Lastings Milledge Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1500
AVG	.269
OBP	.328
SLG	.395
HR	33

Full name Lastings Durell Milledge
Born 04/05/1985 in Bradenton, FL
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Lakewood Ranch
Debut 05/30/2006
Drafted in the 1st round (12th overall) by the New York Mets in 2003 (signed for $2,075,000).

View Draft Report

Milledge's tools stack up well against Harvey's, though they come in a smaller package (6-foot-1, 185 pounds). He has one of the quickest bats in the draft, and his arm and speed both rate 70s on the 20-80 scouting scale. He emerged as a prospect before Harvey did and has had a hard time living up to the excessive hype--an almost impossible task in any case. After tying Delmon Young for the Team USA juniors batting lead at .474 last summer, he struggled at the Baseball America/Perfect Game World Wood Bat showcase last October. At times this spring, he has shown holes against breaking pitches and an inability to adjust against top pitchers. In 2002, he was investigated for improper conduct with a female minor, and though he never was formally charged, the incident has scared off some clubs. Milledge was gaining momentum as the draft approached and helped his cause with a homer off Sarasota High ace James Houser in mid-April. Milledge could go as high as eighth overall to the Pirates, and he also could drop to the second half of the first round if there's a run on college players.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

In the Mets' draft room in 2003, the decision came down to Milledge or righthander Jeff Allison. The Mets loved Milledge's talent, but were worried about allegations of sexual misconduct at his high school. They decided they had a positive read on his makeup, and his talent was too tantalizing to pass up. The Mets haven't had any reason to second-guess their decision, as Milledge has established himself as an elite prospect while Allison has battled drug addiction. Milledge's talent has been evident since he played youth baseball, as he led Manatee East to the 1997 Little League World Series. He comes from a baseball family, as his father Tony Sr. and brothers Anthony and Tony Jr. all played professionally. The family has followed Milledge's career throughout the minors in a recreational vehicle affectionately dubbed "Milledgeville." While he was rumored to be involved in a myriad of deadline deals in July, the Mets held onto Milledge and he rewarded them by tormenting Double-A pitching in the second half. He ranked as the top position prospect in the Eastern League. The first thing scouts mention about Milledge is his lightning-quick bat speed. Milledge boasts one of the fastest bats in the minor leagues, allowing him to wait on pitches longer than most. He uses the entire field and has the strength to hit for average as well as power once he matures as a hitter. He made very good adjustments after he moved from high Class A St. Lucie to Binghamton, improving his pitch recognition. It's still unclear as to whether Milledge profiles better at the top or in the middle of the order. He has above-average speed that he uses to his advantage on the bases and in center field, and he also has a plus arm. With his package of five tools, Milledge has few peers in the minors, and he has produced throughout his minor league career. The biggest knock on Milledge is his inability to control the strike zone. He's a free swinger prone to chasing breaking balls out of the zone, and he hasn't drawn many walks even though pitchers are wary of him. Though he has the speed to steal bases, his instincts are unrefined and he was caught in 38 percent of his attempts in 2005. He stands up too quickly when he moves toward second base, which slows him down. Milledge has lost time to work on those flaws having played just 204 games in 21⁄2 pro seasons. He held out for most of the summer in 2003, and a broken finger (in 2004) and a shoulder injury (in 2005) cost him playing time the last two seasons. With Carlos Beltran entrenched in center field at Shea, Milledge might need to try his hand in right. He'll still play center in the minors in 2006, probably at Triple-A Norfolk, and could make his major league debut before the end of the season. With Beltran still in his prime and Milledge, Jose Reyes and David Wright not having reached theirs, the heart of New York's lineup should be in good shape for years to come.
Baseball is in Milledge's blood. His father Tony Sr. was the Cardinals' third-round pick in the secondary phase of the January 1973 draft and played one year in Rookie ball. Lastings' older brothers Anthony and Tony Jr. also played professionally, though neither made it out of Class A. That won't be a problem for Milledge, who projected as a future first-round pick since he was a high school sophomore. New York was able to get him with the 12th overall pick in 2003 because of his mixed success with wood bats, a rumored high price tag and allegations of improper sexual conduct--none of which was ever substantiated. The Mets say he has been a solid citizen since signing for $2.075 million, the third-highest bonus in club history. Milledge missed the first month of the 2004 season after breaking a finger when he was hit by a pitch during bunting drills in spring training. Once he returned, he quickly showed all of the tools the Mets have been salivating about. Though he struggled after a promotion to high Class A St. Lucie and returned to low Class A Capital City to help the Bombers' playoff run, he showed signs of being able to adjust and his effort never wavered. Milledge's bat speed is exceptional, giving him the ability to wait on pitches and drive them to all fields. He already has above-average power and should be a No. 3 hitter in the majors. He's most comfortable roping line drives to the gaps, but he can also bounce balls off of light towers on occasion. Since he's an above-average runner (4.1 seconds from the right side of the plate to first base), he also has the ability to serve as a tablesetter. He batted almost exclusively out of the leadoff spot last season. His speed, range and arm strength make him the best defensive outfielder in the system. Milledge's all-around tools compare favorably to those of anyone in the minors, and he has delivered production to go along with his potential. Milledge covers plenty of ground in center field, but he still needs to improve his jumps. He also had trouble going back on balls in 2004. If he's blocked in center by Carlos Beltran or even Mike Cameron, he could handle a move to right field. While he has plenty of speed and has succeeded on 31 of his 40 pro steal attempts, Milledge needs to take more chances on the bases. On the other hand, he's sometimes too aggressive at the plate. His exceptional bat speed keeps him from being a 100-strikeout guy, but he doesn't work counts particularly well and he doesn't draw a lot of walks. Milledge's first full season was everything the Mets had hoped for. He'll return to high Class A to start 2005 but should reach Double-A Binghamton before too long. In an organization that promoted one potential all-star (David Wright) and traded another away (Scott Kazmir) in the second half of the 2004 season, Milledge could move quickly. There isn't another player in the system whose ceiling approaches his.
One of the most well-known and well-scouted players in the 2003 draft, Milledge starred for Team USA at the 2001 World Youth Championship and the 2002 World Junior Championship. He dropped to the No. 12 pick for a variety of reasons: an inconsistent history with wood bats, signability questions, and allegations of improper sexual conduct. Milledge never was charged, and after the Mets conducted their own investigation they signed him for $2.075 million. Milledge's five-tool potential reminds the Mets of former outfield prospect Brian Cole, who was killed in a car accident in 2001. The best athlete in the 2003 high school crop, Milledge wows scouts with his bat speed, foot speed and arm strength. Offensively and defensively, Milledge has to get used to wood bats. He struggled at times reading balls off the bat in instructional league, though he should become an above-average center fielder. He needs to lay off breaking pitches and work counts better. After signing late, Milledge has to make up for lost time. He could start 2004 at low Class A Capital City with a strong spring.

