Josh Bell Stats & Scouting Report

AB	272
AVG	.195
OBP	.223
SLG	.265
HR	4

Full name Joshua Lee Bell
Born 11/13/1986 in Rockford, IL
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: S / Throws: R
School Santaluces
Debut 07/01/2010
Drafted in the 4th round (136th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2005 (signed for $212,000).

View Draft Report

At the outset of the season, Bell was considered one of the country's most intriguing prospects. He made a name for himself last summer at the East Coast Showcase, where he displayed plus raw power and ranked as one of the event's top 10 prospects. But he never looked comfortable at the plate this spring. His approach changed from game to game and he homered just twice in 106 at-bats. Bell has much more power than his stats indicate. When he widens his stance and remains balanced, his swing from both sides of the plate generates good leverage and he hits to all fields with loft. He doesn't figure to hit for a high average, but his plus power tool might entice a team to draft him in the first five rounds. He played shortstop in high school, but his speed and range profile better at third base. Scouts were disappointed that he had not improved his body during the offseason, as his lower half hinders his mobility. He has plenty of arm and his hands are adequate. Consensus suggests he's ready to begin his pro career.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Bell's prospect status had dimmed a bit with the Dodgers, but he got himself into better shape and had a bounceback season, becoming the key player in the deadline trade that sent reliever George Sherrill to Los Angeles. He showed no ill effects from a knee injury that had bothered him in 2008, and ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Arizona Fall League after the season. In a system lacking in impact bats, Bell fills a huge need. He has above-average power and a good approach, showing the ability to work counts to get on base. While he's a below-average runner, Bell has worked hard to become an average defender at third base, with smooth actions, improved footwork and an above-average arm. Bell is a switch-hitter, but his lefthanded swing is much smoother and he has severe splits, batting .193 with one home run in 135 at-bats against lefthanders last year, and .339 with 19 homers in 313 at-bats against righthanders. He has shown enough promise that the Orioles will allow him to continue switch-hitting for now. The Orioles think they have found their third baseman of the future, and with Melvin Mora not returning the future could come soon. Garret Atkins will keep the position warm while Bell gets at-bats in Triple-A, but Bell should take over at some point in 2010.
Bell lost 30 pounds before the 2008 season and was playing well at high Class A Inland Empire until a knee problem shut him down in late May. Surgery revealed a small divot in the cartilage near his kneecap which, if left untreated, could have expanded and threatened his career. Bell has the most raw power in the system and combines it with good leverage in his swing. He has a good approach at the plate, swinging mostly at strikes and using the whole field. He has an above-average arm at third base. His noticeably improved dedication to his career does give Bell more of a chance to stay at the hot corner, but his lack of speed and range still may force a move. He has a thick lower half--earning the nickname "Baby Kemp" for his resemblance to Matt Kemp--and could wind up at first base or an outfield corner. Bell was scheduled to resume baseball activity in December and take part in a winter development program at Dodger Stadium in early January. He still has a high ceiling with the bat and should make his first trip to Double-A in 2009.
After a substandard senior high school season in 2005, Bell saw his stock slip and he fell to the Dodgers in the fourth round, where he signed for $212,000. Following 407 at-bats in Rookie ball, he opened 2007 in low Class A where he was batting below the Mendoza line a month into the season. He turned it around and ranked as one of the Midwest League's best power prospects before being promoted to high Class A for the final month. Bell comes to the park with one thing in mind--to hit. He has a loose, lively swing with serious juice. His bat speed is above-average and balls jump off his barrel to all fields. His approach needs fine-tuning, as he falls into free-swinging modes that hinder his batting average. Sixteen of his 17 home runs came from the left side of the plate, as his swing gets long from the right side and he makes less consistent contact against lefties. He's a below-average runner and defender, albeit with a plus arm. His feet are heavy and his range is below-average, but he's a good enough athlete that he could develop into an adequate defender with some determination and hard work. He profiles as a run-producing No. 5 hitter who won't hit for a high average. He'll continue his development in high Class A in 2008.
Bell entered his senior season as one of the top position players in the high school draft class of 2005. But his approach and setup vacillated from at-bat to at-bat, he struggled mightily and slipped to the fourth round, where he signed for $212,000. He has hit .312 in two pro seasons and ranked among the Rookie-level Pioneer League's top power hitters in 2006. Bell's raw power ranks as at least a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He has tremendous leverage in his quick, powerful stroke from both sides of the plate. His hands and footwork are adequate at third base, where he shows a plus arm. He has strong makeup. His approach and all-around game are unrefined. Like Andy LaRoche, Bell tends to swing from his heels, sacrificing his balance. He can beaten on the inner half, especially when batting righthanded. His pitch recognition and plate discipline have a ways to go. He's doesn't have quick-twitch muscle movements, and he could improve his footwork defensively. Many of his 17 errors came on overthrows. He's a below-average runner. Bell profiles as an everyday third baseman with a .250-.260 average and 25-30 home runs annually. He'll probably begin 2007 in low Class A.
Scouting directors selected Bell as a second-teamer on Baseball America's preseason High School All-America squad in 2005, but his mediocre senior season caused many scouts to sour on him. He kept adjusting his approach in an attempt to snap out of it, and he wound up hitting just two homers. Bell flew from Florida to New Orleans for a Dodgers predraft workout, winning over scouting director Logan White with his makeup and plus-plus raw power. Los Angeles took Bell in the fourth round and signed him quickly for $212,000. He held his own in the Gulf Coast League, but he needs to maintain a consistent gameplan. When he widens his stance and remains balanced, his swing from both sides of the plate generates good leverage and loft and he uses the entire field. His swing has some length, though he has a basic understanding of the strike zone and fair pitch recognition. Bell has a thick lower body, and his speed and range already are slightly below-average. He has a plus arm and his hands are adequate, so he should be able to handle third base. The Dodgers could send him to low Class A to begin 2006 if he has a good spring training.

