Ricardo Nanita Stats & Scouting Report

AB	4620
AVG	.297
OBP	.362
SLG	.428
HR	106

Full name Ricardo Michael Nanita
Born 06/12/1981 in Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Florida International
Drafted in the 14th round (412th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2003.

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Dominican OF Ricardo Nanita will need a visa to play pro ball in the U.S., possibly reducing his value. He's a center fielder who provides lefthanded pop and arm strength. Dominican RHP Mumbo Rivera of Bethune-Cookman is in the same situation. He's a wiry 6-foot-3 and owns an 87-91 mph fastball.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Nanita came out hitting as a pro, batting .384 and setting a since-broken Pioneer League record with a 30-game hitting streak in his 2003 debut. Since then, only injuries have stopped him. A broken hamate bone at the end of that season hampered his swing for much of 2004, and he missed most of the final month last year with a sprained ankle. Nanita has advanced to Double-A while continuing to show the ability to get on base. He's a very disciplined hitter with a professional approach. He has a knack for fighting off tough pitches to extend an at-bat. He's tough to strike out and bunts well. His lack of power makes it difficult to project him as a regular. He runs well but isn't a basestealing threat. An adequate defender with an average arm, he played all three outfield positions in 2006 and fits best in left field. Nanita is ready for Triple-A but could return to Double-A if Ryan Sweeney and Jerry Owens fail to win big league jobs.
Nanita entered pro ball with a Pioneer League-record 30-game hitting streak in 2003, but he broke the hamate bone in his right wrist at the end of the year and took a while to recapture his stroke. After struggling in high Class A in 2004, he thrived there last season, hitting for average and controlling the strike zone. He has gap power and encouraged the White Sox with the progress he made in driving the ball. He can bunt, too. The other parts of the game don't come as easily to Nanita as hitting does. He has good speed but hasn't learned to read pitchers and isn't much of a basestealing threat. He's an adequate outfielder with an average arm. Ticketed for Double-A, Nanita profiles as a fourth outfielder. He fits best defensively in left field but doesn't have the power associated with the position.
Born in the Dominican Republic, Nanita came to the United States to combine baseball with college. He spent two years at Chipola (Fla.) JC before moving to Florida International for his junior season. He used wood bats during fall practice with the Panthers, and his experience showed as he put together a 30-game hitting streak in his pro debut. Nanita can do a lot of things at the plate, bunting for hits, shooting the ball through holes in the infield or driving it into the gaps. He doesn't project as a home run threat but will surprise pitchers who get careless. He has a good idea of the strike zone and runs well enough to steal 25- plus bases annually. Nanita has outstanding instincts on the bases and in center field. He has a plus arm but will be run on until he increases his accuracy. His outstanding debut may allow Nanita to skip a level and go to high Class A in 2004.

Minor League Top Prospects

Nanita made a name for himself early in the season when he put together a 30-game hitting streak. Born in the Dominican Republic and a product of Florida International University, he made impressive strides for a 14th-round draft pick. A pesky hitter who finds a way to get on base, Nanita has good instincts and takes advantage of what opponents give him. "He does the little things, like beating out a bunt or slapping the ball through an opening in the infield," Cron said. "His instincts are impressive for a guy in his first professional season." The early departures of Anderson (wrist injury) and Sweeney (promotion) gave Nanita playing time at all three outfield spots. Because he's not a burner, he uses his instincts to get in proper defensive position. He also has a strong arm, but the accuracy of his throws needs improvement.