Drafted in the C-A round (59th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2007 (signed for $544,500).
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Teammate Matt Mangini came into 2007 with more buzz, but Brown has surpassed him as the best prospect at Oklahoma State. He's a more well-rounded player, showing all five tools and the athleticism that made him the target of football recruiting offers as a wide receiver out of high school. Brown shows power and speed, and he was on pace for a 20-20 season with the Cowboys. He has a quick bat and the patience to rank among the NCAA Division I leaders with 53 walks through 50 games. He has the range to play center field and more arm strength than most players at that position. While Brown has been productive at the plate, he doesn't always make consistent contact. He has 51 strikeouts this spring, and he batted just .192 with 57 whiffs in 41 games in the Cape Cod League. His makeup raised red flags in high school, when he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of battery and was placed on probation. According to police, Brown--who was 17 at the time--and three other boys were drinking alcohol and had consensual sex with a 14-year-old girl, a violation of Florida state law. That incident cost him a scholarship to Virginia. Whether it lingers in the minds of some teams remains to be seen, but he still figures to go no later than the sandwich round. Brown's younger brother Dylan, a freshman at Oklahoma State, should be a top prospect in the 2009 draft.
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Physical and athletic, Brown drew interest from college football programs as a wide receiver coming out of high school, but he opted to play baseball at Oklahoma State and signed with the Athletics for $544,500 as a 2007 sandwich pick. Acquired in the December 2010 deal for Josh Willingham, Brown struggled to make consistent contact at Triple-A in 2011. He got back on track last year, smacking 25 homers at Syracuse and earning a September callup to Washington, where his first career hit was a pinch-hit homer. Brown made better use of his lower half in 2012, staying more balanced in the box and improving his leverage and bat path. He has above-average power to all fields, but he still strikes out a lot and scouts doubt he'll hit enough to be a big league regular. He's an average runner who needs to be more aggressive on the basepaths. Brown has average range and a fringy arm in center field, making him a better fit in left. He profiles better as a power bat off the bench than an everyday player and could win a big league reserve job in spring training.
Brown attracted interest from college football programs as a wide receiver coming out of high school, but he chose to play baseball full-time at Oklahoma State and signed for $544,500 as the 59th overall pick in 2007. He struggled out of the gate in Triple-A last season but recovered after a demotion to have his most productive stretch yet in Double-A. A .267 career hitter entering 2010, Brown finished third in the Texas League batting race (.320) and ranked second in on-base percentage (.415). Brown has always tantalized the A's with his physical tools, and he began to show a more mature approach last season. He shortened his stroke last year, began using the opposite field more consistently and developed a better two-strike gameplan. He has a smooth swing with leverage that generates power to all fields, and he hit three homers in seven games in his brief return to Sacramento at the end of the season. Strikeouts remain an issue, and he has a tendency to pull off balls against lefthanders. Brown has solid speed that serves him well on the bases, and he's an intelligent runner. His good reads and routes give him a chance to stick in center field, and his strong arm would play in right. Added to the 40-man roster after the season, he'll try to keep up his momentum when he returns for another go-around with Sacramento in 2011. He could force his way into Oakland's crowded outfield picture by the end of the season if he handles Triple-A pitching.
Brown could have played college football as a wide receiver but chose baseball at Oklahoma State, where he starred for three years with the Cowboys, slugging 48 home runs. A supplemental first-round pick in 2007, he signed for $554,500. After hitting another 30 home runs between two Class A stops in his first full pro season, Brown missed much of 2009 with a knee strain. He rallied with a terrific showing in the Arizona Fall League, leading the league in RBIs (28) while batting .333. Brown shows five-tool potential, with his upside drawing comparisons to Jim Edmonds'. He has gap-to-gap power, with the bat speed and leverage in his swing to drive balls out of the park. He runs well, has a strong arm and may be able to stick in center field, though some scouts think he's destined for right. Brown started putting together better at-bats and improved his contact rate last year, but strikeouts remain an issue. Though he's willing to use the whole field, he lacks a consistent approach. Sometimes he'll look willing to drive the ball to the opposite field, while at other times he looks like he's trying to cheat on fastballs and pull pitches down the line. He plays the game with a laid-back attitude that frustrates some observers as well. He'll try to apply some polish to his game this year in Triple-A.
