Caleb Gindl Stats & Scouting Report

AB	151
AVG	.232
OBP	.335
SLG	.404
HR	5

Full name Caleb Charles Gindl
Born 08/31/1988 in Pensacola, FL
Profile Ht.: 5'8" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Pace
Debut 06/15/2013
Drafted in the 5th round (161st overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007 (signed for $144,900).

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Caleb Gindl benefited from the heavy scouting attention Pace High received in the Panhandle because of teammate Drew Cumberland. Gindl doesn't offer much projection, but his best tool is arm strength and he can command two pitches from the left side. He also hits, and has shown raw power and a penchant for making hard contact. His swing has holes, however, and there were a couple of teams that might take a chance on his 88-90 mph fastball and impressive feel for pitching in the seventh to ninth round.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Gindl played through nagging injuries in 2012, including a lower back issue that cost him a September callup, and turned in the worst offensive performance of his six-year pro career. His grinder mentality kept him in the lineup when others might have begged out, but in the end that did him little good. With a squatty build and limited athleticism, Gindl must hit to play in the majors. Before last year, he had established his credentials as a solid hitter with gap power, though his patience slipped when he repeated Triple-A. He's a below-average runner with fringy arm strength who fits best in left field, though he has played in all three outfield spots. That versatility should help him as he now looks like an extra outfielder and lefthanded bat off the bench in the Laynce Nix mold. If Gindl can get his bat going again, he could fill that role in Milwaukee this year.
After having the worst full season of his pro career in 2010, Gindl rebounded with his best in 2011. One of the youngest regulars in the Pacific Coast League at age 22, he set career highs in batting (.307) and on-base percentage (.390). He finished on fire, batting .346/.429/.508 in the final two months. Gindl has a squatty build and doesn't wow anyone with his athleticism, but he has a track record of producing at the plate. His short stroke and discerning eye have made him a career .300 hitter in the minors. The question is whether he has enough pop to profile as a regular corner outfielder. His power comes mostly to the gaps and he never has hit more than 17 homers in a season. Gindl's speed and arm strength are average to fringy, though his instincts help those tools play up. He gets good enough jumps that the Brewers have given him some time in center field, but he's best suited for left. He's a grinder who shows up to play every day. Gindl impressed the staff in big league camp last spring with the way he swung the bat without being intimidated. He has little left to prove in Triple-A, but he'll probably return to Nashville this year because Milwaukee has Ryan Braun and Corey Hart manning its outfield corners. The Brewers protected Gindl on their 40-man roster this offseason.
Playing Double-A at age 21 last season, Gindl struggled more at the plate than in past seasons. He saw more breaking balls and didn't hit for as much power in the past. Still, it's Gindl's offense that has scouts projecting him as a big leaguer at some point, though his squatty build and average home run power make it difficult to see him as an everyday corner outfielder. He has a compact stroke and usually displays a good eye at the plate, proving tough to strike out and driving the ball in the gaps regularly to pile up doubles. Though a below-average runner, he shows good instincts and aggressiveness on the basepaths. Gindl is an average defender at best with average arm strength, and he's best suited for left field. The Brewers threw another challenge at him at midseason by asking him to play center field. Gindl worked hard at getting good jumps on the ball to compensate for his lack of speed. He is a grinder who shows up every day to play and Milwaukee loves the way he competes. Gindl was assigned to the Arizona Fall League as an injury replacement and rediscovered his power stroke there while swinging a hot bat. He'll get a shot to make the Triple-A roster in the spring.
Because his individual tools don't stand out and he has an unusual body type--think a squattier Brian Giles--scouts have trouble figuring out where Gindl might play in the majors. The consensus is that he can hit and will find a spot somewhere. Gindl won the Rookie-level Pioneer League batting title with a .372 average in his 2007 pro debut and has kept producing since. He has a compact stroke and good hand-eye coordination. He drives the ball into the gaps and has average home run power. He has consistently improved his strike-zone discipline since entering pro ball. Almost all of Gindl's value lies in his bat. He's a below-average runner, though he has good instincts and is aggressive on the bases. As a left fielder, he's just an adequate defender, though he does have arm strength. The Brewers like the way Gindl competes and will keep moving him up the ladder until pitchers start getting him out. His next assignment will be Double-A.
A year after winning the batting title in the Rookie-level Pioneer League during his pro debut, Gindl finished among the leaders in several offensive categories in the low Class A South Atlantic League as a 19-year-old. He went to Hawaii Winter Baseball to get more work after the season and hit .281/.361/.438 in 96 at-bats. Gindl's individual tools don't grade out impressively, but he gets the job done, especially at the plate. Built a bit like Brian Giles, he's very aggressive at the plate, has good hand-eye coordination and can put a charge into the ball despite his short, stocky frame. He has mostly gap power and runs well enough to pile up doubles. The Brewers like his makeup and maturity, particularly for his age. He was also a lefthanded pitcher in high school, so he'll have plenty of arm for left field, where he'll likely end up because he's only an average defender at best. Gindl can get too aggressive at the plate and accumulated a lot of strikeouts last season, though his 63 walks and .388 on-base percentage show he does have an idea of the strike zone. He just needs to be more disciplined. Gindl's challenge going forward will be whether he'll hit for enough power to play left field in the majors. He'll continue his steady climb this year at high Class A Brevard County.
The Brewers don't often send new high school draft picks to the Pioneer League, but they thought Gindl was very advanced for an 18-year-old hitter after they signed him for $144,900 as a fifth-round pick in June. Gindl vindicated the organization's scouting reports as he won the league batting title at .372. Gindl has tremendous pitch recognition for a young hitter, enabling him to hit both fastballs and breaking balls. His stocky build and line-drive power remind some of Brian Giles. Some clubs considered drafting him as a lefthanded pitcher, so his arm plays well in right field. The Brewers like his makeup and maturity. Whether Gindl will have enough home run power to play an outfield corner in the majors remains to be seen. He's close to maxed out physically and limited in terms of speed and athleticism. He came down with elbow tendinitis toward the end of the summer and an MRI revealed a bone chip, though it is not considered a serious problem. Gindl has earned a trip to low Class A for 2008, where the Brewers will get a better indication of his offensive ceiling.

