Tony Abreu

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #5 prospect in 2007
  Though often overshadowed in Los Angeles' deep system--he was accidentally left out of the team's 2006 media guide--Abreu quietly has established himself as one of its top position players. He won the 2005 high class A Florida State League batting title with a .327 average. Abreu is an aggressive, instinctual player with four plus tools. He has above-average bat speed and lashes line drives to all fields from both sides of the plate. He stays inside the ball well, has outstanding plate coverage, can turn around inside fastballs and maintains his balance through his swing. While he makes consistent contact, Abreu isn't selective and doesn't work deep counts. He could drive the ball better if he gets stronger, but projects to be more of a doubles hitter rather than a home run threat. A switch-hitter, he has more pop from the right side but uses the whole field better from the left. He's an above-average runner with plus range. He has soft hands and enough arm to handle shortstop. He could better utilize his speed on the basepaths. He's streaky and the Dodgers would like to see more consistency in his game. Abreu profiles as an everyday second baseman who can hit .280-.290 with 8-12 homers while playing quality defense. He should spend most of 2007 in Triple-A.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #9 prospect in 2006
  Abreu got off to a slow start until hitting coordinator George Hendrick and Vero Beach hitting coach Dan Radison moved him off the plate, which made Abreu less pull-conscious. He won the Florida State League batting title, thanks in part to a .438 average in June. Abreu has a live body and good tools across the board. His excellent hand-eye coordination allows him to make consistent sharp contact, and he has the strong wrists and bat speed to hit 15-plus homers annually in the big leagues. Defensively, Abreu has outstanding actions, soft hands, good range and enough arm to play shortstop. He is an above-average runner. Abreu needs to shorten his swing from the right side. He also has a tendency to get his front foot down a tick late when he swings. He must become more selective and get stronger. If the Dodgers move Blake DeWitt to second base, they could be faced with a difficult decision in 2008, as both he and Abreu profile as solid everyday players who should require no more than two more seasons in the minors. Abreu is headed to Double-A for now.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #21 prospect in 2005
  Without much fanfare, Abreu and Ching-Lung Hu provided one of the most dynamic middle-infield combinations in the minor leagues last year. Abreu, who has been compared to Jose Vizcaino, has the tools to play shortstop but played second base alongside Hu last season in low Class A before a late promotion to Vero Beach. When Hu went down with an arm injury in August, Abreu moved to shortstop, where his arm is fringe-average. His glove is ahead of his bat at this stage. He has good range, aided by good first-step quickness, and soft hands. One Dodgers staff member said of Abreu's approach, "He wants to hit so bad he's insulted to take a walk." He needs to be more selective, but makes consistent, solid contact and drives balls all over the field, especially when he finishes his stroke and gets extended. Abreu generates his bat speed from a good load and could be a run producer if he gets stronger and refines his approach. He has average speed. He and Hu will team up again up the middle at Vero Beach this year, and the Dodgers see him as a second baseman long-term.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida State League #11 prospect in 2005
  Abreu and Chin-Lung Hu gave Vero Beach the best middle-infield combination in the league. Abreu stood out defensively with his range, quickness and ability to turn the double play. He has soft hands and the range to handle shortstop, but his arm plays better at second base. At the plate, the FSL batting champ showed a solid line drive stroke and proved difficult to strike out. He has the bat speed and hand-eye coordination to put the bat on the ball in most situations. A switch-hitter, he produced identical .327 averages from both sides of the plate. While Abreu isn't a power hitter, his bat speed gives him gap power. He's quite willing to hit the ball to all fields, and has shown solid pitch recognition. The next step is to draw more walks.
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  Ranked Florida Complex League #11 prospect in 2003
  The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Abreu and double-play partner Lucas May earned a lot of support, and managers said Abreu has more upside. He can play second base and shortstop equally well, runs better than May and was his team's MVP. "He's got a good feel for hitting," Rodriguez said. "He plays the little game well but he can drive the ball, too. He's got soft, quick hands and handles bad hops extremely well. He's also very good at turning the double play and has the wrists to make the tough throws from every angle."

• December, 2006 Scouting Report
  Though often overshadowed in Los Angeles' deep system--he was accidentally left out of the team's 2006 media guide--Abreu quietly has established himself as one of its top position players. He won the 2005 high class A Florida State League batting title with a .327 average. Abreu is an aggressive, instinctual player with four plus tools. He has above-average bat speed and lashes line drives to all fields from both sides of the plate. He stays inside the ball well, has outstanding plate coverage, can turn around inside fastballs and maintains his balance through his swing. While he makes consistent contact, Abreu isn't selective and doesn't work deep counts. He could drive the ball better if he gets stronger, but projects to be more of a doubles hitter rather than a home run threat. A switch-hitter, he has more pop from the right side but uses the whole field better from the left. He's an above-average runner with plus range. He has soft hands and enough arm to handle shortstop. He could better utilize his speed on the basepaths. He's streaky and the Dodgers would like to see more consistency in his game. Abreu profiles as an everyday second baseman who can hit .280-.290 with 8-12 homers while playing quality defense. He should spend most of 2007 in Triple-A.