Brown earned attention from college football recruiters as a wide receiver coming out of high school, but he instead chose to play baseball at Oklahoma State. He has performed well since signing for $554,500 as a supplemental first-round pick in 2007, mashing 30 homers between two Class A stops in his first full pro season. His best tool is his plus-plus raw power, which he generates to all fields with a quick bat, leverage and natural loft. Holes in his swing and chasing pitches out of the zone caused him to strike out in 168 times in 2008, however, and he may never hit for a high average. He struggled in Hawaii Winter Baseball, showing the same contact problems that hampered him during the regular season. Brown is a good athlete with solid speed and arm strength, though his throws could be more accurate. He's playable in center field for now, but his range might eventually be better suited for an outfield corner. Though he didn't log much playing time in high Class A, Brown could begin 2009 in Double-A.
Football programs recruited Brown as a wide receiver out of high school, but he opted to play baseball at Oklahoma State. One of the best college athletes available in the 2007 draft, he went 59th overall and signed for $544,500. His younger brother Dylan, a sophomore at Oklahoma State, should be a top prospect for the 2009 draft. Power, speed and athleticism are Brown's biggest assets. He possesses plus bat speed with natural loft and leverage that produces plus-plus raw juice. His football mentality makes all his tools play up a level, and while he has the range to play center field, he might profile better in right with above-average arm strength. Brown can get overly aggressive at times and go into pull mode. He has a history of not making consistent contact with wood bats. He hurt his hand late in his pro debut and it cost him the majority of instructional league, though he's healthy now. Brown will see time at all three outfield spots in low Class A in 2008. He's at least two years away but has the potential to be a 20-20 player in the majors.
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Brown didn't draw much notice this season because he missed a lot of time with a right knee strain that bothered him sporadically throughout the summer. He was batting .333/.419/.581 at the end of May when the injury hit and kept him out for most of June and July. He returned in August and hit a key home run in the playoffs to help the RockHounds win the TL title. Brown doesn't always draw raves from managers because he's a very laid-back player who has a casual attitude and body language that sometimes turns them off. But he's a good athlete with strength, and one scout compared his skill set to that of Jim Edmonds. Brown has loose hands and a free and easy swing, and he has the strength to produce legitimate home run power. He has the speed and defensive instincts to possibly stick in center field, with plenty of arm for the position. "He can drive you nuts with the way he plays," the scout said. "But there are a lot of positives with this guy."
Brown's offensive game can be summed up with two statistics. In his first full pro season, he ranked 14th in the minors with 30 homers (including two months in the high Class A California League) and fourth with 168 strikeouts. He has a history of swinging and missing with wood bats, but if he can continue to provide power to all fields he'll be a regular in the major leagues. A good athlete, Brown has average-to-plus speed and arm strength, though he needs to improve the accuracy of his throws. He exclusively played center field this year but may fit better defensively in right field at higher levels. One scout called him a faster version of Ryan Church, and as with Church, Brown doesn't hit lefties as well as righties.
Brown played with Mangini at Oklahoma State and went seven picks after him in the supplemental first round. Brown's average sat at .207 two weeks into his pro career, but he made some adjustments and began to get to his power. He injured a tendon in his finger with a headfirst slide, forcing him to miss the final 12 games of the season. Brown has plenty of bat speed and plus raw power, though he does it in unorthodox fashion. He hits from an exaggerated open stance and has lots of pre-pitch movement. It's a complicated load, though he repeats it relatively well. He tends to drift out on his front side and dive toward the plate, opening holes in his swing. He swings and misses too much, but he has good pitch recognition, and if Brown tones down his approach, he might make more consistent hard contact. He's a solid-average runner but isn't light on his feet, and his center-field defense is below-average overall. His feel for the position, reads and routes are surprisingly raw given his college experience. He has a solid-average arm that could play adequately in right field if he had to move. "I think he can be an impact run producer," the first scout said. "Whether he can play center field is up in the air."
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Rated Best Athlete in the Oakland Athletics in 2008
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