Andy LaRoche Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1184
AVG	.226
OBP	.304
SLG	.336
HR	22

Full name Andrew Christian LaRoche
Born 09/13/1983 in Fort Scott, KS
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Grayson CC
Debut 05/06/2007
Drafted in the 39th round (1,171st overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2003 (signed for $1,000,000).

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SS Andy LaRoche has good bloodlines, as his father Dave was a two-time all-star reliever and his brother Adam is one of the Braves' best hitting prospects. Andy went the Albert Pujols route in 2001-02, graduating from a Kansas high school in December so he could enter junior college in what would have been the second half of his senior year. The Padres drafted him in the 22nd round and still control his rights as a draft-and-follow. He's an offensive middle infielder who has power to all fields. Defensively, his hands and instincts are his best assets, and his arm and range are solid at shortstop. The only knocks on LaRoche are that he doesn't run as well as a typical shortstop after having knee problems in the past, and he's committed to Rice and thought to be fairly unsignable.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Dodgers took a 39th-round flier on LaRoche in 2003 and signed him for $1 million after he tore up the Cape Cod League that summer. He's the son of former major league all-star Dave and the brother of Pirates first baseman Adam. Andy entered spring training in competition for Los Angeles' third-base job, but went 11-for-51 without a homer in big league camp and spent most of the season at Triple-A Las Vegas. He had left shoulder surgery after the 2006 season, which might have precipitated his slow start, and he battled back soreness in 2007 as well. LaRoche has plus raw power and a good feel for hitting. When he gets his arms extended, balls fly off his bat to all fields. He lets balls travel deep and has the bat speed to catch up to the best of fastballs. He has advanced pitch recognition and commands the strike zone well when he stays within himself. He's a slightly below-average defender with a solid-average arm. LaRoche's approach was inconsistent last season. He was overly patient at times when he first got to the majors in May, then chased balls out of the zone in his second try with the Dodgers in September. He also gets pull-happy at the plate. He's a below-average runner with unexceptional range defensively. Los Angeles would like to see him take his preparation more seriously. His injury history is more extensive than he or the club would like. LaRoche profiles as an everyday third baseman with the potential to bat in the middle of a lineup. The Dodgers haven't been able to fill the hole at third base since Adrian Beltre left in 2005, and LaRoche should finally get his opportunity this season.
The son of former major league all-star Dave and the brother of Braves first baseman Adam, Andy could be the best big leaguer in the family. He graduated early from high school and attended Grayson County (Texas) CC in what would have been the spring of his senior year in 2002. The Padres took him in the 21st round that June as a draft and follow, but made little effort to sign him the following spring. By that point LaRoche had committed to Rice and several clubs viewed him as unsignable. The Dodgers took a 39th-round flier on him in the 2003 draft, and after he raked in the Cape Cod League that summer, they signed him for $1 million. LaRoche established himself as one of the top position players in the minors by slugging 30 homers in 2005, and he fortified that reputation with another strong campaign in 2006. He hit a career-high .315 with 19 homers (including one on the first pitch he saw in Triple-A) despite a torn labrum in his left shoulder that required surgery following the season. He also hurt his right shoulder, but played through both injuries. Few players can cause a stir in batting practice like LaRoche can. He sometimes will take BP with a 36-ounce bat, which has helped him build remarkable strength in his hands and wrists. He has tremendous power and a ferocious approach, attacking pitches with a quick, leveraged swing. He can drive balls out to all parts of the park, but is at his best when he's hammering them from gap to gap. He lets the ball travel deep in the hitting zone. He's an intelligent hitter who made strides in 2006 with his plate discipline and willingness to work counts without sacrificing any power. For the first time as a pro, he drew more walks than strikeouts. Defensively, he has good hands and a solid-average arm. He's a reliable third baseman who committed just five errors in 54 games at Las Vegas. LaRoche can fall into bad habits at the plate, at times losing balance, lengthening his swing and chasing pitches out of the zone when he tries to muscle up. He's geared to pull for power, and his average could suffer unless he tones down his swing. He has below-average range and speed. He always has had a big league mentality and his brashness rubs some the wrong way. The Dodgers are quick to praise him for his grit and determination, and they don't consider his makeup to be a detriment. LaRoche profiles as an everyday third baseman and an occasional all-star with a .275-.285 average and 25-30 homer potential. He should be fully recovered by the start of spring training, where he'll compete with Wilson Betemit to start at third base in Los Angeles. If he doesn't win the job, LaRoche likely will play regularly in Triple-A instead of sitting on the big league bench to open the year.
