Jesus Cota
| AB | 6870 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .276 |
| OBP | .337 |
| SLG | .433 |
| HR | 223 |
- Full name Jesus Ernesto Cota
- Born 11/07/1981 in Hermosillo, SON, Mexico
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Pima CC
- Drafted in the 14th round (429th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2000.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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In many ways, Cota is the second coming of former Diamondbacks first baseman Erubiel Durazo. Both grew up in Hermosillo, Mexico, before polishing their compact but powerful strokes at high schools and junior colleges in Arizona. Cota won the Rookie-level Pioneer League triple crown in 2001. He again posted loud numbers in 2002, though his free-swinging ways detracted from his batting average. Like Durazo, Cota suffered from a power outage in 2003, with his drought the result of a hip flexor that nagged him all year before he was shut down in early August. Playing the outfield regularly for the first time also could have aggravated the condition. Unable to get his hips involved in his swing, Cota often felt for the ball and flailed away. The Diamondbacks will give Cota a pass for 2003, and hope his ability to drive fastballs out of the park to all fields returns this year. He's an average left fielder at best because his speed and arm strength are limited. He's a better fit at first base, where he played most often in his first two pro years. He spent the winter conditioning in Tucson, and a solid spring should send him back there for Triple-A competition. -
Like the traded Erubiel Durazo, Cota is a native of Hermosillo, Mexico, who hits lefthanded and honed his skills at the high school and junior college levels in Tucson. The comparisons extend further. Cota has a strong, short stroke similar to Durazo's, and is tearing up the minors just like Durazo did. Cota won the Pioneer League triple crown in his pro debut and led the high Class A California League in RBIs in his first full season. He still chases pitches and doesn't have Durazo's strike-zone discipline, but he thrives with runners in scoring position. Cota has power to all fields and can turn around the best fastballs. He was disciplined for not running out a ball late in the 2002 season but seemed to learn from the benching. Cota moved from first base midway through the year after 1999 first-round pick Corey Myers was moved from third base to first, and showed he could play left field adequately. He's limited in terms of athleticism and speed, so he'll never be a standout defender. He's ready for Double-A in 2003. -
A 14th-round draft pick in 2000, Cota improved his stock as a sophomore and signed for $60,000 a week before last year's draft. The last time the Diamondbacks signed a Mexican first baseman out of Pima Community College, they came away with Erubiel Durazo. Cota reached base safely in 68 of 75 games and won the Pioneer League triple crown. Beyond the obvious parallels that link Cota and Durazo, Cota's size and tools conjure further comparisons. The Diamondbacks project him to have 40-home run potential. He still needs to learn to generate more backspin and loft on the ball, but his quick, compact stroke has power written all over it. Cota is limited athletically and already is a big-bodied player who doesn't run well. He's learning to play first base after spending most of his amateur career in the outfield, and he needs work around the bag. First base is a crowded position throughout the organization. Cota's bat will have to carry him, and it can. He's a polished product at the plate and shouldn't have any trouble adjusting to low Class A Midwest League pitching in his full-season debut.
Minor League Top Prospects
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In many Rookie leagues, older non-prospects dominate younger pitchers and pile up impressive numbers. That wasn't the case with Cota, who won the Pioneer League triple crown and MVP award as a 19-year-old. He has legitimate power from the left side and is capable of depositing any mistake over the outfield wall. At the plate, his legs are quiet and his hands work well, producing a quick and powerful swing to all fields. Managers also were impressed with his patience, a fact that was most noticeable over the last three weeks of the season when Cota saw few good pitches to hit. "He's one of those special type of hitters that comes along every now and then," Missoula manager Chip Hale said. "He not only won the triple crown, but his walks and strikeouts were about even. That's incredible for a guy with as much power production as he has." Cota has improved his performance at first base since signing with the Diamondbacks in May as a draft-and-follow, but considerable work remains. While most managers thought he had the ability to remain in the infield at higher levels, others thought he would be better off manning left field.