Minor League Top Prospects

Bell spent the season's first four months with Chattanooga before the Dodgers traded him to the Orioles in a deal for George Sherrill. Melvin Mora's contract expires after this season, so Bell could get an audition in Baltimore at some point in 2010. Bell can punish low fastballs and hanging breaking balls, but some managers felt he could be beaten with good fastballs up in the zone. He's generally a patient hitter and has plus power. A switch-hitter, he has been markedly better from the left side of the plate, from which he has hit 41 of his 43 pro homers in full-season ball. He had a 1.043 OPS against righthanders in 2009, compared to .541 against lefthanders, and he might be more effective batting exclusively lefthanded. While there were concerns earlier in Bell's career about his defense, he made a big leap forward. Managers rated him the SL's best defensive third baseman after he slimmed down and became more adept at making the routine play. His range is average, his hands are fine and he has an above-average arm.
Third base was the most loaded position in the MWL this summer. Bell outclasses a group that also includes Johnny Whittleman (Clinton), Juan Francisco (Dayton) and Matt Sweeney (Cedar Rapids) because he has as much power as any of them, he's the lone switch-hitter and he has the best chance to stick at the hot corner. "He was as good a power hitter as anyone in the league, and he did it from both sides," an American League scout said. "He has a chance for special power and he does it easy. That's a special crack you hear off his bat when he hits it." Bell has good balance from both sides of his plate and can crush anything in the strike zone. He's still working on pitch selection and controlling the strike zone. He needs to take his defense and conditioning more seriously after leading MWL third basemen with 35 errors in just 90 games, but he has the hands and arm to play the position.
The Dodgers' 2005 draft was marred by unsuccessful negotiations with supplemental first-rounder Luke Hochevar, who became the No. 1 overall pick in 2006. But they believe they may have gotten a fourth-round steal in Bell, who blossomed after spending the first half of the season in extended spring training. Bell showed prototypical third-base tools. His strength helps produce good power from both sides of the plate, and he has leverage and balance in his stroke. However, he tends to swing from his heels, leaving him vulnerable to breaking balls and prone to strikeouts. Bell has a plus arm at third base, though many of his errors were a result of overthrows. He's also learning the footwork at a new position after playing shortstop in high school.