Nick Gorneault

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #19 prospect in 2006
  Gorneault wasn't heavily scouted as an amateur, but he has hit his way into contention for a major league job since signing as a 19th-round pick in 2001. His homer totals have risen in each of his five years as a pro and he led the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in RBIs last season. Each year, Gorneault wins over more detractors with his natural ability to whip the barrel of the bat through the hitting zone. His swing is unorthodox, but when he centers balls they have tremendous carry and backspin. His stroke lacks much loft, yet he still has been a consistent home run threat. He continues to tighten his strike zone and has more-than-acceptable discipline for a power hitter. The rest of Gorneault's game is fine as well. He has average speed to go with superior baserunning skills. He's a solid outfielder with an accurate arm. He can play all three outfield positions, though he lacks the range of a firstrate center fielder. The Angels are well-stocked with outfielders, so Gorneault is probably looking at another season in Triple-A.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #23 prospect in 2005
  Despite an impressive career at Massachusetts, Gorneault never wowed scouts with his tools. Former Angels scout Jon Bunnell (now with the Mets) first took notice when Gorneault homered at Fenway Park in the annual Beanpot Tournament as a sophomore. Gorneault's unorthodox swing is difficult to repeat and is the main reason scouts are slow to embrace him as a legitimate prospect, but Anaheim points to his tremendous bat speed that produces sharp line drives. Roving batting instructor Ty Van Burkleo has tweaked Gorneault's setup without affecting his power potential. He looks bad at the plate at times, as he chases pitches out of the zone and needs to be more efficient in his approach. The rest of his game is solid, as he has average speed, makes good reads in right field and has an accurate arm. While he has average arm strength, it's not a prototypical right-field arm strength. A bit of a tweener, he'll need to boost his power numbers if he's going to breakthrough as an everyday corner outfielder. When Gorneault hits balls well, they tend to have topspin and lack high trajectory, banging off walls instead of carrying over them. He plays with fervor and works hard. He homered in his first game at Triple-A Salt Lake after a September callup in 2004 and will open this season there.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #18 prospect in 2004
  Gorneault made a lasting first impression on former Angels scout Jon Bunnell (now with the Mets) when he homered at Fenway Park in the Beanpot Tournament as a sophomore at UMass. Gorneault continued to rake in front of Bunnell, hitting three bombs and a double against Florida the next time he saw him. Though he batted .369-12-41 as a senior, his unorthodox swing turned off scouts. While his stroke might not be picturesque and he could stand to improve his selectiveness at the plate, Gorneault broke through as an offensive force for last season. He batted .328 and led the organization with 91 RBIs. He's more athletic than he gets credit for, though he's a slightly below-average runner. He's cut from the mold of former Dodgers slugger Mike Marshall, a strong and physical outfielder with plus power potential. Gorneault has a knack for making hard contact. He has quick, strong hands, though he hooks around the ball at times and scouts are concerned about his ability to deal with breaking balls at higher levels. His arm is average and he's capable in all three outfield spots. Gorneault will begin 2004 in Double-A, where he finished with a flourish last season.