Scott Sizemore Stats & Scouting Report

AB	533
AVG	.24
OBP	.327
SLG	.383
HR	14

Full name Scott Daniel Sizemore
Born 01/04/1985 in Virginia Beach, VA
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Virginia Commonwealth
Debut 04/05/2010
Drafted in the 5th round (142nd overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2006 (signed for $197,500).

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Sizemore played at Virginia Beach's Hickory High, a school both B.J. and Justin Upton attended in their underclass days, but he didn't burst onto the national scene until his sophomore season in college, when he hit .364-12-56 with 19 steals and tied for the Colonial Athletic Association lead with 24 doubles. Those numbers might have been inflated by VCU's playing in a city park that measured 325 feet down the lines and 375 to center field, but he backed them up by ranking ninth in the Cape Cod League last summer with a .303 average, adding seven doubles. Sizemore slipped to .300-5-34 with 14 doubles this year as VCU moved back to its regular home park, The Diamond, which is also home to the Triple-A Richmond Braves. Sizemore pressed early and got caught in the trap of trying to hit for power, when what scouts always have liked about him was a quick, short swing, his gap approach with occasional power, and the ability to make adjustments. He shows a good eye at the plate with an even walk-strikeout ratio this year. Sizemore is an instinctive player who rates as average defensively. His arm is a plus and he shows at least average hands, but he needs to improve his footwork and range and could eventually move to third base. Some team should like Sizemore's bat enough to grab him in the first five rounds, in spite of a disappointing junior season.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

A rare second-base prospect who was actually drafted at the position, Sizemore has batted .296 since signing as a fifth-round pick in 2006. He represented the Tigers at the Futures Game in 2009, when he easily handled the transition to Double-A and Triple-A and earned a spot on the 40-man roster. Sizemore is a blue-collar grinder who comes to the park ready to play every day. He has a compact swing and a knack for putting the barrel on the ball. His hitting ability grades as his lone plus tool, but his instincts help the rest of his game play up. He has average speed and a knack for stealing bases, succeeding in 21 of 25 attempts last season. The Tigers played Sizemore at shortstop in his pro debut, but gave up on that experiment after one season. Even at second base, his range is fringy and his arm is just adequate. He has trouble turning the double play, though he has shown improvement. Sizemore broke his left ankle on a double-play pivot in the Arizona Fall League in October. Expected to be healthy for spring training, he's the frontrunner to take over for departed free agent Placido Polanco in Detroit. Sizemore profiles as a steady if not spectacular regular.
Sizemore's strong performance in the 2007 Arizona Fall League, where he batted .356 and played solidly at shortstop, seemingly put him in line for a breakthrough season in 2008. However, he played in just 53 games before breaking the hamate bone in his left wrist in early June. Sizemore has a short, compact swing that enables him to hit singles and doubles and avoid strikeouts. He's a grinder who draws comparisons to Placido Polanco, whom he ultimately may succeed as Detroit's second baseman. Much like Polanco, he has a knack for getting the barrel of his bat on the ball. He recognizes pitches well and rarely has bad at-bats. He's an average runner who has shown the instincts for stealing bases in the lower minors. Moved to second base in 2007, Sizemore is still just a so-so defender. His arm is adequate and his range is nothing special. He's willing to work and is making progress, however. Near the end of spring training last year, the Tigers started him on a program to improve his lateral movement and first-step quickness. His line-drive stroke isn't conducive to hitting home runs. Sizemore should be ready for spring training, but lingering tenderness in the wrist has been a concern. As long as he does not suffer any more setbacks, he should begin 2009 in Double-A.
Sizemore overcame a slow start last year to reinforce his projection as a sound hitter with good bat control. The most polished position player in Detroit's 2006 draft class, he played second base on West Michigan's Midwest League championship club and saw action at shortstop (where he played during his pro debut) in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .356. Sizemore demonstrated strong makeup by preventing an early slump from disrupting his confidence. He batted .311 in the second half, thanks to a short swing path, impeccable eye and sound approach. He walked more than he struck out, showed good hit-and-run ability, and generally looked like a classic No. 2 hitter. He has average speed and can steal a few bases thanks to good instincts. Sizemore's arm and hands are just adequate at second, and his range is average at best. With his line-drive, gap-to-gap stroke, Sizemore should hit his way to the big leagues, even if he becomes a utility player. He could reach Double-A Erie this year if he continues performing.
Sizemore has had more success with wood bats than metal. He hit .303 in the Cape Cod League in 2005 and .327 in his pro debut--but just .300 at Virginia Commonwealth in between. That slump dropped him to the fifth round last June, but the Tigers were glad to sign him for $197,500 after a strong workout at Comerica Park. Sizemore, who led the short-season New York-Penn League in runs and hits, projects as an offensive second baseman in the mold of Mark Loretta. He's at his best when he uses a short swing and a gap approach, and he went back to that after trying too much to hit for power last spring. He has average speed and arm strength. Though he played surprisingly well at shortstop when the Tigers needed him there at Oneonta, Sizemore is more likely an adequate second baseman who needs to improve his footwork and range. Some scouts have projected him defensively as a third baseman, which would put more pressure on his bat. Sizemore's strong summer makes him the system's top middle-infield prospect for now. He may open 2007 in low Class A with a chance for a promotion at midseason.

Minor League Top Prospects

The Tigers had several interesting hitters at Erie, and catcher Alex Avila reached the major leagues after a solid season with the SeaWolves. However, league observers agreed Sizemore was Erie's best prospect, even though his tools are mostly fringe-average to average across the board. Sizemore does have one plus tool: his bat. He's a consistent hitter who controls the strike zone, stays short to the ball and has above-average instincts at the plate. He has enough pull power for scouts to project him to consistently reach double figures in homers, and he's a smart baserunner. One scout compared him to former batting champion Freddy Sanchez, only with better power and plate discipline. "He's not particularly athletic or rangy, but he makes plays with the glove, and he's a baseball player who can hit," a NL scout said. "He's getting better turning the double play and he has enough arm for it."
One of the league's most consistent hitters, Sizemore went hitless in consecutive games just twice all season. His swing seems to works better with wood than with metal, as he hit better in 2005 in the Cape Cod League (.303) and this summer with Oneonta (.327) than he did in the spring for Virginia Commonwealth (.300). He has a quick, short stroke that produces solid gap power, as well as a good eye at the plate. After playing mostly second base in college and spending time at third base on the Cape, he worked mostly at shortstop in the NY-P. While he didn't stand out with his footwork or range, he was adequate defensively, making 15 errors and leading the league with 42 double plays. The consensus was that he'll ultimately return to second base.