Lance Zawadzki Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Lance Frederick Zawadzki
Born 05/26/1985 in Framingham, MA
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Lee University
Debut 05/02/2010
Drafted in the 4th round (147th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2007 (signed for $50,000).

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Lance Zawadzki's path to NAIA Lee University was a circuitous one. He began his college career at Louisiana State but never played for the Tigers, instead transferring to San Diego State. He missed playing time as a freshman in 2004 with appendicitis, a dislocated knee and a pulled hamstring, but batted .335-10-53 in 2005. He fell to .243-3-26 in 2006, and as his performance suggests, Zawadzki's game is erratic. The Cardinals drafted him in the 15th round last year, but he elected to transfer to Lee. He was also drafted by the then-Expos in the 48th round out of high school in 2003. He has intriguing tools, with plus bat speed, plus raw power and lively actions in the middle of the diamond. A switch-hitter, he sprays the ball to all fields from the right side. He uses his hands a little better from the left side, pulling the ball with authority. Zawadzki is also a plus runner and has a well-above-average arm. He will likely sign for slot money somewhere in the sixth to eighth round.

Top Rankings

Zawadzki graduated from sleeper to prospect in 2009, smacking 15 homers, streamlining his game and spending the second half of the season in Double-A. The Padres' surfeit of compensation picks in 2007 meant that even though Zawadzki was a fourth-round selection, he was the 11th player they picked. Despite his small frame, he has good power from both sides of the plate, the result of quick hands and wrists. He revamped his swing last offseason, working to keep his hands in the hitting zone longer, which helped him to drive the ball the other way. He improved his selectivity last season as well. Zawadzki runs and throws well--his arm rates as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale by some accounts--and he has enough range to make all the routine plays at shortstop. A free-spirited player, his concentration lapses at times and he'll flub the routine play. At the plate, his swing can get too big and he falls into prolonged slumps when he'll strike out in bunches. Zawadzki stands as one of the Padres' more skilled prospects and someone who may be able to fill in at shortstop if Everth Cabrera falters or at second if Matt Antonelli doesn't rebound. Ultimately, he might have the most value in a super-utility role, providing offense all around the infield.