Joe Munoz
| AB | 1402 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .255 |
| OBP | .337 |
| SLG | .397 |
| HR | 34 |
- Full name Jose Luis Munoz
- Born 12/28/1993 in Hacienda Heights, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Los Altos
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Drafted in the 2nd round (90th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012 (signed for $520,500).
View Draft Report
Scouts are intrigued by Munoz's 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame and solid tools package, but he has not performed at a standout level this spring, leading some scouts to question his mental readiness for professional baseball. Munoz has shown average raw power in the past and has some feel to hit, but his swing gets rotational and leads to swing-and-misses. Scouts willing to dream on his upside give him a chance to be an average hitter down the road. Munoz plays shortstop in high school, but few scouts think he can stick at the position in pro ball, as his instincts, footwork, agility and range are lacking. A move to third base seems most likely, and he could develop into an average defender at the position with a solid-average arm. Munoz is a below-average to fringe-average runner. The San Diego State commit stands a solid chance to be drafted in the fourth-to-sixth-round range.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Munoz made strides on both sides of the ball as the everyday shortstop at Rookie-level Missoula in 2013. A second-round pick the year before, he hit .360/.433/.663 with five homers in July but managed a .625 OPS the rest of the way. Munoz's power is slowly developing, but scouts ding him for below-average bat speed that makes him vulnerable to good fastballs. He split time at both shortstop and third base during instructional league, and at a physical 6-foot-3 he could eventually outgrow shortstop and need to move to the hot corner, where his bat could be a tough sell. Defensively, Munoz's footwork and hands improved in 2013. He has average range at shortstop but needs to better learn game situations and pre-pitch positioning. His above-average arm will play at either spot on the left side of the infield. Munoz will be 20 in 2014 so he could use another year of development in short-season ball, though a move to low Class A South Bend is most likely. -
Munoz didn't play in as many showcases as higher-profile Southern California high school prospects, so his draft stock was harder to judge. The Diamondbacks liked his natural shortstop frame, instincts on the field and power potential, so they made him a second-round pick and signed him away from San Diego State for $520,500. The comment most often made about Munoz is that he just looks like a shortstop, and one of his Arizona League coaches said: "You can't draw a better shortstop body than what he's got." Munoz's inexperience in the field showed in his first season, as he made 25 errors in 45 games, most from troubles with his footwork. He has the potential to be an above-average defender with enough arm for shortstop, and should be able to stay at the position unless he eventually grows too big. His defense is ahead of his offense right now, although he hit better in the latter half of the AZL season after making adjustments to his approach, and he put together nice at-bats in instructional league. Munoz shows good power in batting practice and projects to be an average hitter. He's a tick below-average runner. Scouts in the AZL thought that Munoz could be a late bloomer, and he'll certainly need another year of short-season ball.
Draft Prospects
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Scouts are intrigued by Munoz's 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame and solid tools package, but he has not performed at a standout level this spring, leading some scouts to question his mental readiness for professional baseball. Munoz has shown average raw power in the past and has some feel to hit, but his swing gets rotational and leads to swing-and-misses. Scouts willing to dream on his upside give him a chance to be an average hitter down the road. Munoz plays shortstop in high school, but few scouts think he can stick at the position in pro ball, as his instincts, footwork, agility and range are lacking. A move to third base seems most likely, and he could develop into an average defender at the position with a solid-average arm. Munoz is a below-average to fringe-average runner. The San Diego State commit stands a solid chance to be drafted in the fourth-to-sixth-round range.
