Javier Brito

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #26 prospect in 2008
  Brito always has shown a good batting eye since signing out of Venezuela in 2002, but he didn't show much power to speak of until 2006 at the hitter's haven of Lancaster, the Diamondbacks' former high Class A affiliate. He came back to earth a bit in Double-A but still had double figures in home runs, and he was added to the 40-man roster after the season. Brito has the type of approach that the Diamondbacks love, giving him a career .404 on-base percentage. He has a good idea of the strike zone and uses the whole field. To get to the big leagues, he'll have to put balls over the fence more often. Some scouts say he doesn't have enough bat speed to do so, and his swing can get long when he tries to focus on power. That leaves him short of the profile at first base, and moving isn't an option. Even his defense at first is below average, as he's a slow, big-bodied player with heavy legs around the bag. Brito's on-base production will keep earning him opportunities, but unless he develops more power he looks like a backup or a second-division regular. He'll compete for the first-base job in Triple-A this spring.