Skip Schumaker Stats & Scouting Report

AB	3252
AVG	.278
OBP	.337
SLG	.364
HR	28

Full name Jared Michael Schumaker
Born 02/03/1980 in Torrance, CA
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School UC Santa Barbara
Debut 06/08/2005
Drafted in the 5th round (164th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2001.

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UC Santa Barbara could have as many as 10 players drafted, none higher than the sophomore-eligible Schumaker. He transferred after his freshman year at Loyola Marymount and missed last season with a dislocated shoulder that required surgery. A lefthanded hitter, he flirted with .400 all season and showed above-average speed and arm strength in center field. Though he made just four pitching appearances, a number of scouts find Schumaker more attractive as a pitcher. He has been clocked as high as 95 mph in intrasquad games, and at 92 in game appearances.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

One of the lone bright spots in a sour season at Triple-A Memphis was Schumaker overcoming the club's struggles and hitting a team-best .306/.348/.382. Then he really broke out after leaving the Redbirds early to compete in the Olympic qualifying tournament with Team USA. He was the leadoff hitter and center fielder and hit .405 in the tournament and scored 15 runs. USA Baseball CEO Paul Seiler called him the MVP of the club that beat Cuba, won the tournament and qualified the U.S. for the 2008 Games. The swift fielder was on the Cardinals' Opening Day roster and for most of the first month of the regular season, he had the only home run by a Cardinals starting left fielder. Center fielder Jim Edmonds took a shine to Schumaker in 2005 and continued promoting him during spring training last year. He was stellar, making some of the spring's most dynamic defensive plays. He has the defensive ability to play all three outfield positions well, and has enough arm for those spots too. Few players in the entire organization get better jumps and have the closing speed that Schumaker has. He has found a way to channel his line-drive approach into a .300 average, though he could make better use of his running ability on the bases. He has minimal power, so he has to get on base. He is slated to join the major league club as an extra outfielder in 2007 and will become the first glove off the bench late in games, and that's his long-term role as well.
A two-way player at UC Santa Barbara, Schumaker hit 92 mph off the mound for the Gauchos before becoming a full-time outfielder as a pro. It took a few years for his swing to get dialed in, but once it did in 2004 he moved quickly, making his major league debut last year and playing his way into the big league club's plans. Schumaker is a plus runner and the best defensive outfielder in the organization, and he'd have the best outfield arm if former pitcher Rick Ankiel also weren't in the outfield now. Schumaker started to make leaps when hitting coach Steve Balboni changed the position of his hands and his hitting approach when he was in Double-A, and he has been a more consistent offensive performer ever since. He even showed a small dose of pop last season, though his game will be putting the ball in play. To make himself a legitimate top-of-the-order hitter, Schumaker must continue to develop his plate discipline and draw more walks. He's also learning to make the best use of his speed, as he doesn't steal bases often enough and isn't efficient when he does run. Schumaker had surgery to repair the bursa sac in his right knee after the season, but he's expected to be healthy for spring training. He could win a reserve outfield job solely with his defense, but he'd be best served by going back to Triple-A to refine his offensive game.
After three mediocre seasons, Schumaker finally began to show why the Cardinals made him an outfielder rather than a pitcher after he played both ways at UC Santa Barbara, where he flashed a 92-mph fastball. In 2004, he led the Southern League in hits, finished fourth in the batting race and made the postseason all-star team. He worked with a personal trainer to get into better shape and avoid injuries--a stress fracture in his right leg and a hand ailment cost him playing tim in 2003--and Tennessee hitting coach Steve Balboni helped him change his hands and his whole approach to hitting. Schumaker carried his momentum into a strong winter in Venezuela, where he batted .350 in 103 at-bats before sustaining a minor knee injury. While he can hit for average and draw his share of walks, he offers very little power at the plate. He runs well but isn't a good basestealer. Yet one Southern League scout graded Schumaker as a potential big leaguer based solely on his defense in center field. He has the best outfield arm in the organization. If he can repeat his 2004 production in Triple-A, he'll get an opportunity in the major leagues, albeit as a reserve.
Schumaker was a two-way player at UC Santa Barbara, and some teams liked him better as a pitcher after seeing him touch 92 mph with his fastball. Because of his stature, he knew he had a better future as a hitter. He was hurt for much of his first Double-A exposure in 2003, missing time with a stress fracture in his leg and a hand injury. The Cardinals sent him to the Arizona Fall League to make up at-bats. Schumaker has the speed to be a leadoff hitter, though he was limited last year by his leg injury. He occasionally shows the plate discipline needed to bat at the top of the lineup, but he doesn't do so consistently enough. He recognizes that he's not a power hitter and has worked on his bunting to make better use of his speed. Schumaker played center field in 2003 and it should be his long-term position, though he has played both corners as well. He has the defensive tools to play anywhere, including a plus arm, but doesn't fit the offensive profile for a corner spot and prefers center. He'll probably return to Double-A to start the season.
Schumaker transferred to UC Santa Barbara after spending his freshman year at Loyola Marymount, then he missed the 2000 season with a dislocated shoulder that required surgery. Some teams liked him as a pitcher in the 2001 draft, and he hit 92 mph in limited action with the Gauchos. The Cardinals wanted him strictly as an outfielder, though, and have been pleased with the early results. Schumaker has a nice stroke from the left side of the plate and has above-average speed. He should have doubles power with a good approach at the plate and profiles as a No. 1 or 2 hitter. He's an aggressive player and a good defender. He spent some time in center field but most of his time in right last season, though he hasn't shown the power for that position yet. He clearly has the arm for right, and it's no surprise managers rated his outfield arm the best in the Carolina League. Schumaker needs to draw more walks and improve his approach against lefthanders, who held him to a .219 average last season. A player with his speed should also be more successful as a basestealer; he stole 26 bases but was caught 16 times last year. He'll move up to Double-A this season.

Minor League Top Prospects

Schumaker didn't have a huge year and didn't show an unbelievable tool. But he does a little bit of everything. Schumaker shows good hitting ability from the left side of the plate and has some speed. He's an aggressive player, and managers rated him the best outfield arm in the league. That's not surprising, considering some organizations wanted to draft him as a pitcher after he was clocked at 95 mph in intrasquad games at UC Santa Barbara. He spent some time in center field but most of his time in right, and his power doesn't profile for the latter position. Schumaker also needs to draw more walks and increase his basestealing success.