Angel Berroa

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #2 prospect in 2003
  After coming from the Athletics, Berroa led all minor league shortstops with 60 extra-base hits in 2001 and was the Royals' top prospect. He missed two months in 2002 after arthroscopic knee surgery in April and then battled nagging back, leg and hamstring injuries for the remainder of a disappointing season. He also turned out to be two years older than previously thought. Berroa has the tools to become a standout defensive shortstop, with great hands, plus arm strength and range. He also shows solid instincts for the game and a good work ethic. He has a quick bat and some pop. Berroa got a little homer-happy last season as he tried to pull everything. He needs to improve his pitch recognition and plate discipline. He makes errors because he's aggressive and rushes plays, so that should stop as he matures. Whether he's ready, the shortstop job is Berroa's to lose in spring training after Neifi Perez was released.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #1 prospect in 2002
  Berroa is the exception to the rule that the Athletics take advantage of the Royals whenever the two clubs swing a trade. In recent years, Oakland has plucked Scott Chiasson (for Jay Witasick), Kevin Appier (for Jeff D'Amico, Brad Rigby and Blake Stein) and Jermaine Dye (in a three-team deal that left Kansas City with Neifi Perez). Kansas City did make out well in January 2001, when it gave up free-agent-to-be Johnny Damon and infield prospect Mark Ellis in another three-team transaction. Berroa gave the Royals the shortstop prospect they coveted. He was as advertised, setting career highs in most offensive categories while improving defensively. Called to the majors in September, Berroa started for the final two weeks of the season and held his own. Berroa has Gold Glove potential at shortstop, where there's nothing he can't do. He has plenty of range and arm. He can get outs by making the long throw from deep in the hole as well as charging slow rollers. He got steadier in 2001, cutting his errors to 33 after making 54 the prior season. Unlike most standout middle-infield defenders, Berroa can hit. With his speed and pop, Berroa could be a 20-20 player in the majors. He led all minor league shortstops with 60 extra-base hits last season. In order to hit at the top of a lineup, however, Berroa will need to draw more walks. He puts the ball in play early in the count rather than working pitchers. He has become much less nonchalant in the field, though some high Class A Carolina League managers thought he showed off his arm too often. He can become more proficient as a basestealer after getting caught 12 times in 39 attempts last year. Royals scouts thought Berroa was two years away from being ready for the majors at the time of the trade, but he has developed much more quickly than expected. Even if Berroa begins the year at Triple-A Omaha, he shouldn't stay there long.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #6 prospect in 2001
  Berroa immediately impressed the A's with his outstanding defensive skills. He showed he could hit, too, batting .290 in his U.S. debut in the Arizona League and reaching double figures in homers after jumping to Class A Visalia in 2000. Berroa's potential as a shortstop is still his calling card. He has tremendous range, an outstanding arm and an innate sense of how to catch the ball. He also has good pop for a middle infielder, can hit for average and runs well. But Berroa has much to learn. He ranked third in the minors with 54 errors last season, most the result of aggressiveness. He could use patience at the plate as well--his inability to draw a walk stands out in an organization that emphasizes the skill. He needs to prepare better mentally and concentrate on every pitch. With Miguel Tejada settled at shortstop for the immediate future, Oakland has the luxury of being able to develop middle infielders slowly. Berroa probably will spend 2001 in Double-A, but the organization's abundance of infielders could force him to return to the California League.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #17 prospect in 2002
  Speaking of enigmas, no player had a more puzzling season than Berroa, who probably just wants to forget 2002 altogether. He twisted his right knee in April, requiring arthroscopic surgery that cost him two months. Shortly after he returned, his age was revealed to be 24 rather than 22, tarnishing his prospect status. After leading all minor league shortstops with 60 extra-base hits last year, Berroa was one of the worst hitters in the PCL. He also made 16 errors in 77 games and didn't snap out of it when the Royals promoted him in September. None of that stopped the managers from rating Berroa as the league's best defensive shortstop, best infield arm and most exciting player. His hands, arm and action are all assets at the position. He has bat speed and some pop, but he needs to shorten his swing and cut down on his aggressiveness (his 84-15 strikeout-walk ratio was the fourth-worst in the PCL). "He's not a good baseball player yet," the AL scout said, "but he's tooled up."
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  Ranked Texas League #7 prospect in 2001
  As the Royals' main payoff for the three-team Johnny Damon trade in the offseason, the dazzling Berroa has begun to live up to his hype. He has expansive range at shortstop and a big league arm capable of throwing strikes to first base from shallow left field. "Berroa goes after everything and he gets almost all of it," an AL scout said. "He tends to show off his arm more than he should, but that's about all he does wrong." Berroa needs to have more of a leadoff hitter's approach at the plate, taking more pitches and settling for walks occasionally. But he has surprising power and some basestealing ability, and his defense is more than ready. The presence of Neifi Perez in Kansas City complicates his future, though Berroa's golden glovework is too valuable to get lost in a logjam.
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  Ranked Carolina League #3 prospect in 2001
  Berroa was the key player for the Royals in the three-team Johnny Damon trade with the Athletics and Devil Rays last offseason. Kansas City lacked a pure shortstop prospect, and that's exactly what Berroa gives them. He's regarded primarily for his defensive prowess. He has outstanding range and a strong, accurate throwing arm. After making 54 errors at high Class A Visalia last year, Berroa's consistency improved in 2001. He made more of the routine plays and dazzled managers by coming up with many of the difficult ones. They also liked Berroa's ability to hit for average and gap power, plus to steal an occasional base. His main weakness is his lack of strike-zone discipline. "He's a tough out," Collins said. "You can put him in a lot of different places in the lineup."
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  Ranked California League #18 prospect in 2000
  Oakland already has a young, exciting Dominican shortstop in Miguel Tejada. The Athletics now have a second one on the way in Berroa. Berroa made his mark with power, both offensively and defensively. His occasional opposite-field bombs were a prelude of more to come, and his cannon arm at short was topped only by Castro’s. "There have been a lot of errors with him this year, but I know he's going to get better by watching how much work he puts into the game," Navarrete said. "Plus, he already owns the tools of speed, range, arm strength and power. And there's more power in him, you just know it."
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  Ranked Arizona Complex League #5 prospect in 1999
  Though Berroa didn't stand out statistically, he was the first A's player mentioned by every opposing manager. "Berroa's well above average with both his range and his speed," de Armas said. "He's got a big league glove right now and is very aggressive with the bat." Other managers like the young Dominican's power potential for his position and his ability to stay back and adjust on breaking balls.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #15 prospect in 2002

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  Oakland already has a young, exciting Dominican shortstop in Miguel Tejada. The Athletics now have a second one on the way in Berroa. Berroa made his mark with power, both offensively and defensively. His occasional opposite-field bombs were a prelude of more to come, and his cannon arm at short was topped only by Castro’s. "There have been a lot of errors with him this year, but I know he's going to get better by watching how much work he puts into the game," Navarrete said. "Plus, he already owns the tools of speed, range, arm strength and power. And there's more power in him, you just know it."