Grady Sizemore

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #1 prospect in 2004
  Sizemore was considered the third-best prospect in the trade that brought him from Montreal to Cleveland for Bartolo Colon in mid-2002. Since switching organizations, Sizemore has eclipsed infielder Brandon Phillips and lefty Cliff Lee, who came with him from the Expos, and established that he has a higher ceiling than anyone in the system. A high school quarterback who signed a letter of intent with Washington after being recruited by several other Pacific-10 Conference schools, Sizemore gave up football to sign for $2 million. He's a high-energy, intense competitor who draws comparisons to other football-to-baseball converts such as Kirk Gibson. Sizemore looks like he made the right decision. In 2003, he led Indians minor leaguers in runs and hits, topped the Double-A Eastern League in triples and was named MVP of the Futures Game. He hit .412 as Akron won the EL playoffs, then batted third for Team USA at the Olympic qualifying tournament in November. It has been a long time since a player with this many tools has emerged from the Indians system. Sizemore has the full package, the potential to be a marquee player, and is as close to being an untouchable as the Indians have in their minor league system. He uses the entire field and controls the strike zone well, projecting as a .300 hitter in the majors. His power is coming quicker than expected, as he stroked 13 homers last year after totaling six in his first three seasons. There's a lot more to come, as he was an EL all-star at the tender age of 20. Sizemore's speed and center-field range are well-above-average. He's quick out of the batter's box and has tremendous baserunning instincts. He's still learning the art of basestealing but should become at least a 20-20 player as he matures. Along with all his physical skills, Sizemore also has off-the-charts makeup. He's an aggressive, blue-collar player with a tremendous desire to succeed. There are few flaws in Sizemore's overall game. His arm grades as a 35 on the 20-80 scouting scale, though it's playable in center field. He compensates by getting to balls and unloading them quickly. Sizemore's walk rate declined in 2003, though it was still respectable. That seems to be the tradeoff, at least at first, for the increase in power. After succeeding on just 57 percent of his steal attempts the last two years, he must improve his reads and jumps. Sizemore isn't far from being major league-ready at age 21. With a surplus of young outfielders on the major league roster, the Indians have no need to push him and he'll start 2004 as the center fielder in Triple-A Buffalo. He should make his big league debut at some point during the season.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #7 prospect in 2003
  The third player among the organization's top seven prospects who was acquired in the Bartolo Colon trade, Sizemore stepped up his offensive production after switching organizations. If the Expos hadn't given him a $2 million signing bonus as a 2000 third-round pick, he'd be playing college football at Washington. Extremely confident, Sizemore is one of the most advanced hitters in the system. He's an above-average runner with the ability to cover center field, and he controls the strike zone well. He proved to be a natural, Kirk Gibson-style leader at Kinston and backed up his confidence by repeatedly coming through in the clutch. Sizemore's arm is his biggest weakness. He has a fringe arm for center, though his range and instincts should keep him at the position. He has yet to show the power the Indians expect will come, which may be related to his middle-of-the-field approach. Just 20, Sizemore is one of the most exciting position players Cleveland has had in years. He'll start the 2003 season in Double-A and could be ready for the majors by mid-2004.
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  Ranked Washington Nationals #3 prospect in 2002
  Sizemore was a standout football player who had committed to play both baseball and football at Washington before the Expos lured him with a $2 million bonus. He made considerable progress during his first full season, batting .327 over the final two months of the season. Sizemore has a lean, athletic body with loose, flexible actions. He has above-average center fielder range, speed and instinctive flychasing skills. At the plate he has an uncanny understanding of the strike zone and shows advanced pitch recognition. He has a smooth, easy swing with impressive bat speed. He does a good job of staying back with his swing, so he isn't fooled by breaking pitches and changeups. Once Sizemore learns to incorporate his lower half into his swing, he projects to hit with plus power to all fields. He has below-average arm strength and needs to improve his throwing mechanics by keeping his front shoulder closed. Expos officials are giddy with excitement when they talk about Sizemore. He'll open 2002 with Jupiter and could find himself in Harrisburg by season's end.
