Mike Fontenot
| AB | 1413 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .265 |
| OBP | .332 |
| SLG | .401 |
| HR | 27 |
- Full name Michael Eugene Fontenot
- Born 06/09/1980 in Slidell, LA
- Profile Ht.: 5'9" / Wt.: 165 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Louisiana State
- Debut 04/13/2005
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Drafted in the 1st round (19th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2001 (signed for $1,300,000).
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It's not often that a second baseman gets drafted in the first round, but Louisiana colleges should produce two such players in 2001. Fontenot turned down a six-figure bonus as the Devil Rays' 21st-round pick in 1999, choosing instead to continue Louisiana State's rich second-base tradition, which includes Todd Walker and Warren Morris. Fontenot had hamate surgery on his wrist in December but continued to sting the ball in impressive fashion for a 5-foot-8, 165-pounder. He had hamstring problems as well. When he's healthy he has plus speed and knows how to use it. He's a sound defender at second base. If he were taller, he'd probably be a top 10 pick. A draft-eligible sophomore, Fontenot's name has been associated with the Devil Rays if they want to go cheap with the No. 3 pick. He's more likely to go at the end of the first round.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Fontenot was considered a better prospect than double-play partner Ryan Theriot when they were helping Louisiana State win the 2000 College World Series. While Theriot carved out a big league role for himself in 2006, Fontenot has become more of an afterthought. He has offensive ability that shouldn't be ignored, however. He hits for average, draws walks and has occasional power. Fontenot doesn't stand out athletically, and that's what hurts him. He's an average runner but isn't a basestealing threat and has just adequate range. Defensively, he's limited to second base because of his below-average arm. The Cubs tried to make him a utilityman in 2005, but it didn't take. If he got a chance in the majors, Fontenot could be a lesser version of another former LSU second baseman, Todd Walker, providing less pop but better defense. However, that opportunity probably won't come with the Cubs, who left him exposed to the Rule 5 draft but kept him when he wasn't selected. -
Ryan Theriot's double-play partner on Louisiana State's 2000 national championship team, Fontenot went 19th overall in the draft to the Orioles a year later. Part of the Sammy Sosa trade with Baltimore before the 2005 season, Fontenot spent his second straight year in Triple-A and also got his first two big league at-bats. If Fontenot is to get more playing time in the majors, it probably will come as a utilityman. Despite the uncertainty surrounding Chicago's middle-infield situation, his name never came up as a possible solution, and he's probably headed for a third season in Triple-A. Fontenot has slightly above-average speed and good pop for his size, but he tries to hit for power too much and isn't a big basestealing threat. He doesn't cover as much ground defensively as his speed would suggest, and his arm is below average. Exclusively a second baseman in the Orioles system, he also saw extensive time at third base and got brief looks at shortstop and in the outfield last year. He doesn't profile as a good defender at any position. -
The Cubs vowed they wouldn't trade Sammy Sosa for the sake of trading him, but that's what they did when they sent him to the Orioles in February. With Chicago, Fontenot already takes a back seat to big leaguers Todd Walker and Jerry Hairston and prospect Richard Lewis, and 2004 draftee Eric Patterson soon could pass him as well. Fontenot has some useful offensive tools in his plus speed and surprising pop for his size. He sometimes gets caught up in trying to hit for power, leading to subpar plate discipline. He's limited defensively, as he's no more than adequate at second base. He doesn't cover as much ground as his speed might indicate, and his below-average arm makes it a stretch to try him at shortstop, reducing his value as a utilityman. Fontenot may serve the Cubs as trade bait because there's no spot for him on the big league roster, and Lewis needs to play every day in Triple-A. -
After batting .219 in April, Fontenot looked like he might be headed down the same path to oblivion as fellow Orioles 2001 first-rounders Chris Smith and Bryan Bass. Then he got contact lenses in May and got locked in at the plate, batting .360 over the last three months to earn Double-A Eastern League all-star honors. Fontenot is an offensive second baseman. He works counts, gets on base and laces line drives from gap to gap. He has good power for his size and should hit 10-15 homers annually. He also runs well and could steal 20 bases a year. Fontenot's glove lags behind his bat, but he showed enough improvement in 2003 that he can become an average defender. He cleaned up his footwork and throws, his two biggest problems in the past. The Orioles give a lot of credit to Bowie manager Dave Trembley for getting the best out of Fontenot, challenging him every day while helping him improve. Fontenot could be trade bait because of the organization's depth at second base, but for now he'll try to continue his success in Triple-A. -
Fontenot signed for $1.3 million as a draft-eligible sophomore in 2001 and didn't take the field until 2002. He was picked for the midseason California League-Carolina League all-star game but did not play because of a broken finger on his throwing hand. He was one of the few players in the Arizona Fall League who hadn't played above Class A. The Orioles see Fontenot as an offensive sparkplug at second base, capable of hitting for average with occasional pop. He has a strong, compact body and should be fine defensively, though he committed 25 errors last season. Even given that he was adjusting from aluminum bats and gorilla ball at Louisiana State to the pro game, Fontenot still was miscast as a leadoff hitter. He didn't have much of an idea at the plate and needs to get a better awareness of the strike zone and projects more as a No. 2 hitter. He rushed throws and didn't set his feet well, problems that can be corrected. Considering it was his first pro season, Fontenot showed promise and was much better by the end of the season. He'll take the next step to Double-A in 2003. -
The Orioles went with Fontenot with the second of their first-round picks in 2001 because of his exceptional offensive potential. He was drafted by the Devil Rays in 1999 out of high school, but he turned down a six-figure bonus to attend Louisiana State. As a draft-eligible sophomore last year, he took most of the summer to negotiate a $1.3 million bonus. Fontenot might have gone higher if not for his size and injury problems with his wrist and hamstring during the 2001 college season, though he did hit .339-14-50 for the Tigers. He's healthy now and the Orioles see him as an offensive catalyst, the epitome of a baseball player, someone who knows how to play the game. He's solid in every phase of the game and is a plus runner with good defensive skills. Fontentot is as good a bet as anyone in the lower levels of the system to make it to the big leagues. He should debut in a full-season league this year, possibly as high as Double-A if he has a great spring.
