Dean Green

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #33 prospect in 2013
  Green started for three years but posted underwhelming numbers at Oklahoma State, and he transferred to NCAA Division II Barry (Fla.) after going undrafted in 2010. He batted .400 with 19 homers as a senior, catching the attention of the Tigers' South Florida area scout, Rolando Casanova and Hall of Famer Al Kaline, who saw him play against his grandson Colin. Signed for $12,500 as an 11th-rounder, Green has a big, strong frame with a thick lower half. He has a powerful but balanced lefthanded swing and a knack for squaring up the ball, projecting as an average hitter with average power. Elbow soreness restricted Green to 105 games last season, most of which came at DH. When he's healthy, he's limited to first base as he's a well below-average runner. It's all about the bat for Green, but his sound mechanics, feel for hitting and strength give him a chance to be useful off the bench. He'll turn 24 in 2013, so the Tigers may start to push him, beginning with an assignment to Double-A.
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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #31 prospect in 2012
  Green spent the first three years of his college career at Oklahoma State, but after he batted .265 with six homers as a junior in 2010, he went undrafted and found himself without a scholarship. He transferred to NCAA Division II Barry (Fla.), where he hit .400 with 19 homers and a school-record 42 extra-base hits last spring. Signed for $12,500 as an 11th-round pick, Green continued his torrid pace in his pro debut. He hit .341/.395/.520 at short-season Connecticut, leading the New York-Penn League in total bases (128) while ranking second in slugging, third in batting and fifth in on-base percentage. Green is a big-bodied first baseman with the potential to hit for power and average. He has a mature approach, draws walks and gets himself into a good position to hit. He has a quick swing that's relatively compact for a big guy and doesn't strike out much, routinely squaring the ball up and hitting for power. Green's bat will have to carry him because he's limited otherwise. He's a slow runner and needs a lot of work at first base. He split time between first base and DH with 2011 third-rounder Aaron Westlake at Connecticut last summer. The Tigers could split them up in 2012, and given that Green will turn 23 in the middle of the season, he could be pushed quickly.