Gilbert Lara Stats & Scouting Report

AB	2462
AVG	.231
OBP	.271
SLG	.333
HR	40

Full name Gilbert Lara
Born 10/30/1997 in Bani, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 198 / Bats: R / Throws: R

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Brewers thought enough of Lara's offensive potential at age 16 to sign the Dominican shortstop for $3,097,500. In two years of Rookie ball, he has compiled a light .609 OPS with three home runs in the extremely hitter-friendly Arizona and Pioneer leagues. With below-average speed, Lara needs to drive the ball to have real impact. Big and strong, he has yet to translate his raw power to games because he hasn't gotten his swing mechanics together. Specifically, he lacks balance and plate discipline. The Brewers have worked with Lara to use his hands more, which could be the answer to tapping into his natural power. He has exceeded defensive expectations at shortstop, however, and has shown good range and arm strength, putting off thoughts of a shift to third base for now. Lara is going to take time to develop, obviously, but scouts believe he has too many physical tools not to break through at some point. He will need a big spring training to make the jump to low Class A Wisconsin.
The Brewers dedicating their entire international budget to sign Lara for $3.1 million in July 2014. He made a big impression in instructional league after signing, showing plus power, then embarked on an assignment to the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2015. He wore down in the second half and slumped noticeably in the AZL, where the 17-year-old tended to lose focus and hit only one home run. Lara shortened his stroke in 2015 by concentrating on using his hands more, and not his entire body, to see how far he could hit a ball. He has tremendous power potential if he can keep his swing quick and direct, but he hit only one home run in the AZL. Lara also must improve his plate discipline after recording a lopsided walk-to-strikeout ratio. He has no real speed on the bases and is not a threat to steal. Given Lara's tall, physical build, scouts have pegged him as a future third baseman, but the Brewers will play him at shortstop for as long as they can. He has the range, above-average arm and smooth actions to play shortstop, and he could stay there unless he goes through a growth spurt. Given that Lara faded down the stretch in the AZL, the Brewers might push him only to Rookie-level Helena in 2016. That would require spending time in extended spring training, where motivation can be an issue, but Lara projects to be a bat-first player.
How badly did the Brewers want Lara? After never spending more than $800,000 for an international amateur, they committed a whopping $3.1 million to sign the 16-year-old shortstop in July 2014. The Brewers buttressed their allotted bonus pool amount of $2,611,800 by trading Cuban righthander Rodolfo Fernandez to the Athletics for slot No. 57, worth $339,000, bringing their total to $2.95 million. Thus by signing Lara, they exceeded their bonus pool by just five percent, while satisfying a goal to become more active in Latin America. Few players in Lara's signing class could match him in terms of raw power. His swing gets out of control at times, and he can be pull-happy, but those are not major issues at his age. He impressed scouts in showcases, where he drove the ball with regularity. Already big-bodied, he isn't expected to be able to stay at shortstop, which requires more dexterity. Offense is his calling card, particularly with a tremendous upside as a slugger. The Brewers are thin at third base and likely will give Lara a good look at the hot corner. That position could prove to be a challenge as well, so a move to first base or the outfield could be in his future. The Brewers might wait until 2016 before assigning Lara to Rookie ball in the U.S. Did not play

Minor League Top Prospects

Observers still believe in Lara's tools and potential even though he has yet to perform as a teen in two Rookie-level seasons. Signed for just over $3 million in 2014, he has plus-plus raw power that has yet to show up in games, mostly due to an inconsistent approach at the plate. He's a better hitter when he shortens his stroke and goes gap to gap. Helena manager Nestor Corredor said Lara is working on learning to use the middle of the field. Scouts and managers have fewer questions about Lara's play at shortstop. He earns plus grades for both defense and arm strength. He may physically outgrow shortstop, but if his bat develops, he's athletic enough to move to a corner spot.
The Brewers used their entire 2014 international bonus pool to sign Lara for just over $3 million. He made a big splash in his first instructional league last fall by blasting several tape-measure home runs. He tended to over-swing and try to pull every pitch during extended spring training this year, but the Brewers coaching staff worked with him to use more of his hands and not all of his body to hit by shortening his stroke and staying longer in the strike zone. Lara started very strong early in the AZL season, notching three four-hit games, before slumping in the second half primarily because of fatigue. Scouts also expressed concern about inconsistent efforts and work ethic later in the season. Lara shows the range, infield actions and above-average arm to be able to stay at shortstop, provided he doesn't grow too much in his teens. He gets good carry and accuracy on his throws. Lara has the tools needed for success at higher levels, and is projected by some observers as a plus big league player. "He's really solid for 17 years old--a grinder," Brewers manager Nestor Corredor said.