Clint Sammons Stats & Scouting Report

AB	68
AVG	.176
OBP	.243
SLG	.235
HR	1

Full name Clint Joseph Sammons
Born 05/15/1983 in Decatur, GA
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Georgia
Debut 09/12/2007
Drafted in the 6th round (191st overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2004 (signed for $130,000).

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Georgia came on strong down the stretch to post the best record in the Southeastern Conference, and the coaching staff credited junior C Clint Sammons for much of the surge. He has Team USA experience (2002, when his stint with the team was cut short by a broken thumb), and his catch-and-throw tools are ahead of his bat; he's shown little power potential, but was closing the season with a flourish. With Sammons, the difference is more significant as it should raise his draft profile.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

A logjam behind the plate throughout the system meant Sammons had to return to high Class A to start the 2007 season, but he finished it by making his major league debut and going 2-for-3 in his lone start. The leader of Georgia's 2004 College World Series team, he has emerged as one of the premier defensive catchers in the minors. Having fine-tuned his ability under Myrtle Beach pitching coach Bruce Dal Canton, Sammons handles pitchers with aplomb and calls a near-flawless game. His footwork and exchange are off the charts. He has a pop time of 1.89 seconds from mitt to glove on throws to second base and led the Southern League by throwing out 48 percent of basestealers last summer. Sammons is just adequate with the bat, which is why he projects as a backup. He tries to pull the ball too much, preventing him from hitting for a high average. He has occasional pop and below-average speed. He's the leading candidate to caddy for Brian McCann in Atlanta in 2008.
After leading Georgia to a surprise third-place finish at the 2004 College World Series, Sammons has shown everything the Braves look for in a catcher. Rome's MVP in 2005, he batted .221 during the first three months of last season before starting to drive the ball more consistently and hitting .303 the rest of the way. His knowledge of the strike zone has improved significantly since he signed, and he has learned how to recognize and smash certain pitches into the gaps and over the wall. His eight homers doubled his total from his first two pro seasons. While Sammons has improved offensively, defense remains his forte. He has a strong arm and a quick release, enabling him to throw out 40 percent of basestealers in each of the last two seasons. He does a good job of blocking balls, working with pitchers and taking charge behind the plate. Atlanta projects Sammons as a borderline starter or a solid backup, though he won't relegate Brian McCann or Jarrod Saltalamacchia to the bench. Sammons will spend this year in Double-A.
With his ability to take charge of a pitching staff, Sammons makes teams better. He was the leader of a Georgia team that surged to a surprising third-place finish at the College World Series in 2004, and the Bulldogs didn't even make the NCAA playoffs despite returning most of their players last year. As a pro, Sammons has guided young pitching staffs to the Appalachian League playoffs (at Danville in 2004) and to the fifth-best overall record in the South Atlantic League (at Rome in 2005). He has excellent awareness on the field. He receives the ball well and possesses above-average throwing mechanics, allowing him to erase 40 percent of basestealers last year. Offensively, he has solid knowledge of the strike zone and displays gap power. His greatest improvement has come in learning how to call a game in the pro ranks as compared to college, especially with the Braves' desire for pitchers to work off their fastballs. Sammons profiles as a valuable reserve backstop and he adds to Atlanta's deep corps of catching prospects. He'll make the jump to high Class A in 2006.