Hernan Iribarren Stats & Scouting Report

AB	72
AVG	.264
OBP	.284
SLG	.389
HR	0

Full name Hernan Alcides Iribarren
Born 06/29/1984 in Barquisimeto, Venezuela
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 202 / Bats: L / Throws: R
Debut 04/12/2008

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Iribarren hits everywhere he goes. Owner of a career .324 batting average, he has a compact, line-drive stroke and plus speed. The key for Iribarren will be to develop a more well-rounded game. He can drive the ball into the gaps but doesn't have much power, so he needs to focus on being a table-setter. He hasn't shown the discipline to be a true leadoff man, and he hasn't shown good instincts as a basestealer, getting caught 16 times in 34 attempts last season. He's an effective bunter, forcing defenses to play in at the corners. Though he's a solid second baseman, Iribarren lacks the arm strength to play shortstop. The Brewers are loaded with young infielders in the majors, including Rickie Weeks at second base, so they tried to increase Iribarren's versatility by having him play center field in instructional league. It will be a boost for Iribarren's career if he proves he can handle center this year in Triple-A.
A .333 career hitter entering the year, Iribarren earned an asterisk next to his numbers last summer when he was caught using a corked bat, drawing suspensions from the Florida State League as well as the Brewers. He was better after the suspension than before, raking at a .344 clip the rest of the way, earning midseason and postseason all-star honors in the FSL. Iribarren has two above-average tools, but his plus speed doesn't play well--he lacks instincts and is a middling basestealer. Irribarren challenges for batting titles with a slashing hitting style that helps him take advantage of his quickness. He's displays the strike-zone discipline and patience to be a useful No. 2 hitter in the lineup despite a somewhat funky approach. His well below-average power makes the improvement of his basestealing ability a must. A solid defensive player in the past, Iribarren fought himself at times in the field last season and got into mental funks. He might have enough ability to make consistent contact and on-base skills to carry him to the big leagues. He is limited to second base, though, limiting his versatility as a role player. He will move up to Double-A in 2007, and likely continuing along the same career path as an above-average hitter.
Iribarren attracted plenty of attention in 2004, when he won the Rookie-level Arizona League batting title, then had a scintillating 15-game stint at low Class A Beloit. His .637 slugging percentage that year, however, may have given an inaccurate read of the kind of hitter Iribarren is. He was experienced for a Latin player going into the AZL, having spent two years at the Brewers' Dominican academy (which the club since has eliminated in favor of bringing players to the United States sooner). Slender and sleek, he's a slap-and-dash middle infielder whose quick hands and flat swing plane evoke Rod Carew and Luis Castillo. Iribarren just doesn't have much power, and virtually none against lefthanders (three extra-base hits in 100 at-bats last year). He's a plus runner, and he has enough patience and bat control to hit in the No. 2 hole. A solid defender at second, his defensive tools are all a grade or two below those of his West Virginia running mate, Alcides Escobar. They should advance together to high Class A in 2006.
Iribarren scorched Arizona League pitching in 2004, winning the batting race by 88 points and finishing with the second-highest average in league history. He also led the league in hits, on-base percentage and slugging en route to earning MVP honors. He's a hit machine who batted .329 in two years in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League and .373 after a late-season promotion to low Class A. Iribarren puts the ball in play with consistent hard contact that belies his lean, wiry frame. He has very strong wrists and turns on inside pitches while taking offerings away to the opposite field. Iribarren projects to develop more power. He's an aggressive baserunner with decent range, good hands and arm strength in the field. Sometimes Iribarren takes bad at-bats into the field with him. He needs to continue to work on his defense, but should be able to make the necessary adjustments. Iribarren didn't miss a beat after his callup and will open 2005 back in low Class A. A natural hitter, he should move through the system quickly.

Minor League Top Prospects

The lefthanded-hitting Iribarren finished 88 points ahead of his nearest competitor in the batting race. His .439 average was the second-highest in league history, topped only by the Padres' Tim McWilliam, who hit .451 in 1988, the league's inaugural season. Iribarren also led the league in hits (83), on-base percentage (.490) and slugging (.630) while earning MVP honors. He went on to hit .373 with 12 extra-base hits in 15 games after a promotion to the low Class A Midwest League. A year ago, he finished third in the Dominican Summer League batting race at .344. A smart hitter, he uses the whole field with many of his extra-base hits going to the opposite field. He makes consistent hard contact. He's also a skilled defender with sure, quick hands. He runs the bases aggressively. "He was the most polished player in the league, by far, and should have been in a higher league from the start," Mariners manager Scott Steinmann said. "He's a solid little second baseman and really understands every part of the game."