Tyler Henson

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #22 prospect in 2011
  A standout three-sport athlete as an Oklahoma high schooler, Henson gave shortstop and third base a shot in his first four years in the organization, then moved to left field last year and held his own against Double-A pitching. Henson remains athletic and has gotten bigger and stronger since he was drafted, but he's more steady than flashy. He has good bat speed and seldom gets beat in the strike zone, showing the ability to hit to all fields. He should have average power but tries to pull the ball too much. He'll have to cut down on his strikeouts to advance, and he's susceptible to chasing breaking balls out of the zone. Henson should be at least an average defender in left field, with solid-average speed and arm strength. He takes good routes and gets good jumps on balls. Unless he adds more power he isn't an ideal corner outfield profile, but his versatility still could win him a major league bench role. He'll have a big opportunity to prove himself in Triple-A.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #19 prospect in 2009
  Henson's package of tools is as intriguing as any Orioles farmhand, but so far he has been a tease, looking great one week and lost the next. He was a three-sport star in high school, meriting NCAA Division I recruiting interest as a quarterback, and is one of the best athletes in the organization. The problem is putting those tools to use. Henson has the swing to hit for average and the bat speed to produce power, but his approach is undisciplined and leads to wild swings and lots of strikeouts. Some think if he could find a defensive home those problems would go away. Henson was drafted as a shortstop but moved to third base last year. While he has the arm for the hot corner, his throws were inconsistent and he piled up 29 errors--along with nine more in Hawaii Winter Baseball. The Orioles also have looked at him at second base but didn't like the results there, and some would like to see him back at shortstop or even center field. He could probably handle left field without a problem, but his value is greater in the infield so he'll get every chance to stay there. Henson has proven to be an adept basestealer, succeeding on 42 of his 48 attempts as a pro and further illustrating his athleticism and potential. He'll probably move up to high Class A and stay at third base for now, and he needs to put together a consistent season at the plate and in the field.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #22 prospect in 2008
  Henson was a three-sport standout at Tuttle High in Oklahoma, a school with a proud athletic history and the alma mater of 2003 Heisman Trophy winner Jason White. As a quarterback, he led the football team to a 14-0 record and state title in the fall of his senior year, then led the baseball team to a state championship in the spring. He looked overmatched by pro pitching in his pro debut, but he showed athleticism and the ability to make adjustments last season. He hit the ball all over the field and showed some power as well, handling lefthanders and righthanders equally well. He'll need to improve his approach as he moves up and cut down on his strikeouts. He offers above-average speed and puts it to use on the basepaths, stealing 20 bases in 22 attempts in 2007. Henson made 30 errors in 67 games at shortstop last year, most of them related to poor footwork. The Orioles say the problems can be overcome, but he's also still growing, so it's more likely he'll move over to third base in time. He has plenty of arm for the hot corner. Henson has an interesting package of skills, and Baltimore is curious to see how he'll do in a full-season league in 2008.