Juan Gonzalez Stats & Scouting Report

AB	6556
AVG	.295
OBP	.343
SLG	.561
HR	434

Full name Juan Alberto Gonzalez
Born 10/16/1969 in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Vega Baja
Debut 09/01/1989

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Gonzalez has been considered a future star from the day he signed. He always has been the youngest player in his league, and in his first three years had to battle to stay competitive. Not in 1989, though. Gonzalez took the Double-A Texas League by storm, hitting .293 with 21 home runs and 30 doubles, both of which were the third-best totals in the league. Most importantly, Gonzalez made adjustments and got better as the season went along. He hit 11 of his home runs in August. Still a rather gangly kid, Gonzalez took a major step this winter with regular playing time in the Puerto Rican League. Gonzalez is far from the prototype center fielder, but he has good enough and slightly above-average speed. As he fills out, Gonzalez might lose a step and probably will wind up in left or right. But that won’t be a problem. He has the arm strength to play right and shows the offensive potential to be dominating in any spot.
Gonzalez has been the youngest player in his league all three of his professional seasons, so he never has had the opportunity to put together the mammoth numbers his ability merits. But he’s got a chance to be a big power hitter and solid center fielder. A native of Puerto Rico who commanded a $100,000-plus bonus, Gonzalez won’t turn 20 until next October. He has grown into his 6-foot-3 frame and shed the awkwardness of his first two years in pro ball. He’s even done the unimaginable--he picked up speed and become a slightly better-than-average runner. Slowed by a midseason scope for minor ligament damage in his left knee, Gonzalez appeared to mature a great deal in 1988. He learned to accept the fact that making outs are a part of the game. He still chases breaking pitches, but that doesn’t hide the potential of being a legit power hitter with run-production abilities.
Gonzalez doesn’t have the dominating type of stats that one might expect, but it must be remembered that in the South Atlantic League last year he played at 17, younger than any other regular in the league and a good four to five years younger the bulk of SAL players. Just the same, the native of Puerto Rico who signed with the Rangers in 1986, put together a solid season, leading the Gastonia club in home runs and RBIs. Still maturing physically and mentally, Gonzalez has excellent bat speed and a plus arm. He could play any of the outfield positions but seems most comfortable in left field, where he is well above-average in throwing strength. More than anything, Gonzalez has to grow up emotionally. He takes every at-bat personally, and when he doesn’t have instant success he gets down on himself. He’ll fail to run out pop-ups, not out of laziness, but frustration, and has to learn that a player of his ability is going to have every step he takes watched closely by others.
Another of the Rangers’ Latin American finds, Gonzalez was signed out of Puerto Rico for a bonus reportedly in excess of $100,000. Like Sammy Sosa, he had some first-year adjustment problems, and wound up hitting just .240 in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, while striking out 57 times in 233 at-bats. Gonzalez won’t have the overall speed of Sosa but should pick up a step or two as he physically matures. He also figures to get stronger as he fills out.

Minor League Top Prospects

Gonzalez had a brilliant season at Oklahoma City after a slow start. The streamlined 6-foot-3, 210-pound slugger used the Triple-A All-Star Game as a springboard, winning the home run hitting contest and homering off Buffalo veteran Dorn Taylor in the game, then returning to terrorize American Association pitching. In a three-game series against Richmond, he belted five home runs. On July 25, he hit three and drove in seven runs in an 11-2 romp over Louisville. “He has great power numbers and a great arm,” said Buffalo manager Terry Collins, “but the thing that impressed me most about him is the way he improved from the first time we played them until the last time.”
The 19-year-old Gonzalez showed dramatic improvement at Tulsa, raising his batting average 15 points in the second half and hitting 11 of his 21 home runs in August. All that earned him a Sept. 1 callup to Texas. Gonzalez isn’t speedy but gets a great jump in center field and has a strong, accurate arm. “He is going to hit 30 to 40 home runs a year in the big leagues,” Shreveport manager Bill Evers said. “With his outstanding throwing ability, I think he will end up being a right fielder.” Said Tulsa manager Tommy Thompson: “He has come a long way this year. He has learned to control his emotions and let his talent take over.”

