Adam Dunn

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #2 prospect in 2001
  Dunn continued his conversion to becoming exclusively a baseball player with a solid all-around performance in his second full professional season. The former University of Texas quarterback announced his commitment to baseball in spring training 1999, thrilling Reds management. It's easy to understand when you look at Dunn's dimensions and then watch him move. Not only has he displayed power potential, but he also stole 24 bases in 29 tries at Dayton in 2000. He enhances his skill with a keen eye and patience, leading the Midwest League with a .428 on-base percentage last year. Dunn still shows the effects of spending all that time on the gridiron, though. Reading balls off the bat and taking the proper routes when tracking balls sometimes challenges him. His arm isn't what you would expect from a former quarterback, which is why he has been playing left field. As is the case with many patient hitters, Dunn occasionally falls into the trap of taking too many pitches. Dunn's size-speed-power combination gives him the potential to be a more spectacular player than Kearns. He'll play with Kearns for the fourth straight season, this time in Double-A, and is on the same 2003 timetable for arriving in Cincinnati.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #6 prospect in 1999
  Background: The Reds surprised the industry by signing Dunn while allowing him to play quarterback at the University of Texas. Dunn played sparingly as a freshman for the Longhorns. Strengths: Dunn is an athlete supreme with enormous power potential. He also runs to first base in 4.1 seconds and throws in the low 90s off the mound. The Reds say that he has the easy confidence and natural swagger only special athletes can carry. Coming from a very small high school program, his success at Rookie-level Billings (.288-4-13) speaks well of his baseball aptitude. Weaknesses: Getting enough repetitions will be Dunn's main obstacle. Along with needing as many at-bats as possible, Dunn needs work on his routes and footwork in the outfield. The Future: All the objective indicators point to Dunn eventually playing baseball. Texas' starting quarterback in '98 was a freshman, Major Applewhite, and Heisman Trophy winner/Texas Rangers outfielder Ricky Williams has been a positive pro-baseball influence on Dunn.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #1 prospect in 2001
  Ranked as Cincinnati's No. 2 prospect behind fellow Double-A outfielder Austin Kearns at the start of the season, Dunn powered his way out of the Southern League and then out of the International League. One of his homers in the Triple-A all-star game left Indianapolis' Victory Field, only to picked up and hauled off by a lucky motorist driving behind the right-field wall. "Dunn's a guy who has real good discipline at the plate," Durham manager Bill Evers said. "He obviously has well-above-average power. Defensively, he still has a little work to do, but he's good for a big guy." Dunn has speed that also can be described as good for a big guy. He stole more than 20 bases in each of his previous two minor league seasons, then picked his spots at running again this year--when he wasn't jogging around the bases. He has an average but generally accurate arm.
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  Ranked Southern League #1 prospect in 2001
  Dunn was supposed to spend the entire season facing Double-A pitching, but the Reds revised that plan after 39 games. The former University of Texas quarterback overpowered the competition, averaging a home run every 11.7 at-bats and one RBI every 4.5 trips to the plate prior to a May promotion to Triple-A. "He was a one-man wrecking crew in this league," Greenville manager Paul Runge said. "He demonstrated tremendous raw power. He has a serious presence out on the field. He's a bona fide, up-and-coming major league star." Managers were most impressed with how hard Dunn hit the ball and how quick his swing was for a 6-foot-6, 250-pounder. He also displayed a good knowledge of the strike zone. His defense at the corner outfield positions needs some work, but he displayed good mobility and improved arm strength.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #8 prospect in 2000
  A former University of Texas quarterback who got lost in the shuffle behind Major Applewhite and recruit Chris Simms, Dunn’s focus is solely on baseball these days. In many respects he’s similar to Kearns, whom he was drafted one round behind in 1998 and has played with for three straight years. Dunn, too, is an accomplished young hitter with prodigious power and a discriminating eye, and he led the league with a .428 on-base percentage. Kearns is more advanced defensively at this point. Dunn’s arm is his worst tool and relegates him to left field. Most managers preferred Kearns, but Wisconsin’s Gary Thurman was an exception. "I think Dunn has more potential," Thurman said. "He’s a big boy, a strong lefthanded hitter who stole a lot of bases. I’m just surprised that his arm isn’t that good for a quarterback."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #33 prospect in 2001
• Ranked Baseball America's #56 prospect in 2000

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  A former University of Texas quarterback who got lost in the shuffle behind Major Applewhite and recruit Chris Simms, Dunn’s focus is solely on baseball these days. In many respects he’s similar to Kearns, whom he was drafted one round behind in 1998 and has played with for three straight years. Dunn, too, is an accomplished young hitter with prodigious power and a discriminating eye, and he led the league with a .428 on-base percentage. Kearns is more advanced defensively at this point. Dunn’s arm is his worst tool and relegates him to left field. Most managers preferred Kearns, but Wisconsin’s Gary Thurman was an exception. "I think Dunn has more potential," Thurman said. "He’s a big boy, a strong lefthanded hitter who stole a lot of bases. I’m just surprised that his arm isn’t that good for a quarterback."