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  Ranked Washington Nationals #6 prospect in 2001
  Sizemore was a standout football player--he rushed for 1,199 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior quarterback/running back--who planned to play both baseball and football at Washington before Montreal lured him away with a $2 million bonus. The Expos view Sizemore as a special player. They rave about his athleticism and ability to pick up instruction. He has impressive bat speed, uses the whole field, and has an advanced understanding of the strike zone. He keeps the bat head in the hitting zone a long time and projects to hit with above-average power. He runs a 6.6 60-yard dash and gets good jumps in center field. Sizemore has average arm strength and still displays some stiffness in his throwing stroke because of his football background. Montreal officials believe it will smooth out with time. He has trouble catching up to anything up in the strike zone. Ranked the No. 8 prospect in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League last season, Sizemore has the ability and makeup to move quickly. The Expos expect him to start 2001 with short-season Vermont but think Clinton is a realistic possibility.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked International League #3 prospect in 2004
  Sizemore started slowly after a stomach virus left him 15 pounds lighter than usual heading into the season, but he soon showed his full package of skills. It has been some time since the Indians have had a player with this many tools come out of its system. He uses the entire field and has fine plate discipline, projecting as a .300 hitter in the big leagues. Though he didn't show as much power as he did last year in Double-A, he has strength and projects as at least a 20-20 player in the majors. His arm is his sole below-average tool, but he has good instincts and is a very capable center fielder. You want makeup? Brown calls Sizemore a manager's dream, while scouts describe him as being the equivalent of another manager on the field. "He's the kind of guy who drives his own car," Indianapolis manager Cecil Cooper said. "He has such a strong desire to succeed. And that desire is going to push him to find out just how good he can be and maintain that at the highest level."
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  Ranked Eastern League #3 prospect in 2003
  Like Mauer, Sizemore is a former high school football star and carries a gridiron mentality onto the diamond. The Futures Game MVP, Sizemore showed off four tools for Akron, with a below-average throwing arm his only weakness. While Sizemore's arm is a little short, he has the speed and quick first step to handle center field. At the plate, he hit for average and showed good pop. He has above-average speed, though he's still figuring out how to steal bases. One manager compared him to Johnny Damon but with more power, while another praised the way he plays the game with reckless abandon. "He's the best all-round player in the whole league," Altoona manager Dale Sveum said. "His potential is overwhelming. You don't have to watch him play 20 games. He stands out in five games. He's a man among kids."
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  Ranked Carolina League #10 prospect in 2002
  The youngest of the prospects Cleveland acquired in the Bartolo Colon deal, Sizemore acquitted himself well after arriving in the CL at age 19. Mackanin called him one of the three most dangerous hitters in the league. A top football recruit whom the Washington Huskies envisioned as a star quarterback, Sizemore gave up football when the Expos handed him a $2 million bonus as a 2000 third-round pick. He has good all-around athleticism, especially for a left fielder. He has played center field in the past. "He's a very good player who's probably capable of hitting 20 home runs," Kubiak said. "He's a good hitter, and he runs well. His speed is above average and his arm average. He has great composure, where he's quiet at the plate and seldom swings at a pitch that's bad."
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  Ranked Midwest League #10 prospect in 2001
  Sizemore was another teenager who got considerably better during his first full season. He hit just .218 through June, then finished with a .327 surge. Caught stealing in nine of his first 27 attempts, he succeeded on 14 of his last 16. A coveted quarterback who turned down a University of Washington football scholarship to sign for $2 million, Sizemore has plenty of raw tools, including speed and as-yet-untapped power potential. He needs to make some adjustments to his swing, which can get out of control, but he already has good patience. He can play a shallow center field because of his outstanding range and ability to go back on balls. "He looks like the whole package to me," Fort Wayne manager Don Werner said. "He's really athletic, he can do a lot of stuff and he's 18. He's incredible."
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  Ranked Florida Complex League #8 prospect in 2000
  The Expos raised eyebrows when they took Sizemore in the third round this year and gave him a $2 million signing bonus, grossly out of line with new parameters established by the commissioner's office. Montreal officials defended the expense because Sizemore was otherwise headed to the University of Washington to play football, and GCL managers agreed it was money well spent. "He hit well, played a solid center field, stole some bases and had an excellent walk-to-strikeout ratio (23-24)," Expos skipper Steve Phillips said. "Because of his size, he'll develop some power and probably will move to a corner position." "He has a nice, short stroke and the ball really comes off his bat good," Shelton said. "He has a very good approach at the plate."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #9 prospect in 2004

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  The Expos raised eyebrows when they took Sizemore in the third round this year and gave him a $2 million signing bonus, grossly out of line with new parameters established by the commissioner's office. Montreal officials defended the expense because Sizemore was otherwise headed to the University of Washington to play football, and GCL managers agreed it was money well spent. "He hit well, played a solid center field, stole some bases and had an excellent walk-to-strikeout ratio (23-24)," Expos skipper Steve Phillips said. "Because of his size, he'll develop some power and probably will move to a corner position." "He has a nice, short stroke and the ball really comes off his bat good," Shelton said. "He has a very good approach at the plate."