Estee Harris Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Estee Coleman Harris
Born 01/08/1985 in Central Islip, NY
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Central Islip
Drafted in the 2nd round (64th overall) by the New York Yankees in 2003 (signed for $725,000).

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The 6-foot, 180-pound Harris might have the best pure tools of any player in the Northeast. He has quick hands and the ball jumps off his bat. His speed is near the top of the chart. He's been clocked in 6.4 seconds over 60 yards--though that reading has been disputed by some scouts. His power is average and should bump up a notch as he fills out. He hit .431 this spring with six homers. The one tool Harris lacks is arm strength, which may keep him out of the first two rounds. His arm is well-below-average--just a 30 on the traditional 20-80 scouting scale. He has a funky arm motion and his throws have little velocity or carry. He's described as player with a left-field arm, center-field range and right-field power. He has the kind of tools scouts can dream on. Few players have as much projection. He has made a college commitment to Lamar.

Top Rankings

Bronx-based Yankees scout Cesar Presbott netted the club's top two choices in 2003, Eric Duncan and Harris. With two premium picks in the New York area, Yankees scouts were able to get extended looks at both. Scouting director Lin Garrett measured one of Harris' high school home runs at 470 feet. The Yankees went against the consensus to snag Harris in the second round, but they love his bat. A good athlete with a lightning- quick swing and plus power potential, Harris has drawn comparisons to a young Garret Anderson and could produce 30 home runs annually once he matures. He displays a natural feel for the barrel through the zone and has good pitch recognition. Harris has a funky throwing motion and a well-below-average arm that will limit him to left field. An inexperienced hitter, he'll need to become a more selective as he moves up. His pro debut was encouraging, as hitting six home runs in the Gulf Coast League isn't an easy feat, especially for a high school player. Harris will get his first full-season exposure at low Class A Battle Creek in 2004.

A Long Islander drafted in the second round by his hometown team, Harris showed amazing bat speed for a 6-foot, 170-pounder. Balls jump off his bat and he launched six homers in 101 at-bats. Harris had a reputation in high school for blazing speed, but GCL managers said they rarely saw it. Some said he didn't play hard all the time, but the biggest knock on Harris is his arm, which is barely adequate for a left fielder. His throwing mechanics are so poor that scouts say they may not be correctable. At his release point, his fingers are underneath the ball rather than on top, causing an awkward pushing motion.