Troy Tulowitzki Stats & Scouting Report

AB	4804
AVG	.29
OBP	.361
SLG	.495
HR	225

Full name Troy Trevor Tulowitzki
Born 10/10/1984 in Santa Clara, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Long Beach State
Debut 08/30/2006
Drafted in the 1st round (7th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2005 (signed for $2,300,000).

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Tulowitzki compares favorably to Bobby Crosby, his predecessor as shortstop at Long Beach State who was a first-round pick in 2001 and the 2004 American League rookie of the year. They're about the same size and have similar speed and bat speed at the same stage, but scouts say Tulowitzki is a better athlete and should be a better player. He has more arm strength and range, and more power to all parts of the park, while Crosby was more automatic on routine plays and had more pull power. Crosby helped Tulowitzki by showing scouts that players built like Crosby and the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Tulowitzki can be effective everyday shortstops. Tulowitzki has also won over scouts with his approach to the game. He plays with exceptional intensity and an unrivaled passion for the game. He broke the hamate bone in his hand and missed 20 games early this spring, and the 49ers slumped in his absence. He has no holes in his game and all his tools are close to big league-ready. He is a top defender who has adjusted well to the speed of the game. He has an above-average arm and good footwork, unlike as a freshman when he relied on his raw arm strength. He has added 35-40 pounds since enrolling at Long Beach, giving him a stronger body and the chance to be an offensive shortstop. He now projects to hit 25-30 homers a year in the big leagues. He has just 19 in three years at Long Beach State but plays his home games at Blair Field, one of the best pitcher's parks in college baseball. He hit four with a wood bat last summer for Team USA, tied for the team lead. Tulowitzki is regarded by most teams as a safe pick who almost certainly will return the investment a team makes in him.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Tulowitzki was in the big leagues 14 months after he was drafted, the quickest climb of any position player in Rockies history. He's part of an impressive trio of first-round shortstops to come out of Long Beach State this decade, sandwiched between Bobby Crosby (Athletics, 2001) and Evan Longoria (Devil Rays, 2006). Tulowitzki followed Crosby at shortstop for the 49ers and starred for three seasons. He missed 20 games with a broken hamate bone in his wrist during his draft year of 2005, though that didn't turn off scouts. The Rockies were both surprised and delighted to find him available with the seventh overall pick and signed him for $2.3 million. Another injury, this time a torn quadriceps, abbreviated his pro debut but he was back at full strength in 2006. Tulowitzki has inner confidence that allowed him to open his first full pro season at Double-A Tulsa and finish it in the big leagues, never looking overmatched. He has legitimate power, but what's most impressive is he understands the need to use entire field and can drive the ball to right-center as easily as left-center. Tulowtizki spent most of his time in Double-A leading off. The Rockies don't envision him doing that in the majors, but it was a way to have him see more pitches and develop his plate discipline. He accomplished both goals. He has average speed and good baserunning instincts. He'll steal or take an extra base if the opportunity presents itself. At shortstop, Tulowitzki has one of the strongest and most accurate arms in the game. He has no fear defensively. At times, Tulowitzki can get too aggressive at the plate. He'll chase fastballs up in the zone and breaking balls in the dirt, though he improved as 2006 wore on. Most of the work he needs to do center around his defense. Like most infielders out of Long Beach State, he has a tendency to circle around grounders, which gives runners an extra step. He's also trying to improve his ability to make plays to his backhand. Tulowitzki has learned that pure arm strength isn't enough to make difficult plays in the majors, and he's trying to position himself better and get rid of the ball quicker. Given his size, he'll always have to work a little extra to maintain his agility. Tulowtizki skipped Triple-A and assumed the everyday shortstop job with the Rockies in the final weeks of the regular season. He built off a solid September in the big leagues by being named the top prospect in the Arizona Fall League. Now he's ready to establish himself as a big leaguer for good. Colorado will protect him by initially batting him toward the bottom of the order, but is counting on him evolving into a middle-of-the-lineup run producer. He also has the clubhouse mentality that will allow him to emerge as a leader on and off the field.
Tulowitzki has been compared to Bobby Crosby since succeeding him at shortstop for Long Beach State. The seventh overall pick in the 2005 draft, he signed for $2.3 million. He went straight to high Class A, and the only negative in his pro debut was a torn quadriceps that limited him to 22 games. Most scouts think Tulowitzki is slightly ahead of Crosby, the 2004 American League rookie of the year, at the same stage of their careers and a better fit at shortstop. Tulowitzki has the stroke, strength and bat speed to hit 25-30 homers annually. Though he's big, he doesn't sacrifice any athleticism. He has above-average range and arm strength, and his exceptional instincts allow him to extend his range. Tulowitzki sometimes can get out of control and too aggressive at the plate. He could control the strike zone a little better. A broken hamate bone in the spring and the torn quad restricted his development in 2005. Despite the injury, Tulowitzki should be able to handle the jump to Double-A for his first full season. He could be Colorado's starter by 2007.

Minor League Top Prospects

Tulowitzki didn't produce overwhelming numbers in his first full pro season, but he perfectly illustrated how development takes precedence over performance in the minors. Tulsa skipper Stu Cole, who managed Tulowitzki at Class A Modesto in 2005, suggested batting him leadoff this season to teach him how to be more selective, and the Rockies signed off on the idea. Though managers said it was clear Tulowitzki isn't a leadoff hitter, they loved his bat and power potential. He still can get too aggressive, chasing fastballs up and breaking balls in the dirt, but did improve in that regard. He also got better defensively, showing a good arm and increased range. "He's talented but the best thing about him is how hard he works," Cole said. "He has the work ethic where he's always trying to get better."