Travis Witherspoon Stats & Scouting Report

AB	2739
AVG	.244
OBP	.317
SLG	.391
HR	80

Full name Travis Sentrel Witherspoon
Born 04/16/1989 in Sumter, SC
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Spartanburg Methodist College
Drafted in the 12th round (381st overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 2009 (signed for $100,000).

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Angels knew Witherspoon was a raw project who might not hit when they signed him for $100,000 as a 12th-rounder in 2009, but they were drawn to his speed and athleticism. Four years later, his profile is still much the same. He posted an .869 OPS in high Class A during the first two months of the 2012 season, but his offense cratered when he got to Double-A. Witherspoon has a quick bat and is at his best when he uses the whole field. He doesn't often stay with that approach, however. He has below-average power, yet he still takes a big swing and his barrel doesn't spend much time in the hitting zone. After he got to Arkansas, he chased too many pitches and had trouble recognizing breaking balls, an issue he's had since signing. Witherspoon's carrying tool is his above-average speed. He gets great jumps off the bat and takes good routes on flyballs, making him a plus defender in center field with an average arm. He also has stolen bases at an 83 percent success rate. Mike Trout is about as big a roadblock as there could be, though Witherspoon still needs to prove he can hit enough to get to the big leagues. The Angels still believe in his upside and protected him on their 40-man roster in November.
Witherspoon helped propel Spartanburg Methodist (S.C.) JC to the Junior College World Series in 2009, then signed for $100,000 as a 12th-round draft pick. The Angels had questions about his ability to hit for average, but they took a chance because they like his speed and defensive ability. Among players in the organization, only big leaguer Peter Bourjos can surpass Witherspoon's plus-plus range and instincts in center field. His arm strength is average. Witherspoon puts his speed to good use on the bases, too. He has 76 steals in 88 career attempts, good for an 86 percent success rate. Witherspoon has the athleticism and bat speed to factor as an offensive player if he shortens his swing and enhances his pitch recognition. He gets in the habit of uppercutting the ball, and Los Angeles would prefer that he level his swing and focus on line drives while showing more willingness to take the ball to the opposite field. Witherspoon works as hard as any Angels prospect and should be at least a reserve outfielder in the big leagues. He got a taste of high Class A during the last two weeks of 2011 and will pick up there this season.
Prior to the 2009 draft, Angels scout Chris McAlpin turned in a report on Witherspoon as a premium defensive player with a below-average bat, the type of hitter who would require much work to develop. He signed for $100,000 as a 12th-round pick out of the same Spartanburg Methodist (S.C.) JC program that produced Reggie Sanders and Orlando Hudson. The live-bodied center fielder showed remarkable progress and a diligent work ethic while repeating the Pioneer League in 2010, exciting Los Angeles about his future growth potential. Witherspoon already had plus bat speed and the strength to hit for power, and last season he better identified breaking balls and put himself in position to make more contact. He hit three of his 10 homers for Orem to the opposite field, abandoning 2009's pull-happy approach and affording himself better plate coverage. Witherspoon went a perfect 20-for-20 in stolen base attempts, showing plus speed and impressive instincts. He runs excellent routes in center field, and the organization regards his range as being on par with Mike Trout's and just a step behind Peter Bourjos'. Witherspoon brings a solid-average arm to the table, meaning that if he hits he has five-tool potential. If he settles in south of .260, he still could provide value as a slick-fielding center fielder with contributions in the power and speed departments. He'll get his first full-season assignment in 2011, advancing to Cedar Rapids.

Minor League Top Prospects

The Angels invested $100,000 in Witherspoon, a 12th-round pick from the Spartanburg Methodist (S.C.) JC program that produced Reggie Sanders and Orlando Hudson, because they believed in his tools and will to improve. He played a mean center field and flashed power/speed potential in the Pioneer League last year, but he struck out too much and hit just .227. This year he began to deliver on his promise by better identifying breaking balls, which allowed him to make more contact and hit for more power. A quick-twitch athlete with a live body, Witherspoon boasts plus bat speed and the strength to hit for power. He's still an aggressive hitter, but he showed improved patience and plate coverage this season. In fact, he clubbed three opposite-field home runs, a marked departure from last season's pull-happy approach. A plus runner, Witherspoon gets down the line in 4.2 seconds and went a perfect 20-for-20 in steal attempts. He runs excellent routes in center field and has the instincts to become plus-plus defender. He used a solid-average arm to log six assists.