Erik Lis
| AB | 2277 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .273 |
| OBP | .336 |
| SLG | .456 |
| HR | 79 |
- Full name Erik Gregory Lis
- Born 03/08/1984 in Palos Park, IL
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Evansville
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Drafted in the 9th round (285th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2005 (signed for $60,000).
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Lis tried to do too much at the start of the season and struggled at the plate, though to his credit he finished better. Power is his best tool and he plays a good first base, but his bat may be a little slow. Ness, a 6-foot-5 righthander, had no problem pitching in the 90s in the Great Lakes but has worked at 85-88 mph this year. While his changeup is effective, he hasn't shown aptitude for throwing a curveball or slider.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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Lis hopes his home run against Roger Clemens in a May 18 game in high Class A isn't his career highlight. Of course, he already has others. He led the organization in batting (.326) in 2006, then topped it in homers (18) and RBIs (97) last year while playing in the Florida State League, a difficult environment for hitters. The Twins aren't sold on Lis because he's not a typical Twins player. His tools other than his bat stand out as negatives, and he's not a well-rounded player, with below-average running, throwing and defensive tools. He played more left field than any other position in 2007, but he hit much better as a first baseman or DH (.293, 12 homers in 225 at-bats) than while playing left (.261, six homers in 264 at-bats). Lis hits with a stiff setup, and his swing is far from classic or fluid, but it works because he has above-average bat speed. FSL managers noted his improvement in handling offspeed pitches. He hangs in well against lefthanders and is a good situational hitter. Lis' efforts to become passable in left field and to hit his way into the Minnesota's plans will continue this year in Double-A. -
Lis dominated the Midwest League in 2006, leading the league in batting, on-base and slugging percentage. He was just finding his power stroke, with four homers in six games, when he was hit by a pitch that broke the hamate bone in his right wrist and ended his season in mid-August. He has strength in his wrists and hands, repeats his swing and knows when to cheat to catch up to good fastballs. His innate feel for hitting helps him work counts to his advantage, and he's not afraid to use the whole field. His future home run power may just be average because he doesn't have great bat speed. His other tools are well below average, particularly in the case of his defense at first and his speed. Lis will end up as a 4-A player unless his home run power blossoms, but hitters like him are hard to find. He'll anchor the lineup at Fort Myers in his second full season.