LaRoche signed for $1 million as a 39th-rounder in 2003, giving up the chance to attend Rice. Before the 2005 season, he and his brother, Braves first baseman Adam, bet a fishing trip on who would hit the most homers. Andy won, leading Dodgers farmhands in homers and RBIs. LaRoche plays the game with passion to go along with three plus tools. His power comes from a compact, controlled stroke. He turns around the liveliest fastballs. He's a solid defender and owns the organization's best infield arm. His instincts boost his average range and his hands are dependable. LaRoche's speed is his lone below-average tool. Most of his power is presently to the pull side, and he'll need to cover the outer half better as he faces more advanced pitching. His swing can get long at times. The Dodgers have an immediate need for an everyday third baseman, and LaRoche could fill it, though they'll probably ship him to Triple-A after he attends major league spring training.
The Dodgers had to fight the commissioner's office's bonus recommendations to sign LaRoche for $1 million in 2003. After establishing himself as the best hitter in the Cape Cod League that summer, they believed he would become a first-rounder if he went to Rice. His father Dave was an all-star pitcher and his brother Adam starts at first base for the Braves. LaRoche has big-time power potential. He has good strength, a quick bat and excellent load for his swing, helping him generate backspin and loft. He owns the organization's best arm and has above-average range and hands. He's an average runner. LaRoche is almost exclusively a pull hitter and can be too aggressive in his approach. He swings and misses too often, so he may never hit for a huge average. He battled arm soreness, which led to throwing errors, after moving to third base last year. He played shortstop before turning pro. If he reaches his ceiling, LaRoche could hit 35-40 homers annually. He may start 2005 back in high Class A but should reach Double-A by the end of the season.
The son of former all-star Dave LaRoche and brother of Braves prospect Adam, Andy was considered unsignable and headed for Rice when the Dodgers took a flier on him last June. When he tore up the Cape Cod League and projected as a 2004 first-rounder, the Dodgers went against MLB's recommendations and signed him for $1 million. An aggressive hitter, LaRoche caught scouts off guard by displaying well-above-average raw power in the Cape. It was evident again in instructional league, where he launched several tape-measure shots. His arm strength is the best in the organization, and he has a natural feel for the game. The question about LaRoche is where he will play. He may lack the quickness to stay at shortstop, but he isn't a defensive liability and his versatility gives the Dodgers options, including catcher. He can get pull-happy, making him susceptible to offspeed pitches. LaRoche broke his leg early in the Cape season and wasn't cleared to play shortstop until the fall. The Dodgers expect him to be fully recovered this spring, when they'll move him to second base and promote him to high Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Fifth on this list in 2006 and fourth in 2007, LaRoche again produced strong numbers in his third trip through the PCL. But after the Dodgers acquired Casey Blake from the Indians to bolster their struggling offense, they sent LaRoche to the Pirates in the Manny Ramirez deal. LaRoche has an exceptional knowledge of the strike zone, though sometimes he's too selective. He has plus raw power, but he sometimes gets too pull-conscious and lengthens his swing. Scouts aren't as high on his offensive potential as they once were, saying he's more likely to be a solid regular rather than a star. LaRoche is a serviceable defender, though he needs to clean up his fundamentals. He has enough arm for third base, but his speed and range are below average.
LaRoche slumped through much of the season's first half--including a big league stint in May when he batted .211/.436/.263--before heating up in June, setting the stage for a torrid second half. He was bothered by soreness in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, the same one that required labrum surgery following 2006, but the injury improved after a June stay on the disabled list. LaRoche hit .411/.486/.922 in 25 July games, connecting for 12 of his 18 home runs and 10 of his 18 doubles. LaRoche's outlook improved when he started hitting the ball the opposite way instead of trying to pull everything. His quick, leveraged swing lends itself more to driving the ball gap-to-gap anyway. He is generally in control at the plate, and projects to hit for average and power. Sometimes he can appear too complacent, though, like he's just trying to not make an out. On defense, LaRoche offers a strong arm and solid range at third base. Diving for the ball would sometimes aggravate his shoulder injury, but he showed no hesitancy to make plays.