Minor League Top Prospects

Bringing up Caleb Gindl's name to a scout or manager who follows the FSL usually brought back a smile or a laugh. They weren't laughing at Gindl, they were laughing with him. "That little guy can hit," one scout said as he chuckled. "He doesn't look it at all." Listed at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, Gindl has a physique best described as well-rounded. Despite his less than classic look, he can drive the ball into the gaps and sometimes out of the park, thanks to his compact swing and solid hand-eye coordination. He also has the patience to draw a walk when pitchers struggle to find his small strike zone. There's still a question whether Gindl's natural hitting ability alone is enough to win him a regular job in the majors. He has some arm strength, but his below-average speed and adequate-at-best defense relegate him to left field.
Unlike many players on this list, Gindl doesn't have overwhelming tools, but his production at the plate can't be ignored. He won the Rookie-level Pioneer League batting title with a .372 average in his pro debut last year, and as 19-year-old he ranked among the SAL leaders in numerous categories. Gindl reminds scouts of Brian Giles in that he's a stocky player with impressive maturity and self-confidence. His remarkable hand-eye coordination enables him to put the barrel of the bat on the ball with consistency. His speed and right-field range are fringy, though he has plus arm strength that led some teams to consider drafting him as a lefthanded pitcher. "He held his own in the first half and seemed to know he was going to put it all together," West Virginia manager Jeff Isom said. "He believes in himself and in his ability. He works hard and is determined to succeed."
Gindl threw 88-90 mph and showed feel for pitching as a high school lefthander, and some clubs considered drafting him as a pitcher. The Brewers liked him better as a position player, and he was arguably the best hitter in the Pioneer League despite also being one of its youngest players. Gindl has a remarkably good approach at the plate for a teenager, showing patience and discipline. With his stocky build and line-drive power, he receives frequent comparisons to Brian Giles. He displays the ability to hit both fastballs and offspeed pitches. Some scouts who saw Gindl in high school had concerns about his bat speed, but scouts and managers who saw him play in Helena didn't share that opinion. Gindl is an average defender in right field with a plus arm in terms of both strength and accuracy. There's no reason he would have to move from right field in the future. Managers also praised Gindl for his maturity, confidence and work ethic.