Carlos Gonzalez

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #1 prospect in 2008
  Gonzalez burst onto the scene by winning the low Class A Midwest League MVP award in 2005, and he has followed that with two straight appearances in the Futures Game. He also was Baseball America's Winter Player of the Year after the 2006 season, batting .318/.393/.530 with nine home runs in 198 at-bats in his native Venezuela. He was back with Zulia this winter as its starting right fielder after an up-and-down season in the minors. Gonzalez got off to his traditional slow start, batting .210 in April, before coming around later in the season, batting .335 with eight of his nine homers in the final two months. He earned a promotion to Triple-A Tucson for the final week of the season. Scouts loved working Double-A Mobile games when both Justin Upton and Gonzalez were in the outfield, as the two seemed to play off each other and enjoyed a friendly rivalry at the plate and in the field. Gonzalez lacks nothing in the way of physical tools. He has tremendous bat speed, with a pure easiness to his swing that generates plus raw power to all fields. The strength and leverage in his natural inside-out stroke makes the ball jump off his bat. A prototype right fielder, he has an above-average arm and enough speed to play in center field if need be----and in fact he played there quite a bit when Upton was with Mobile. Gonzalez is becoming more comfortable in right field as he gets more time there, learning better routes and whether to uncork a rocket or just hit the cutoff man. In general, his feel for the game has improved. Scouts and managers often have been turned off by Gonzalez' approach to the game, accusing him of giving away at-bats or not hustling at times. The Diamondbacks have addressed this concern in the past and say it's a case of immaturity and lack of focus but not bad makeup. To the contrary, they say he's a bright, outgoing person who wants to be a star. On a more tangible level, he needs to have a plan every time he goes to the plate, so he doesn't expand his strike zone and get himself out. He gets himself in trouble when he tries to pull the ball too much. He's still an erratic defender, leading the high Class A California and Double-A Southern league in outfield miscues the last two years with 12 each time. Gonzalez is knocking on the door of the big leagues at age 22, but he needs more at-bats and the Diamondbacks have no opening for him. He'll spend most of 2008 in Triple-A unless injuries create a need for him in Arizona. He could be a valuable trade chip, as it seems unlikely Gonzalez would displace Upton or Chris Young, and Eric Byrnes just signed a $30 million contract extension.
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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #3 prospect in 2007
  Gonzalez followed up his 2005 MVP campaign in the Midwest League by again showing the all-around ability that gets scouts excited and allowed him to stand out among the crowd of prospects at the Futures Game. The Diamondbacks have an embarrassment of outfielders with allaround ability, and Gonzalez can hit with any of them. He has a quiet approach at the plate with good bat speed and quick hands, giving him above-average power. He became more confident last season. He's a prototype right fielder and has the best outfield arm in the organization. Gonzalez can get in home run mode and overswing, which slows down his bat, and he gets so anxious at the plate sometimes that he expands his strike zone. He didn't always hustle last season, but he apologized after an early-season benching and played hard the rest of the way. He has played center field during winter ball in Venezuela, but he'll probably slow down to a slightly below-average runner as he fills out and settle in right. He'll return to Double-A with the new affiliate in Mobile to open 2007.
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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #4 prospect in 2006
  Gonzales' tools always had excited the Diamondbacks, and he exploded in 2005. He won the MVP award and ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the low Class A Midwest League, where managers rated him the best batting prospect, best defensive outfielder, best outfield arm and most exciting player. Most aspects of the game come easy to Gonzales. He has a quick, fluid swing and strong wrists, projecting as a .300 hitter with 30-plus homer power. He makes adjustments like a veteran and commands the strike zone well. He takes good routes and has a plus arm in right field. Gonzales' speed is currently just average, and it should continue to regress as he fills out. He can get pull-happy and has some holes on the outer half of the plate, but those are easily correctable issues. He doesn't walk as much as he could because he makes contact so easily. Gonzales has the chance to be a special player, but there's no reason to rush him, especially considering Arizona's outfield. He'll begin 2006 in high Class A, where he could put up monster numbers in the friendly confines of Lancaster.
