Tony Gwynn Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1600
AVG	.238
OBP	.309
SLG	.31
HR	7

Full name Anthony Keith Gwynn Jr.
Born 10/04/1982 in Long Beach, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School San Diego State
Debut 07/15/2006
Drafted in the 2nd round (39th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2003 (signed for $875,000).

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With any other name, Anthony Gwynn might be a fourth- or fifth-round pick. But he's squarely in the mix in the second round, with pressure on San Diego to take him there. Gwynn is the son of the greatest Padres player ever and one of the greatest hitters of all time. Though there are similarities in their swings and approach at the plate, Gwynn has shown few signs of putting up the same numbers as his father Tony, now his coach at San Diego State. He struggled with the bat throughout the season and might not have hit even .250 if he hadn't beaten up the lower-rung pitching staffs in the offensive-oriented Mountain West Conference. He showed no power this year, failing to hit a single homer. He infrequently made hard contact and was primarily a singles hitter who sprayed balls to all fields. Some scouts, though, believe the 6-foot, 185-pound Gwynn will be a much better pro than college player. Beyond his bat, all his other tools play well, and his approach is better suited for the daily grind of the pros. He's been around the pro game all his life and knows what to expect. He already plays center field like a big leaguer. He can chase down balls with anyone and his instincts are off the chart. Though scouts never saw the home runs or stolen bases (24) this year they expected, some have cut him some slack because they know that few college players performed under more pressure this year.

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Gwynn finally broke through to bat .300 in Triple-A last season, becoming the kind of pesky leadoff hitter the Brewers envisioned when they drafted him. No one has doubted his defensive prowess. An above-average runner but not an absolute burner, Gwynn can go get the ball in center field, covering territory gap to gap with excellent instincts. He has a decent arm, certainly enough to play in center. When he was drafted, he was not strong enough physically and pitchers would knock the bat out of his hands. But he has matured physically and understands the importance of hitting the ball on the ground. He offers little by way of extra-base power, though, which has been a knock dating back to San Diego State, where he was coached by his future Hall of Fame father, Tony Sr. Given his first taste of big league action early in the second half, Gwynn was effective off the Brewers' bench. But presented with the chance to play center field regularly for the Brewers as a September callup, he did not perform nearly as well at the plate, swinging at too many pitches early in the count and showing little plate discipline or pop. That audition left doubts about whether Gwynn will hit enough to be a regular in the majors or if he'll have to settle for reserve status. Milwaukee's crowded outfield could prompt a return to Triple-A for Gwynn.
Though he's not as advanced, Gwynn has been hurried along at the same pace as fellow 2003 draftee Rickie Weeks. The wisdom of that approach is debatable. Unlike his father--future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, who coached him at San Diego State--Anthony might not hit enough to be a regular player. Slight of build, Gwynn also wore down at the end of the 2004 season and was overmatched in the Arizona Fall League, where he managed a .167 average and one extra-base hit in 72 at-bats. With little pop in his bat, he must get stronger and prove he can handle himself at the plate on a regular basis. He sometimes thinks too much at the plate and gets himself in trouble. His best offensive skill is his outstanding bunting. There are no doubts about Gwynn's defensive capabilities. A superb center fielder with good instincts and speed, he chases down drives in the gaps with the greatest of ease. He reads the ball well off the bat and gets good jumps. Because he can run, steal bases and play outstanding defense, Gwynn will continue to get chances to prove he should be an everyday player. The Brewers need to be more realistic about his development path and allow him to succeed before moving him to Triple-A.
The Brewers did Gwynn a favor by picking him with the second pick of 2003's second round. The Padres were set to grab him with the next choice, which would have created added pressure of following in the footsteps of his father, former San Diego great and future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. Unlike his dad, who coached him at San Diego State, Anthony was known best for his defense in college. He has great instincts in center field and the wheels to chase down drives in either gap. He reads the ball well off the bat and gets good jumps. Gwynn uses his father's approach at the plate, spraying the ball all over the field. He makes good contact and controls the strike zone, and he uses his above-average speed to leg out hits and steal bases. Also like his dad, he has all of the intangibles and knows the game. The more the Brewers watched him, the more they liked him. But Gwynn has little or no power, so scouts wonder how much he'll hit and how effective he'll be at the higher levels. Not only would he benefit from more pop at the plate, but he also needs more strength to make it through the long pro season. He went straight to low Class A and hit .322 in his first month as a pro, but he wore down and batted just .240 the rest of the way. He'll advance to high Class A this year.