Mark Hallberg

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #4 prospect in 2009
  Hallberg jumped to high Class A for his first full season, but he tore a ligament in his left thumb on a tag play in his second game. He had surgery in mid-April and returned two months later. He made up for lost time by batting .362 and earning league MVP honors in Hawaii Winter Baseball. Hallberg is an organization favorite because he's polished and has few holes in his game. He understands his game and carries out a plan every day, and one team official calls him "Tommy Textbook." His only plus tool is his bat, and he should always be productive because he has the best strike-zone judgement in the system and never gives away at-bats. He should have average power. Most of Hallberg's pure tools are fringy. While he's a fundamentally sound shortstop he doesn't have the athetlic ability or speed to play there every day. He played mostly second base in Hawaii and eventually should settle in there, with the ability to fill in at short and third base. The most apt comparison is Mark Loretta, a heady player who ends up as an offensive second baseman but can play all over the field. Hallberg is the kind of player who managers want on the field and batting second every day. He'll advance to Double-A in 2009.