Hank Blalock

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Texas Rangers #1 prospect in 2002
  Blalock is another in the long line of players to come out of the San Diego talent hotbed and powerful Rancho Bernardo High, which also produced Scott Heard, the Rangers' 2000 first-round pick. Blalock's father Dana and uncle Sam are prominent influences in the baseball community-- Sam coaches Rancho Bernardo--and his younger brother Jake is expected to go in the first three rounds of the 2002 draft. While scouts said Blalock was limited offensively in high school, he turned down Cal State Fullerton after being drafted as a shortstop. His stock has soared since. He won the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League batting title in 1999 and ranked second in the minors with a .352 average in 2001. Blalock was the No. 2 prospect in the high Class A Florida State League, and was second to none in the Double-A Texas League and the Arizona Fall League. Blalock's strong amateur background shows. He knows how to play the game the right way and has an advanced grasp of using the entire field. He makes solid contact and sprays the ball from foul line to foul line. He has power to the alleys and some scouts project him to hit 30 or more homers a season because of his bat speed and the natural lift in his swing. He has a short, compact swing and handles lefthanders and righthanders equally well. He also has the discipline to sit back on offspeed stuff. Despite below-average wheels, Blalock lets his instincts take over on the bases and can be an occasional basestealing threat. He has improved his defense, committing just 15 errors last season. He can become too selective at times, and the Rangers would like to see him expand his hitting zone and trade a few strikeouts for a few more extra-base hits. Like most young infielders, he needs to devote more time to his footwork on defense. Blalock is six months younger than Mark Teixeira, and two years ahead of him in professional experience. The Rangers plan to start the season with both playing third base at different levels. Blalock is more athletic and more capable of handling a position change, if necessary. He could be a second baseman in the mold of Jeff Kent or handle a move to left field. The platoon of Herb Perry and Mike Lamb buys Blalock a year in Triple-A Oklahoma.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #10 prospect in 2001
  Blalock is a product of national power Rancho Bernardo High, coached by Sam Blalock, Hank's uncle. Hank broke into pro ball in 1999 by leading the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in several categories, including batting average (.361), doubles (17) and RBIs (38). He easily held his own at Class A Savannah at age 19 last season. Blalock is already advanced at the plate. He has excellent bat control and good knowledge of the strike zone. In both of his pro seasons, he has walked more than he has struck out. He has power, though it's more to the gaps than over the fence. Blalock also runs well and was caught in just eight of 39 basestealing attempts last year. At times, Blalock can become too pull-conscious and lengthen his swing too much. He's OK defensively, though he's sometimes inconsistent when he lets bad at-bats affect him. Blalock will make a big jump into the pitching-oriented Florida State League this season. Another strong offensive performance would dramatically elevate his standing. The Rangers' signing of Ken Caminiti indicated dissatisfaction with Mike Lamb, so Blalock may be the organization's third baseman of the future. Putting Jason Grabowski, who hit .274-19-90 at Tulsa last year, on waivers also eliminated another obstacle.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #3 prospect in 2002
  Initially ticketed for Triple-A, Blalock made the Rangers after a hot spring training. Then adversity struck, as he hit .200 to prompt a May demotion. A month later, doctors found bone chips in his elbow. The injury may require surgery and made it difficult for Blalock to get extension on pitches on the inner half. Add orders from the Texas brass to take more pitches, and he went through a nearly two-month homer drought. He finally got untracked in the season's final weeks, again looking like the hitter who terrorized pitchers throughout 2001. A line-drive machine, he should contend for batting titles while hitting at least 20-25 homers annually. "He looks like he can hit with his eyes closed," Iowa manager Pat Listach said after Blalock hit .444 in eight games against his club. A steady third baseman, Blalock logged four games at second base. The consensus is that if he moves to a different position to accommodate fellow Texas farmhand Mark Teixeira, Blalock is more likely to wind up in left field.
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  Ranked Florida State League #2 prospect in 2001
  Coming into the season, Blalock was respected as a pure hitting prospect, albeit one who may have been a little short on power. Now after a breakthrough season of epic proportions, it's almost impossible to find any holes in his offensive game. "Everything we threw up there, he hit," Lakeland manager Kevin Bradshaw said. "Wow, he's got the whole package." Blalock answered the concerns about his power by clubbing 37 doubles and 18 home runs between Charlotte and Double-A Tulsa. An intelligent, disciplined hitter, he's developing loft power in his picturesque, balanced stroke. Blalock also responded to concerns about his defense and was named the FSL's best defensive third baseman by managers. His future at the position has been clouded by the arrival of 2001 first-rounder Mark Teixeira, but Blalock possesses an above-average arm and enough agility to handle a move to the outfield.
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  Ranked Texas League #1 prospect in 2001
  Despite the wealth of pitching, a young third baseman stood out as the TL's top prospect. With bat control and plate discipline beyond his age, Blalock amassed 61 RBIs in 68 games and walked more than he struck out, even while facing some of the best pitching seen in the circuit in years. Blalock hit .380 in the high Class A Florida State league before his promotion to Tulsa. A lefthanded hitter, he has no problems with southpaws, hitting .307 against them in Double-A. "He's very young but he's very close," Tulsa manager Paul Carey said. "He's a tough out already and he isn't afraid of facing anyone at any level." Blalock also improved defensively, though he may ultimately be ticketed for an outfielder corner. Texas signed 2001 first-round draft pick Mark Teixeira to a $10 million major league contract, and Teixeira isn't as versatile as Blalock. But as one American League scout asked, "Why give Mark Teixeira millions when you've already got Blalock?"
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  Ranked South Atlantic League #19 prospect in 2000
  Blalock, the 1999 batting champ in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, was multi-tool impressive in his first full season. He hits for average, has power potential, draws walks and makes contact. Though not exceptionally fast, he runs well and intelligently. His arm is average, but his footwork and anticipation might be enough to keep him at third base. "Good arm, good hands, good power. What’s not to like about him?" Pino said. "Eventually, you can see him having even more power."
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  Ranked Florida Complex League #9 prospect in 1999
  Blalock had an excellent idea at the plate for a young player. He handled offspeed stuff well and led the league with a .361 average. That led to a late-season promotion to the South Atlantic League. Though his arm is average at best, Blalock's third-base play improved as the summer went along, quieting talk that he may face a switch to first base or the outfield.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #3 prospect in 2002

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  Blalock, the 1999 batting champ in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, was multi-tool impressive in his first full season. He hits for average, has power potential, draws walks and makes contact. Though not exceptionally fast, he runs well and intelligently. His arm is average, but his footwork and anticipation might be enough to keep him at third base. "Good arm, good hands, good power. What’s not to like about him?" Pino said. "Eventually, you can see him having even more power."