Omir Santos

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #29 prospect in 2005
  While Dioner Navarro was struggling with his receiving and his hitting last year, Santos quietly established himself as the system's best defensive catcher. Santos, who often goes by the nickname Pito, also showed signs that he might hit enough to be at least a backup in the big leagues. His defense always has been his strong suit, and now it's better than ever. He's a quiet receiver with excellent footwork, which makes him a standout at blocking balls in the dirt. The quick glove-to-hand transfer on his throws and his slightly above-average arm allow him to consistently post 1.89-1.95 pop times to second base. Santos will have to keep hitting like he did in his second-half callup to high Class A to be a legitimate prospect. His swing is mechanical, though with more playing time he got into a groove and showed more offensive potential than the Yankees expected. They like how he leads a pitching staff, so if he hits enough he'll move up to Double-A. That also would give Navarro more motivation to avoid a repeat of 2004.