Kennys Vargas Stats & Scouting Report

AB	23
AVG	.348
OBP	.444
SLG	.435
HR	0

Full name Kennys Vargas
Born 08/01/1990 in Canovanas, Puerto Rico
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 290 / Bats: S / Throws: R
School Luis Hernaiz Verone
Debut 08/01/2014

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Signed as a 215-pound third baseman for $90,000, Vargas has ballooned as high as 285 pounds as he struggles to maintain his conditioning and improve his diet. Suspended for 50 games late in 2011 after testing positive for a weight-loss product, Vargas has overcome that stigma with a gregarious clubhouse presence and light-tower power that has attracted the attention of Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, his favorite player and someone with whom Vargas has become friendly. Strictly a first baseman/DH at this point, Vargas crushed a number of majestic homers off the batter's eye at high Class A Fort Myers' Hammond Stadium. His raw power ranks behind only that of Miguel Sano and Adam Brett Walker in the organization, and his advanced plate discipline has helped him build a career .370 on-base percentage. Vargas got his weight back to 270 pounds by the end of the 2013 season. His arm strength is slightly-above-average, but he is a below-average defender and well-below-average runner who improves the latter grade somewhat when underway. Lateral movement remains a challenge despite extra work with the Twins conditioning staff. If he keeps hitting for prodigious power, Vargas' defense may not matter. He's headed for Double-A New Britain in 2014.
Led by area scout Hector Otero, the Twins have been one of the most active organizations in Puerto Rico in recent years. The club didn't retain Otero after the season, though several of his signees (Eddie Rosario, Chris Herrman and Vargas) made real progress in 2012. Vargas was a 215-pound third baseman when Otero worked him out and the Twins signed him in February 2009 as a nondrafted free agent. Vargas has grown significantly since then--and not in a positive way. He tipped the scales at a massive 272 pounds in instructional league. His calling card is power and he clubbed 11 homers in just 41 games in low Class A last year, including a monster shot over the batter's eye in Cedar Rapids. He has a surprising feel for the barrel as well. Besides his weight, pitch recognition stemming from his lack of experience is his biggest obstacle to overcome as a hitter. Vargas was suspended for 50 games late in 2011 after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, which may have been related to a weight-loss product. Because he was busted in the Appalachian League, he had to wait for Appy League season to start before his suspension clock restarted in 2012. He has arm strength, but he's a well below-average runner and defender at first base. He played a game at third base to give Miguel Sano a breather last summer, and Vargas may return there if he drops some pounds. If he can trim up and stay on the field, he could have a breakout season in high Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Known for being a big-bodied, powerful first baseman with a body type similar to David Ortiz, Vargas cut down some of that size this year by trading some of the spaghetti meals he used to eat for ones that featured more tuna and other types of lean protein. The result is a player who is more athletic and more nimble around the bag, and thus more playable at first base, though Vargas still is a below-average defender. A switch-hitter who looks more comfortable from the left side, Vargas projects to hit for both average and power from both sides of the dish. He got to show off that power for hometown fans during the Futures Game at Target Field, where he doubled off top Orioles arm Hunter Harvey. Vargas also showed a discerning eye this season, walking in 10.6 percent of his plate appearances to rank among the top 20 in the EL. His strikeout rate of 16.8 percent ranked well below the average mark among league qualifiers.