot of work to do, but the Giants rave about his potential and anticipate the day when he can cover center at Pacific Bell Park. He'll probably begin his first full season in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Lewis is more raw than most college products because he concentrated more on football as an amateur and played in the weak Southwestern Athletic Conference. He started to add polish in 2004, impressing observers with his overall game. "He's a tremendous athlete," a scout said, "but now he's also a baseball player." A classic leadoff man, Lewis understands his role, as evidenced by his .424 on-base percentage, good for second in the league. He may be too selective at times. Wiry strong, he improved his slugging percentage from .336 in low Class A to .451 in the Cal League and projects to hit 15-20 homers annually. A plus-plus runner, Lewis accelerates quickly but still is learning the nuances of baserunning. He has exceptional range and gets very good jumps in center field. His arm is average.
Southern University had produced big league talent before, but Lewis is part of a recent torrent that includes Tigers 2001 first-rounder Michael Woods and Rickie Weeks, the No. 1 college prospect for 2003. Lewis, a junior college transfer who played more football than baseball before this season, flashed enough speed and skills to intrigue the Giants. Lewis' athleticism, explosiveness and physical ability impressed managers, but so did his skills. Though somewhat raw, he won several games with the small game, showing the ability to drop a bunt or steal a base when needed. A plus runner, Lewis is just starting to grasp how he can disrupt a game with his speed. He covers plenty of ground in center field, where his arm is adequate and improving as he gets away from his football past. Plenty of projection remains in his bat. "He's got lots of untapped power," Salem-Keizer manager Fred Stanley said. "He hasn't learned to turn on the inside fastball yet, but he has terrific bat speed and can drive it to the opposite field with power now. He's very raw, but a tremendous talent."