Javier Guzman Stats & Scouting Report

AB	2132
AVG	.265
OBP	.307
SLG	.375
HR	31

Full name Javier Antonio Guzman
Born 05/04/1982 in Samana, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: S / Throws: R

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

One of several Dominicans who were discovered in 2002 to have falsified their birthdates, Guzman is two years older than he was believed to be entering 2005 because the Pirates failed to update his age on their rosters. After reaching Double-A at midseason last year, he batted .355 in his first 19 games then slumped and hit just .187 in his final 49. He needs to learn to handle breaking and off-speed pitches better and he can be susceptible to fastballs under his hands. That said, he has plenty of tools. Guzman runs well and has outstanding range and an above-average arm. His bat was also a plus until the end of last season, as the switch-hitter has some pop from the left side. Guzman needs to be more consistent at the plate as well as in the field, as he makes too many errors on routine plays. Because he was overmatched in Double-A, he'll have to prove himself there in 2006. How well he redeems himself will go a long way in determining his future.
Guzman has been considered one of the top shortstops in his league every season since making his debut in the United States in 2002. Hickory manager Dave Clark compared him to fellow Dominican shortstop Tony Fernandez last year. Guzman is an athletic player with good speed. He has the tools to be a good defensive shortstop, with the best infield arm in the system as well as good hands and range. But he is inconsistent in the field and often botches routine plays because of a lack of concentration. Guzman took up switch-hitting last season after being exclusively a righthanded hitter, and had a .312 average from the left side. He needs to hone his eye at the plate and read pitchers' moves better in order to take advantage of his speed. He has not handled adversity well so far in his career. Guzman will be the shortstop in high Class A this season. He is still raw and will need a fair amount of seasoning before reaching the major leagues, which probably won't be until at least 2007.
Guzman has been among the best shortstops in his league in each of his first two pro seasons. He cooled offensively after hot starts both years yet cracked BA's prospect lists in the Gulf Coast League in 2002 and the New York-Penn League in 2003. Guzman has a lot of raw athletic ability that he's still working to hone. He has a live bat with surprisingly good power for a smaller guy. He has plenty of defensive tools with good range, arm and hands. He also runs well and is a fine bunter. Guzman needs to develop skills to go with his tools. He is a free swinger who doesn't control the strike zone. He also needs to develop more consistency in the field to cut down on his careless errors. Guzman is still very much a work in progress and will likely climb the minor league ladder one level at time. That means he'll move to low Class A in 2004.

Minor League Top Prospects

An outstanding athlete at a premium position, Guzman ranked 11th on the GCL prospect list in 2002. He's still raw at the plate, but he's a switch-hitter who generates more pop from the left side. He has average speed and is adept at bunting. He just needs to get stronger and more disciplined. Guzman makes everything look easy at shortstop, as his arm, hands and range are all plus tools.
A natural shortstop, Guzman showed good actions, range and arm strength. A switch-hitter who hit leadoff for the Southern Division champion Pirates, he also showed surprising power for his size, especially to the gaps. Guzman should become a good all-around hitter as he gets stronger. He led the GCL in runs scored. "He reminds me a lot of Neifi Perez," said Subero, who played against the Royals shortstop in the minors. "He's got the same instincts and the same approach at the plate. He even jumps at pitches the same way Neifi does. The only way we got him out was with fastballs in on his hands."