Top 100 Rankings

Scouting Reports

Gonzalez has been considered a future star from the day he signed. He always has been the youngest player in his league, and in his first three years had to battle to stay competitive. Not in 1989, though. Gonzalez took the Double-A Texas League by storm, hitting .293 with 21 home runs and 30 doubles, both of which were the third-best totals in the league. Most importantly, Gonzalez made adjustments and got better as the season went along. He hit 11 of his home runs in August. Still a rather gangly kid, Gonzalez took a major step this winter with regular playing time in the Puerto Rican League. Gonzalez is far from the prototype center fielder, but he has good enough and slightly above-average speed. As he fills out, Gonzalez might lose a step and probably will wind up in left or right. But that won’t be a problem. He has the arm strength to play right and shows the offensive potential to be dominating in any spot.
Gonzalez had a brilliant season at Oklahoma City after a slow start. The streamlined 6-foot-3, 210-pound slugger used the Triple-A All-Star Game as a springboard, winning the home run hitting contest and homering off Buffalo veteran Dorn Taylor in the game, then returning to terrorize American Association pitching. In a three-game series against Richmond, he belted five home runs. On July 25, he hit three and drove in seven runs in an 11-2 romp over Louisville. “He has great power numbers and a great arm,” said Buffalo manager Terry Collins, “but the thing that impressed me most about him is the way he improved from the first time we played them until the last time.”
Gonzalez has been the youngest player in his league all three of his professional seasons, so he never has had the opportunity to put together the mammoth numbers his ability merits. But he’s got a chance to be a big power hitter and solid center fielder. A native of Puerto Rico who commanded a $100,000-plus bonus, Gonzalez won’t turn 20 until next October. He has grown into his 6-foot-3 frame and shed the awkwardness of his first two years in pro ball. He’s even done the unimaginable--he picked up speed and become a slightly better-than-average runner. Slowed by a midseason scope for minor ligament damage in his left knee, Gonzalez appeared to mature a great deal in 1988. He learned to accept the fact that making outs are a part of the game. He still chases breaking pitches, but that doesn’t hide the potential of being a legit power hitter with run-production abilities.
The 19-year-old Gonzalez showed dramatic improvement at Tulsa, raising his batting average 15 points in the second half and hitting 11 of his 21 home runs in August. All that earned him a Sept. 1 callup to Texas. Gonzalez isn’t speedy but gets a great jump in center field and has a strong, accurate arm. “He is going to hit 30 to 40 home runs a year in the big leagues,” Shreveport manager Bill Evers said. “With his outstanding throwing ability, I think he will end up being a right fielder.” Said Tulsa manager Tommy Thompson: “He has come a long way this year. He has learned to control his emotions and let his talent take over.”
Gonzalez doesn’t have the dominating type of stats that one might expect, but it must be remembered that in the South Atlantic League last year he played at 17, younger than any other regular in the league and a good four to five years younger the bulk of SAL players. Just the same, the native of Puerto Rico who signed with the Rangers in 1986, put together a solid season, leading the Gastonia club in home runs and RBIs. Still maturing physically and mentally, Gonzalez has excellent bat speed and a plus arm. He could play any of the outfield positions but seems most comfortable in left field, where he is well above-average in throwing strength. More than anything, Gonzalez has to grow up emotionally. He takes every at-bat personally, and when he doesn’t have instant success he gets down on himself. He’ll fail to run out pop-ups, not out of laziness, but frustration, and has to learn that a player of his ability is going to have every step he takes watched closely by others.
Another of the Rangers’ Latin American finds, Gonzalez was signed out of Puerto Rico for a bonus reportedly in excess of $100,000. Like Sammy Sosa, he had some first-year adjustment problems, and wound up hitting just .240 in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, while striking out 57 times in 233 at-bats. Gonzalez won’t have the overall speed of Sosa but should pick up a step or two as he physically matures. He also figures to get stronger as he fills out.