The Dodgers have started nine different third basemen this year, but LaRoche should put an end to that revolving door in 2007. He continued to hit for power and average, batting .309/.419/.483 in Double-A and .322/.400/.550 with Las Vegas, and also started to attract attention for his polished defense. LaRoche's strong hands and wrists give him the bat speed to pull pitches out of the park. He controls the strike zone well, forcing pitchers to give him something he can punish. He also has steady hands and a plus arm at the hot corner, and he committed just five errors in 54 Triple-A games. "He's a plus defender at third base and he hits with a lot of power," Colbert said. "You can tell by the way he carries himself that he's comfortable out there and knows what he's doing."
LaRoche has an old-school approach to the game. Growing up as the son of a former all-star (Dave) and the brother of an up-and-coming big leaguer (Adam) has rubbed off on him, and scouts and managers alike give him high marks for his all-out play at the hot corner. Beyond the gamer mindset are three plus tools, starting with plus power generated by a compact swing. LaRoche's quick hands and strong wrists allow for outstanding bat control and bat speed. Teams repeatedly worked him on the outer half of the plate, and while he showed occasional opposite-field pop, most of his power comes from pulling the ball. "He doesn't look pretty. He's in that Steve Garvey/Ron Cey mold of player," an American League scout said. "He's a streaky hitter, but this guy is always dangerous." LaRoche gets good reads off the bat and has average range and footwork at third. His arm is plus, and the only tool he lacks is speed, though he isn't a liability on the bases.
Tied for the minor league home run lead when he was promoted from high Class A in mid-June, LaRoche saw his power production drop off in the SL but he still more than held his own. The brother of Braves first baseman Adam and the son of former major league all-star Dave, Andy has the highest ceiling of the three LaRoches. He owns the strongest arm in the Dodgers organization and has very good actions at third base. LaRoche has serious pop in his bat, and while most of his power is to left field, he has learned to go the other away. He's so aggressive that he might not hit for a high average in the majors, but he could deliver 40 home runs a year. "When he comes to the plate, you can just tell that he is ready to have a good at-bat," Shoemaker said. "He is a determined ballplayer, and he acts like a professional on and off the field. When I say he can hit a fastball, some players aren't that gifted that they can hit a good fastball, but LaRoche can."
After making a late-season cameo in the FSL last year, LaRoche quickly showed that he was ready for Double-A with a blistering 63-game stint with Vero Beach in 2005. When he was promoted to Jacksonville, LaRoche was on pace to destroy the league's single-season home run record of 33. As impressed as they were with his power, FSL managers also were excited about LaRoche's ability to hit for average. LaRoche went to the plate looking for fastballs that he could drive, but he had enough pitch recognition and plate discipline to avoid getting suckered into chasing breaking balls. When he did get a pitch to hammer, he showed power to all fields. "I've seen him make adjustments," Jupiter manager Tim Cossins said. "It's not just power. He also has some hitter in him." LaRoche isn't as polished in the field yet, as he is still adjusting to a move from shortstop last year. But he shows average hands and quickness, a good understanding of positioning and a strong arm. One manager said LaRoche warranted a shot at catcher if his bat weren't putting him on a fast track to the majors.
With the exception of his power numbers, LaRoche's FSL statistics were ugly. But that didn't keep most observers from projectiong him as a future big league third baseman. They considered him one of the best hitting prospects in the league, as well as a good defender. "I really like his swing," Claus said. "Few swings are as flat as his. The bat is in the zone for a long time. And when he gets it, it's backspun with good carry." FSL pitchers took advantage of LaRoche's aggressiveness, getting him out with breaking balls and changeups while he looked for fastballs to pull. He'll be better off once he realizes he can hit the ball out to all fields and lets his power come naturally. A shortstop in junior college, LaRoche showed one of the FSL's strongest arms and good agility, though his hands are a little questionable. Some managers thought he'd be able to play second base as well.
LaRoche had plenty to accomplish in 2004. He had to live up to his $1 million bonus as a 39th-round pick in 2003, move from shortstop to third base and show he could play a full pro season. He exceeded expectations, showing a blend of power, patience and defensive prowess before a midseason promotion to the Florida State League. The son of former all-star Dave LaRoche and brother of Braves rookie Adam LaRoche, Andy has above-average bat speed and excellent hand strength, letting him wait on breaking balls before punishing them. He has enough power for the hot corner, and his soft hands, athleticism and average arm help him profile for the position defensively. "He didn't look like he was new to the position," Charleston RiverDogs manager Steve Livesey said. "He made every play and showed the kind of reaction times you need at third base. I thought he stood out defensively."