John McCurdy Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1325
AVG	.253
OBP	.298
SLG	.378
HR	29

Full name John Michael McCurdy
Born 04/17/1981 in Pittsburgh, PA
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Maryland
Drafted in the 1st round (26th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2002 (signed for $1,375,000).

View Draft Report

McCurdy had a breakout season. He led the ACC with 177 total bases while ranking second in average (.446), home runs (18), RBIs (76), slugging (.831) and several other categories. An above-average runner, he also stole 20 bases. McCurdy has legitimate offensive potential, but his defense is suspect. He has the arm strength to remain on the left side of the infield, though his hands and feet are just OK and he lacks consistency. Those factors will push him off shortstop in pro ball. He's a Jeff Kent type and likely will end up at either second base or third. His bat will play no matter where he's moved. In a draft with premium college hitters in short supply, McCurdy is an intriguing prospect. His stock continues to climb, and at least a couple of teams were considering him in the first round.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

McCurdy had one of the best offensive seasons ever for a college shortstop, hitting .443-19-77 at Maryland in 2002. Some scouts believed his breakthrough was an aberration, but the A's saw some Jeff Kent in him and took him with one of their seven first-round picks. McCurdy didn't do much offensively in his pro debut or for most of last season, but he hit .391 in the final month and continued to show improvement in instructional league. He finally started to prepare to play every day and learned to put mistakes behind him. At his best, McCurdy is a fierce hitter with power to all fields. At his worst, he loses the strike zone and hits routine groundouts. He doesn't walk as much as a typical Oakland prospect. McCurdy's defense always will be an issue, and several Midwest League observers couldn't figure out why he played shortstop and relegated Francis Gomez to second base at low Class A Kane County last year. McCurdy has arm strength and soft hands, but his range and footwork are ordinary and he lacks consistency. Second base might even be a stretch, and his best fit could come at third base. He could switch position this year in high Class A.
McCurdy put together one of the great offensive seasons for a shortstop in college baseball history, batting .443-19-77 at Maryland in 2002 before the A's drafted him 26th overall. Oakland had coveted another Atlantic Coast Conference shortstop, Clemson's Khalil Greene, but he went 13th to the Padres--three spots before the A's picked. While some scouts said McCurdy's breakout junior year was an aberration, the A's believe he has the potential to become a mighty offensive threat. After signing, he got off to a hot start with Vancouver, then saw his numbers fall as he attempted to adjust to the wood bat. He has to tighten his strike zone to take advantage of his strength and swing. There's some doubt whether he can remain a middle infielder after he made 20 errors in 51 games at shortstop. He has arm strength, but his hands and feet are ordinary and he's inconsistent. McCurdy often is compared to Jeff Kent as both an infielder and hitter--capable defensively and outstanding offensively. The A's will leave him at shortstop in 2003 as he advances to Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Another of the first-round picks the A's started at Vancouver, McCurdy was the only hitter who stayed for the whole season. Spacious Nat Bailey Stadium proved a little tougher than the University of Maryland's cozy Shipley Field. McCurdy had a breakout season in college, hitting .443. He started his pro debut in similar fashion, but wore down as the season went along in the league's biggest park. Pitchers started to find the holes in his swing, but the A's remain optimistic that his strength and swing will make him a big league hitter down the line. He also has decent speed. Most questions about McCurdy centered on his defense. He made 20 errors in 51 games at shortstop and moved to third base for three games late in the season. While he has solid actions, most managers don't see him staying at shortstop because of his footwork.