Daniel Descalso Stats & Scouting Report

AB	2519
AVG	.235
OBP	.32
SLG	.362
HR	48

Full name Daniel William Descalso
Born 10/19/1986 in Redwood City, CA
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School UC Davis
Debut 09/18/2010
Drafted in the 3rd round (112th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2007 (signed for $255,000).

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Descalso controls the strike zone, takes a healthy hack from the left side and has a knack for getting the fat part of the bat on the ball. His thick body turns some scouts off, though he has some athleticism. He's a third baseman primarily but has played some second, and his bat would play better there. He's an average runner and could go in the first 10 rounds.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

It didn't take long for Descalso's nickname to follow him from the minor leagues to the majors. "We call him Dirty Dan," manager Tony LaRussa said a few days after his September callup. The grass-stained infielder proved his worth quickly as he took to starting at third, despite not playing the position in years. Such versatility has improved Descalso's stock, as he has become a lefthanded-hitting option with good instincts and a stout arm at two infield positions. He won a gold medal with Team USA in the 2009 World Cup, and he carried that momentum into spring, when LaRussa found reasons to play him late in exhibition games. Descalso has a quick, level swing that gives him gap power and good strike-zone coverage. He has a keen eye, and his pop has improved (32 doubles in 2010), and if he can grow into a little more power he can win an expanded role at second, where the Cardinals are looking to upgrade offensively.
Descalso hit a soft .258 in his first two years of pro ball before breaking out when he reached Double-A in 2009. He hit .385 in April and was leading the Texas League in total bases (153) when he was promoted to Triple-A in early July. He won a gold medal with Team USA at the World Cup in September. Descalso's quick, level swing is built for gap power and the occasional home run. He has good feel for the strike zone, which heightens his ability to get on base when he's not hitting. His average speed plays up on the bases because he has good instincts. He has a very strong arm for a second baseman, enhancing his ability to turn the double play. He also has reliable range and soft hands. His pop wasn't as evident once Descalso reached Triple-A. If he can't produce a steady supply of doubles, he's unlikely to be a regular. He's limited in a utility role because he doesn't cover enough ground to play much at shortstop. The Cardinals lost Jarrett Hoffpauir on waivers, marking Descalso's arrival at the top of the system's depth chart at second base. After his first trip to big league camp, he'll return to Memphis and hope his bat gets going again.

Minor League Top Prospects

Descalso was nowhere on the prospect radar when the season started, but he stung the ball from start to finish in the TL. He earned a promotion to Triple-A after 73 games, then shared the second-base job for Team USA as it won the gold medal at the World Cup. Descalso is a throwback, blue-collar player with a strong understanding of his swing and what kind of player he is. He knows how to handle the bat, with a short swing and gap to gap power, with the ability to occasionally hit the ball over the fence. He's not a good runner and doesn't have great actions at second base but makes all the plays. Managers love Descalso because he's a scrapper who will run through walls for his team. He seems perfectly suited to be an offensive second baseman in St. Louis.