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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #19 prospect in 2005
  The Diamondbacks felt Gonzalez was ready for a full-season league in 2004 despite being just 18, but he lasted just two weeks before a broken hand sidelined him for nearly two months. When he got healthy he reported to short-season Yakima, where he homered in five of his first 11 games. Gonzalez's raw package of tools gives plenty of reason for excitement. He's a good hitter with a natural uppercut who projects for power down the road. He's a solid runner with good range and easily has the best arm in the system. He threw 92 mph off the mound as an amateur and throws strikes from the outfield as well, having already amassed 20 outfield assists as a pro. Gonzalez, like most teenagers, is rough around the edges. He needs to develop patience at the plate, and refine his approach against lefthanded pitchers. The Diamondbacks believe Gonzalez has all-star potential, but he's far from reaching it. Arizona has no reason to rush him, and he'll get another shot at low Class A in 2005.
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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #23 prospect in 2004
  The Diamondbacks can't discuss Gonzalez without mentioning fellow Venezuelan Bobby Abreu. The comparisons are quite strong at the same stage of their careers, though Gonzalez showed more power at 17 while Abreu displayed more of his trademark plate discipline. Like Abreu, Gonzalez is a solid defender with average speed and a strong right-field arm. He actually hit 91 mph off the mound when the Diamondbacks were scouting him. Gonzalez was the Rookie-level Pioneer League's youngest player in 2003, and his advanced bat allowed him to hold his own. The ball jumps off his bat because of the natural loft in his swing. Gonzalez does worry too much about striking out and hates to get into two-strike counts, so he ends up swinging at bad pitches, which leads to poor at-bats. He'll need to show more patience if he's to reach his ceiling as a .290 hitter capable of 20-25 homers annually. Gonzalez will address his biggest need--gaining experience--in low Class A this year.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #5 prospect in 2008
  One of many top prospects to join the Athletics via trade in the last year, Gonzalez was part of the Dan Haren deal with the Diamondbacks. He didn't stay in Sacramento long, earning a ticket to the major leagues before the end of May. He returned to the River Cats at the end of the season and hit .406 in the PCL playoffs to help the River Cats win their fourth straight championship. Gonzalez hits line drives from gap to gap with an easy swing that generates plenty of pop. He should develop more power as he improves his selectivity. He has the speed to steal bases, though he has been fairly conservative throughout his career. Primarily a right fielder in 2007, when he played alongside Justin Upton in Double-A, he handled a shift to center field well this year. He takes good routes to balls and has a strong arm.
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  Ranked Southern League #10 prospect in 2007
  You could be standing at the concession stand and know when Upton or Gonzalez were hitting, a scout said, testifying to the outfielder who flanked Upton in Double-A. Gonzalez tied for the league lead with 52 hits. As with Upton, the game comes easily to Gonzalez, but at times his approach is too easy. When he's not giving away at-bats and taking plays off, his above-average bat speed and plus raw power can be awe-inspiring. He has a sweet swing with leverage and loft, and he can drive balls out to all parts of the park. Gonzalez gets pull-happy and expands the strike zone, but his raw package of tools profile as an impact, everyday right fielder. He'll show glimpses of outstanding defense, with one of the best arms in the minors and fringe-average speed. His future will be determined by his desire to fulfill his potential. "He has a chance to be a run producer in the big leagues, but his approach is what is going to kill him," the first AL scout said.
