Mark McGwire

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #3 prospect in 1987
  The 10th player selected in the 1984 draft, McGwire has the strength in his arms and hands to hit the ball out of the park when he is fooled by a pitch. He is fooled less frequently now that he has tightened his swing and learned to cover the inside of the plate. He progressed faster last season than the Athletics expected (.312-23-112, 36 doubles at Double-A Huntsville and Triple-A Tacoma), making superb contact (112 strikeouts) for a man of his size. And three of his 10 hits in the big leagues were home runs. McGwire, though, probably isn't ready for the varsity. Even though he bats righthanded, he has some difficulty with lefthanded pitching. And the A's aren't ready to trust him at third base, where he made 47 errors last season, including six in 16 big league games. A first baseman and pitcher at Southern California, he was switched to third base after signing with the A's. They remain convinced that he has the agility and reactions to play third, blaming his mistakes on lapses in concentration.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #6 prospect in 1986
  A prolific power hitter at Southern California and a member of the 1984 Olympic team, McGwire hit well at high Class A Modesto last season (.274-24-106), but his greatest progress came in instructional league, where he shortened his swing and began to handle the high, tight fastballs that had given him trouble. Signed as a first baseman, McGwire is adjusting well at third base. He has good flexibility, quick lateral movement and an arm so strong that he originally went to USC as a top pitching prospect.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #5 prospect in 1985
  The best power-hitting prospect in the college ranks last season, McGwire's stats at Southern California and on the Olympic team totaled a .378 average, 38 home runs and 106 RBIs. He was burned out mentally and bothered by a sore hamstring by the time he reported to the California League (.200, 1 homer and 21 strikeouts in 55 at-bats), but he pulled himself together for the playoffs (8-for-15). A first baseman in college, McGwire was moved to third base during instructional league. He’s awfully big for the position, but the Athletics think his body is supple enough to play there. There’s no question about his arm (he was an outstanding pitching prospect in his freshman year at USC), and the A’s say he has shown quick hands. Once McGwire learns not to commit himself too early at the plate, scouts think he will take off offensively. As a hitter, he’s ready for Double-A, but because of the move to third, he probably will start this season in the California League.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #9 prospect in 1986
  McGwire’s totals at Double-A Huntsville and Tacoma included a .312 average, 23 homers and 112 RBIs in 133 games before being called up to the Athletics in August. “I’ve never seen a guy with stronger hands and forearms,” Tacoma manager Keith Lieppman said. “Even when his weight shift is off, he can use his hands and drive the ball a long way.” McGwire made 41 errors at third base, but just 10 in his final 50 games. He stands 6-foot-5 and was a first baseman when the A's signed him in 1984. “Once he learns to read the ball off the bat, I think he’ll be OK,” Lieppman said. “If guys like Harmon Killebrew and Yogi Berra could play third base, he can, too.”
• 
  Ranked California League #3 prospect in 1985
  Everyone had an opinion on the 6-foot-5, 201-pound former All-American and Olympic team star from the University of Southern California. One manager said he was the league’s best prospect; another said that, for all the improvement he showed this season, he might eventually have to return to first base, or even pitching--his original position at USC. At any rate, McGwire had major adjustments to overcome--hitting with wooden bats, shifting from first to third base--and managers took note, voting him the league’s most improved player. They also said he was the player with the best power in the league, though one manager said he didn’t have a feel for the ball as a hitter. McGwire has a strong arm for a third baseman and runs well enough for a big man, but he had trouble reacting to balls and handling slow rollers. After a slow start at the plate at Modesto, which his manager George Mitterwald blamed on the bad habits he developed as a result of using aluminum bats, McGwire had a midseason surge before leveling off at .274. He tied for the league lead in both home runs (24) and RBIs (106).

• December, 1986 Scouting Report
  The 10th player selected in the 1984 draft, McGwire has the strength in his arms and hands to hit the ball out of the park when he is fooled by a pitch. He is fooled less frequently now that he has tightened his swing and learned to cover the inside of the plate. He progressed faster last season than the Athletics expected (.312-23-112, 36 doubles at Double-A Huntsville and Triple-A Tacoma), making superb contact (112 strikeouts) for a man of his size. And three of his 10 hits in the big leagues were home runs. McGwire, though, probably isn't ready for the varsity. Even though he bats righthanded, he has some difficulty with lefthanded pitching. And the A's aren't ready to trust him at third base, where he made 47 errors last season, including six in 16 big league games. A first baseman and pitcher at Southern California, he was switched to third base after signing with the A's. They remain convinced that he has the agility and reactions to play third, blaming his mistakes on lapses in concentration.
• December, 1985 Scouting Report
  A prolific power hitter at Southern California and a member of the 1984 Olympic team, McGwire hit well at high Class A Modesto last season (.274-24-106), but his greatest progress came in instructional league, where he shortened his swing and began to handle the high, tight fastballs that had given him trouble. Signed as a first baseman, McGwire is adjusting well at third base. He has good flexibility, quick lateral movement and an arm so strong that he originally went to USC as a top pitching prospect.
• December, 1985 Scouting Report
  McGwire’s totals at Double-A Huntsville and Tacoma included a .312 average, 23 homers and 112 RBIs in 133 games before being called up to the Athletics in August. “I’ve never seen a guy with stronger hands and forearms,” Tacoma manager Keith Lieppman said. “Even when his weight shift is off, he can use his hands and drive the ball a long way.” McGwire made 41 errors at third base, but just 10 in his final 50 games. He stands 6-foot-5 and was a first baseman when the A's signed him in 1984. “Once he learns to read the ball off the bat, I think he’ll be OK,” Lieppman said. “If guys like Harmon Killebrew and Yogi Berra could play third base, he can, too.”
• December, 1984 Scouting Report
  The best power-hitting prospect in the college ranks last season, McGwire's stats at Southern California and on the Olympic team totaled a .378 average, 38 home runs and 106 RBIs. He was burned out mentally and bothered by a sore hamstring by the time he reported to the California League (.200, 1 homer and 21 strikeouts in 55 at-bats), but he pulled himself together for the playoffs (8-for-15). A first baseman in college, McGwire was moved to third base during instructional league. He’s awfully big for the position, but the Athletics think his body is supple enough to play there. There’s no question about his arm (he was an outstanding pitching prospect in his freshman year at USC), and the A’s say he has shown quick hands. Once McGwire learns not to commit himself too early at the plate, scouts think he will take off offensively. As a hitter, he’s ready for Double-A, but because of the move to third, he probably will start this season in the California League.
• December, 1984 Scouting Report
  Everyone had an opinion on the 6-foot-5, 201-pound former All-American and Olympic team star from the University of Southern California. One manager said he was the league’s best prospect; another said that, for all the improvement he showed this season, he might eventually have to return to first base, or even pitching--his original position at USC. At any rate, McGwire had major adjustments to overcome--hitting with wooden bats, shifting from first to third base--and managers took note, voting him the league’s most improved player. They also said he was the player with the best power in the league, though one manager said he didn’t have a feel for the ball as a hitter. McGwire has a strong arm for a third baseman and runs well enough for a big man, but he had trouble reacting to balls and handling slow rollers. After a slow start at the plate at Modesto, which his manager George Mitterwald blamed on the bad habits he developed as a result of using aluminum bats, McGwire had a midseason surge before leveling off at .274. He tied for the league lead in both home runs (24) and RBIs (106).