Minor League Top Prospects

Milledge's improved plate discipline with Norfolk earned him his first major league promotion when Xavier Nady went to the disabled list in late May. While he didn't set the world on fire as a rookie, Milledge showed flashes of what he can do. Scouts agree that it will take him time to apply all his talents. Milledge's bat just rips through the zone and will allow him to produce for both average and power. A plus runner, he should improve as a basestealer (13-for-23) once he learns to pick his spots better. He has slightly above-average range and a solid arm, and while he's capable in center field he'll probably play on the corner with Carlos Beltran on the Mets.
There were hitters in the FSL with more power (LaRoche, Brett Harper), and guys with more speed (Denard Span and Blue). But when it came to bat speed, no one could compare to the quickest wrists in the league. "To me he had the fastest bat in the league," Brevard County manager John Tamargo said. "It was lightning fast. And he can run and steal some bases too." Physically, there were few more impressive players in the league. Milledge has the speed to run down balls in center field and a solid arm. His power is still developing, but is expected to be average to above average as he matures. There are still some holes in Milledge's game that he has to work on. He needs to improve his plate discipline, because pitchers can get him out with breaking balls or with fastballs out of the zone. His speed doesn't play as well as it should because he doesn't get good jumps on the bases.
Milledge is a five-tool prospect with above-average speed, hitting ability and center-field skills to go along with a strong arm and developing power. What impressed observers most, however, was his maturity and penchant for making adjustments despite reaching Double-A at age 20. He improved his pitch recognition and plate discipline and was remarkably consistent, hitting safely in 20 of his final 22 games. "I feel he's going to be an all-star caliber player," an American League scout said. "You hit home runs with a quick bat, which he's got, and down the road he could steal 35 to 40 bases. He was the most outstanding position player that I saw this year." Milledge needs to improve his basestealing and baserunning to get the most out of his speed. Though he's very aggressive at the plate, pitchers haven't been able to take advantage of him.
Milledge often gets lost in the discussion of the SAL's great prospects because he played just 65 games at Capital City. He began the year in extended spring training after breaking a finger during a bunting drill and also spent about a month in the high Class A Florida State League. He made an impact during his time with the Bombers, though, hitting with authority for the first time with a wood bat and helping lead Capital City to the league championship series. He struggled in the playoffs because of the only flaw in his game: his overaggressiveness at the plate. While Young and Stewart project as slightly better hitters, Milledge was the league's best five-tool player. He showed above-average tools across the board. "The ball just jumps off his bat," Greensboro manager Steve Phillips said. "He had the best bat speed in the league. He's a double threat because of his power and his ability to lead off and make things happen on the bases."