Mike Blanke
| AB | 1117 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .236 |
| OBP | .304 |
| SLG | .372 |
| HR | 28 |
- Full name Michael Gordon Blanke
- Born 10/17/1988 in Granby, QC, Canada
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Tampa
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Drafted in the 14th round (428th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2010.
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Physical catcher/first baseman Mike Blanke likely will be the first Spartans position-player picked, though his defense lags behind his solid bat.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Blanke made the Rookie-level Pioneer League all-star team in 2010, but he has had a hard time building on the success he had in the minors' most hitter-friendly circuit. He has spent much of his two full pro seasons with high Class A Winston-Salem, where he has batted .238/.303/.384. Blanke has a lot of work to do as a hitter. He offers strength at the plate and can punish mistakes, but he has trouble catching up to quality fastballs and making consistent hard contact because his swing gets too long. White Sox coaches felt Blanke made major strides with his receiving last season, though he still needs work. He has plus arm strength and threw out 31 percent of basestealers last year, but his accuracy leaves something to be desired. He's a well below-average runner, like most catchers. Blanke's ceiling appears to be as a backup catcher who can provide adequate defense and a little power, but he's going to have to produce more to get a shot in Chicago. He'll advance to the Double-A Southern League, a circuit that's tough on hitters, in 2013. -
Catchers with offensive potential and arm strength are valuable commodities, and Blanke's rise to high Class A in his first full pro season showed what the White Sox think of him. They also sent him to the Arizona Fall League, where he earned compliments for his work behind the plate. Blanke's size leads to some receiving and quickness issues. He made 18 errors in 103 games last season, in part because he often rushes his throws, though he used his strong arm to throw out 37 percent of basestealers. Blanke shows raw power in batting practice but has a long swing and hasn't fully tapped into it in games. He needs to tighten his stroke and do a better job with pitch recognition. As expected for a catcher, he's a well below-average runner. Blanke has grown into his body but he still has some awkwardness that Chicago expects eventually will get smoothed out. Coaches praise his ability to make adjustments. He should see Double-A at some point in 2012. -
Blanke traveled a crooked path to the 2010 draft, going from Seton Hall in 2008 to St. Petersburg (Fla.) JC in 2009 and NCAA Division II Tampa last year before landing with the White Sox as a 14th-round selection. He was born in Canada but raised in Florida, and his father, who played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, taught him to play baseball with an aggressive hockey mentality. He grew from about 5-foot-9 as a high school junior to his present 6-foot-4 frame and is still filling out. Signed for $65,000, he looks like a steal. Blanke had a reputation as a bat-first catcher coming out of the draft, but he opened eyes with both his power and his catching skills after signing, making the Pioneer League all-star team. His plus arm was considered his best tool coming out of college, and he threw out a league-best 35 percent of basestealers and both runners who attempted to steal against him in the PL playoffs. He moves well behind the plate, and in the words of Great Falls manager Chris Cron, Blanke "folds up real nice'' for his size. He was also one of the most dangerous hitters in the league, showing a good approach and an ability to use the whole field. He shows above-average power potential, even to the opposite field. He has played first and third base in the past, but there's no reason he can't stay behind the plate. He'll open his first full pro season in low Class A.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Blanke stood just 5-foot-9 as a high school junior, but in the course of his college career at Seton Hall, St. Petersburg (Fla.) JC and NCAA Division II Tampa, he grew seven inches. His physical maturity and defensive prowess got him drafted in the 14th round in June, and he would have gone much earlier had clubs had any inkling that he would show plus power, arm strength and receiving skills in his pro debut. Blanke barrels the ball and uses the whole field. Like any player with long arms, he has holes on the inner half of the plate, but he projects as an average hitter with 15-20 home run pop. His arm is his best tool and helped him erase a league-leading 35 percent of basestealers. He also committed just four passed balls in 48 games. "For a big kid, he folds up real nice behind the plate," Cron said. "He receives great and has a super arm. He swings the bat aggressively. We really got lucky with this pick."
