Kenny Lofton

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #1 prospect in 1992
  Acquired from the Astros at the Winter Meetings, Lofton immediately bolted to the head of the class. He didn’t come cheap: Lost was Eddie Taubensee, a lefthanded-hitting catcher who probably would be among the top five prospects on this list were he still in the organization. But in Lofton the Indians believe they have someone who can out-Alex Cole Alex Cole. Lofton is faster, much better defensively, a better bunter and younger than Cole. “We kept reading through our reports and asking people about him, and we couldn’t find anyone who would say anything negative,” Indians manager Mike Hargrove said. A prototype leadoff hitter and center fielder, Lofton will get ample opportunity to unseat Cole in spring training. With 168 stolen bases in four professional seasons, Lofton knows how to run. But he also knows how to get caught: his 55 percent success rate is unbecoming of one so swift. There is also a contact question. In the minor leagues, Lofton has struck out once every 5.3 at-bats, a distressing figure for a leadoff hitter. But Indians officials can live with Lofton’s growing pains, given the organization's casual approach to the present.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #4 prospect in 1991
  Now that he’s concentrating solely on baseball, Lofton is on the fast track to Houston. He was the most improved player in the organization in 1990, and he should skip Double-A in 1991 and play in Triple-A Tucson, where he was a basketball player at the University of Arizona. Lofton is the fastest player in the organization--and one of the fastest in the game. He’s an exceptional bunter. He’s still a little green running the bases, but the Astros have encouraged him to be aggressive and not worry about getting picked off. Lofton hits with surprising power. He can drive the ball to the opposite field and stands in well against lefthanders. His arm is a little short for center field and he often takes a poor route in tracking down balls, but he outruns most of his mistakes.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #1 prospect in 1991
  Pure, raw talent. After making the jump from Class A ball, Lofton hit .308-2-50. A basketball star from the University of Arizona, Lofton has played just two and a half pro seasons. He has great speed in the outfield, and his 28 assists attest to his arm strength. Lofton struck out 95 times in 130 games with Tucson, but he cut down on his whiffs in the second half. He stole 40 bases in 63 attempts, but again, he was more successful as the season went along.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #5 prospect in 1990
  This was Lofton’s first full year of pro ball after playing on several outstanding University of Arizona basketball teams. Lofton's Osceola manager, Sal Butera, said, “He’s got some work to do. Defensively he has some things to work on, and he needs to work a little more on his baserunning. But he’s got a lot of talent. He’ll go to instructional league and work on some things.”

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #28 prospect in 1992
• Ranked Baseball America's #75 prospect in 1991

• December, 1991 Scouting Report
  Acquired from the Astros at the Winter Meetings, Lofton immediately bolted to the head of the class. He didn’t come cheap: Lost was Eddie Taubensee, a lefthanded-hitting catcher who probably would be among the top five prospects on this list were he still in the organization. But in Lofton the Indians believe they have someone who can out-Alex Cole Alex Cole. Lofton is faster, much better defensively, a better bunter and younger than Cole. “We kept reading through our reports and asking people about him, and we couldn’t find anyone who would say anything negative,” Indians manager Mike Hargrove said. A prototype leadoff hitter and center fielder, Lofton will get ample opportunity to unseat Cole in spring training. With 168 stolen bases in four professional seasons, Lofton knows how to run. But he also knows how to get caught: his 55 percent success rate is unbecoming of one so swift. There is also a contact question. In the minor leagues, Lofton has struck out once every 5.3 at-bats, a distressing figure for a leadoff hitter. But Indians officials can live with Lofton’s growing pains, given the organization's casual approach to the present.
• December, 1990 Scouting Report
  Now that he’s concentrating solely on baseball, Lofton is on the fast track to Houston. He was the most improved player in the organization in 1990, and he should skip Double-A in 1991 and play in Triple-A Tucson, where he was a basketball player at the University of Arizona. Lofton is the fastest player in the organization--and one of the fastest in the game. He’s an exceptional bunter. He’s still a little green running the bases, but the Astros have encouraged him to be aggressive and not worry about getting picked off. Lofton hits with surprising power. He can drive the ball to the opposite field and stands in well against lefthanders. His arm is a little short for center field and he often takes a poor route in tracking down balls, but he outruns most of his mistakes.
• December, 1990 Scouting Report
  Pure, raw talent. After making the jump from Class A ball, Lofton hit .308-2-50. A basketball star from the University of Arizona, Lofton has played just two and a half pro seasons. He has great speed in the outfield, and his 28 assists attest to his arm strength. Lofton struck out 95 times in 130 games with Tucson, but he cut down on his whiffs in the second half. He stole 40 bases in 63 attempts, but again, he was more successful as the season went along.
• December, 1989 Scouting Report
  This was Lofton’s first full year of pro ball after playing on several outstanding University of Arizona basketball teams. Lofton's Osceola manager, Sal Butera, said, “He’s got some work to do. Defensively he has some things to work on, and he needs to work a little more on his baserunning. But he’s got a lot of talent. He’ll go to instructional league and work on some things.”