Paul Goldschmidt Stats & Scouting Report

AB	599
AVG	.245
OBP	.302
SLG	.414
HR	22

Full name Paul Edward Goldschmidt
Born 09/10/1987 in Wilmington, DE
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Texas State
Debut 08/01/2011
Drafted in the 8th round (246th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009 (signed for $95,000).

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Paul Goldschmidt became the first player to repeat as Southland Conference hitter of the year since future big leaguer Ben Broussard in 1998-99. Goldschmidt, who also won the SLC's player of the year award, led NCAA Division I with 87 RBIs entering super-regional play and bashed 18 homers this spring, giving him a school-record 36 for his career. He has big righthanded power and good plate discipline for a slugger. Though he's a good athlete for a 6-foot-4, 240-pounder, his lack of range limits him to first base, so his bat will have to carry him. Part of a national championship team at The Woodlands (Texas) High in 2006, Goldschmidt went in the 49th round of that draft to the Dodgers.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Goldschmidt has a proven track record as a power hitter. He set a school record with 36 career home runs at Texas State, after first coming to scouts' attention in 2006, when he and Kyle Drabek (now the Blue Jays' top prospect) led The Woodlands (Texas) High to the national championship. He led the Rookie-level Pioneer League in homers (18) and slugging percentage (.638) in his debut season, then jumped two levels to high Class A and topped the California League in doubles (42), home runs (35) and slugging (.606) en route to winning the MVP award. He also struck out 161 times, which some scouts see as an indication that he may struggle against better pitching as he moves higher in the system. There's no denying Goldschmidt's legitimate power to all fields, and his supporters believe he has a swing path that will allow him to improve as a hitter. He was especially dangerous against lefthanders last year, batting .413/.453/.860 with 16 homers in just 143 at-bats, so even those who don't believe in him as a regular in the big leagues believe he can at least have a solid career as a platoon player. His defense right now is adequate, and he has the potential to be an average major league first baseman because he's rangy for his size. His speed is well below-average, so he'll have to make it as a first baseman or DH. Goldschmidt will move up to Double A, where he'll be tested by better pitching.
Goldschmidt first stood out as a power-hitting corner infielder in 2006, when he teamed with Phillies prospect Kyle Drabek to lead The Woodlands (Texas) High to the national high school championship. Goldschmidt turned down the Dodgers as a 49th-rounder to attend Texas State, where he set a school record with 36 career homers and led NCAA Division I with 87 RBIs last spring. The Southland Conference's first repeat hitter of the year since future big leaguer Ben Broussard a decade earlier, he draws comparisons to Pete Incaviglia for his body type and massive raw power. After signing for $95,000 as an eighth-round pick, Goldschmidt led the Pioneer League in homers (18) and slugging (.638). He has a simple hitting approach and unloads on mistakes. He's an aggressive hitter who will have to prove he can make contact against more advanced pitching because his swing can get long and he can get pull-happy and spin off pitches on the outer half. He's a good athlete and runner for his size, but he's still a below-average runner and defender. His lack of range limits him to first base, and he's not smooth around the bag. Because the Diamondbacks have a number of corner-infield prospects--they selected four ahead of him in the 2009 draft--he may get a chance to play left field in the future. With Ryan Wheeler ticketed for high Class A, Goldschmidt figures to open 2010 in South Bend.

Minor League Top Prospects

The MVP of the high Class A California League last year, Goldschmidt added a Southern League MVP trophy to his collection this year. Goldschmidt has outstanding balance and doesn't have many moving parts in his swing, so there's minimal wasted effort getting his swing started. He's strong, keeps his weight back well and stays within his swing, driving the ball for plus-plus power to all fields. He's prone to chasing high fastballs and always will have a high strikeout rate, but he'll also draw plenty of walks and maintain a high OBP. Though he's a well below-average runner, Goldschmidt has worked to improve his defense and become close to an average first baseman. He has gotten better at picking balls in the dirt and turning the double play.
Goldschmidt's power became the stuff of legend around the Cal League, as nearly everyone he faced witnessed him hitting balls a long way. The league MVP, he led the the circuit in doubles (42), homers (35), extra-base hits (80), total bases (318) and slugging (.606). More than just a pull hitter, Goldschmidt has power to all fields. He ranked second in the league with 161 strikeouts, and while some observers thought the whiffs were an acceptable tradeoff for his homers, others think he'll make less contact at higher levels because he struggles with high fastballs and pulls off breaking pitches. He's a well below-average runner and athlete who's limited to first base, where he's an adequate defender.