Jose Lopez Stats & Scouting Report

AB	3841
AVG	.262
OBP	.292
SLG	.395
HR	92

Full name Jose Celestino Lopez
Born 11/24/1983 in Barcelona, Venezuela
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut 07/31/2004

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Lopez missed most of spring training last year recovering from surgery to remove a growth on a bone in his right foot, but that didn't stop him from making the Texas League all-star team as the circuit's youngest player. He led San Antonio to the championship by leading all playoff hitters with a .391 average and two homers in five games. While Lopez has an impressive array of tools, several Mariners officials say his greatest asset is his instincts. They rate him as the best defensive infielder in the system, while TL managers said he had the strongest infield arm in their league. He makes excellent contact and has well above-average pop for a middle infielder. He has slightly above-average speed and savvy on the bases. Lopez rarely swings and misses, but he draws few walks because he puts the ball in play so easily. He needs to work deeper counts and add a little consistency to all phases of his game. Lopez spent time at second and third base in 2003 so he'd be ready for whatever big league opening might come his way. His opportunity should come at shortstop after a season in Triple-A and Rich Aurilia's one-year contract expires.
Lopez held his own as the youngest player in the short-season Northwest League in 2001, and his bat took a quantum leap last year in the California League, where he was the second-youngest regular. He led all minor league shortstops in hitting and topped the Cal League in hits and doubles. He was Seattle's minor league player of the year. Lopez' defensive abilities have been apparent since he made his pro debut. Managers said he had the best infield arm in the Cal League, and he has fine hands, range and actions at shortstop. He has excellent instincts in all phases of the game, making him an adept hitter and a threat on the bases. He has plenty of pop for a middle infielder. Because he excels at making contact, Lopez rarely works deep counts or walks. He's filling out and may outgrow shortstop, though he'll still have enough bat for second or third base. Like most teenagers, he could be more consistent on a daily basis. Doctors have discovered an extra bone in Lopez' right foot, which may require surgery. Barring a major setback, he'll play in Double-A this year at 19.
The Mariners thought so highly of Lopez that they sent him to the Northwest League for his pro debut in 2001. The youngest player in the league, he was also its best defensive shortstop. Lopez has pure actions, great hands, plenty of range and a solid-to-plus arm. Though he wasn't nearly as advanced as most of the pitchers he faced, he held his own at the plate. He showed some gap power and speed, and hitting .256 in his situation must be considered a success. He'll have to get stronger and tighten his strike zone, but the foundation is clearly there. Seattle will continue to be aggressive with his development and may send him to low Class A at age 18 in 2002.

Minor League Top Prospects

Managers rated Lopez the PCL's most exciting player, and he has uncommon offensive potential for a shortstop. He already has solid-average power at age 20, and pitchers quickly learned not to challenge him with fastballs on the inner half. "He can pull a bullet," one scout said. Lopez consistently gets the fat part of the bat on the ball, making consistent hard contact but to the detriment of drawing walks. He'll need to be more selective and do better against breaking balls after major league pitchers exploited those weaknesses. He has average speed and runs the bases well. He saw action at shortstop as well as second and third base in Tacoma because the Mariners wanted him to be ready for the first infield job that became available. Lopez has thicker legs and less quickness than a typical shortstop, but he may be able to stay at the position because of his instincts and strong arm.
Another 19-year-old who impressed managers, Lopez followed up his breakout in the high Class A California League with a solid season as one of the younger players in Double-A. He didn't have a great season with the bat but showed his tools and flashes of putting it all together. "There's no doubt in his game," Ireland said. "He was born to play ball. He's real aggressive, and when he gets his pitch he doesn't miss it." Lopez has great instincts for the game and all-around ability. He played second, third and short for the Missions, and most managers thought he could play any of those positions in the big leagues. He's aggressive at the plate but made progress in understanding how pitchers would attack him, and by the second half of the season he was laying off breaking balls.
Despite being the league's second-youngest everyday player at 18, Lopez made a quantum leap from the short-season Northwest League last year. Observers liked the way he handled himself and made adjustments. "At first he didn't look real sure, played some balls off to the side," Morales said. "The plays he's making now look so effortless compared to three months ago. "When you see a prospect, he looks like he's here on rehab, like he doesn't belong. I think that swing is going to develop into something. He has a chance to be special. He reminds me of Roberto Alomar." Lopez had the best infield arm in the league, and he displayed natural actions and agility in the middle of the diamond. At the plate, he makes contact, hits for average and has some pop. He's also a solid average runner with good basestealing instincts.
More of a pure shortstop than Bartlett, Lopez signed out of Venezuela at age 16 in July 2000 and was the NWL's youngest player in his U.S. debut this year. While his performance on the surface was no match for Bartlett's, his shortstop tools were the best in the league and he wasn't embarrassed at the plate. "He competed very well in this league and really exceeded the impact we thought he'd have because of his maturity," Pollreisz said. "He didn't finish well offensively, but he was really outstanding defensively. He's got great hands and a plus arm at times. He's one of those guys who always gets the good hop." "He has good range and shortstop actions," Cole said. "He didn't make mistakes in the field. He showed he could hit it and he had some pop."