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  Ranked California League #2 prospect in 2006
  Gonzalez entered 2006 with huge expectations after winning MVP and top-prospect honors in the low Class A Midwest League last year, but he hardly took the Cal League by storm--at first. He hit just .253 with three homers in April but battered pitchers afterward and led the league with a .563 slugging percentage. Gonzalez is a true five-tool talent who earns comparisons to fellow Venezuelan Bobby Abreu. He's a solid-average runner speed and defensive tools with the league's strongest outfield arm, although he led all minor league outfielders with 26 errors. He dazzles even more at the plate, where he has plus power and a solid approach. He gets a bit pull-happy sometimes and strikes out a little too much, but his progress is very impressive considering he was a 20-year-old in high Class A. The lone negative was that Gonzalez' occasional lack of hustle and perceived arrogance turned off some scouts and managers. The JetHawks had to bench him a couple times early in the season, but he apologized and busted his tail thereafter.
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  Ranked Midwest League #1 prospect in 2005
  The Diamondbacks had enough faith in Gonzales to send him to South Bend to start the 2004 season at age 18, but he broke his right wrist in the second week. He spent last summer instead in the short-season Northwest League, where he ranked as the No. 3 prospect behind outfielders Javier Herrera and Ryan Harvey--whom he outclassed in the MWL this year. Gonzales has an effortless swing and balls soar off his bat. He keeps the bat in the strike zone for a long time and has proven he can hit all types of pitching to all fields. Managers raved about his ability to make two-strike adjustments as a teenager. His only below-average tool is his speed, but he uses it well on the bases and in right field. He shows good jumps and routes on fly balls. Though runners quickly learned not to challenge his cannon arm, he ranked fourth in the league with 13 outfield assists. "This guy looks like Carlos Beltran when Beltran is going good," an American League scout said. "He doesn't run as well but he's a better hitter. And he's got that great arm. He has the highest ceiling in the league."
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  Ranked Northwest League #3 prospect in 2004
  Gonzalez hit .275 in 14 April games at Class A South Bend before breaking his hand and getting sent back to repeat the Northwest League. He hit for a similar average but ranked sixth in the league in hits while showing plus power potential as an 18-year-old. Gonzalez also used his superior arm strength to record a league-best 14 outfield assists. His skill set is similar to Herrera's, right down to the need to develop better plate discipline. Gonzalez did show the ability to adjust to breaking balls, going from a .212 July average to a torrid .353 in August. "He's going to be a major league player, no doubt," Boise manager Tom Beyers said. "You look at his body and his swing, he's going to hit for power. And it's unbelievable watching him throw."
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  Ranked Pioneer League #18 prospect in 2003
  One manager said Gonzalez reminded him of Bobby Abreu at the same age. The primary difference is that Gonzalez has more power now than Abreu did at 17. The youngest position player in the league, Gonzalez handled himself well against older competition. He showed a strong arm in the outfield and played solid defense despite average speed. His strength centers on his natural hitting ability, with a pure stroke that causes the ball to jump off his bat. "When you look at his age, his natural abilities and the things he can do already," Missoula manager Tony Perezchica said, "it doesn't take much to realize the sky is the limit for this kid's potential."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #22 prospect in 2008
• Ranked Baseball America's #18 prospect in 2007
• Ranked Baseball America's #32 prospect in 2006

• December, 2006 Scouting Report
  Gonzalez followed up his 2005 MVP campaign in the Midwest League by again showing the all-around ability that gets scouts excited and allowed him to stand out among the crowd of prospects at the Futures Game. The Diamondbacks have an embarrassment of outfielders with allaround ability, and Gonzalez can hit with any of them. He has a quiet approach at the plate with good bat speed and quick hands, giving him above-average power. He became more confident last season. He's a prototype right fielder and has the best outfield arm in the organization. Gonzalez can get in home run mode and overswing, which slows down his bat, and he gets so anxious at the plate sometimes that he expands his strike zone. He didn't always hustle last season, but he apologized after an early-season benching and played hard the rest of the way. He has played center field during winter ball in Venezuela, but he'll probably slow down to a slightly below-average runner as he fills out and settle in right. He'll return to Double-A with the new affiliate in Mobile to open 2007.