Aaron Cunningham
| AB | 452 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .219 |
| OBP | .28 |
| SLG | .347 |
| HR | 7 |
- Full name Aaron Roe Ward Cunningham
- Born 04/24/1986 in Anchorage, AK
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Everett CC
- Debut 08/31/2008
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Drafted in the 6th round (185th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2005 (signed for $140,000).
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Huge numbers of scouts came for Simons and Zink, and they stayed for OF Aaron Cunningham. The unheralded freshman tore up the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges, hitting .489-10-56, earning MVP honors and nearly winning the league's triple crown. Exceptionally strong at 6 feet and 190 pounds, Cunningham hit a number of long wood-bat home runs with one of the purest swings in the Northwest. His other tools, mainly his speed and arm strength, are slightly above-average.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Originally drafted by the White Sox, Cunningham was dealt to Arizona in June 2007 for Danny Richar. He spent just six months with the Diamondbacks before they flipped him to Oakland as part of the package for Dan Haren. Cunningham has hit well everywhere he's been, posting an OPS above .852 at each level of full-season ball. He has a good feel for hitting and a knack for squaring up balls with a balanced swing. His bat stays in the hitting zone a long time, generating solid-average power. A good athlete, he runs well and has a solid arm. Cunningham's swing can get a little bit long, and he struggled when he became more pull-conscious during his callup. He doesn't always take direct routes to fly balls, precluding him from being a good defensive center fielder. While his tools are average or better across the board, he doesn't have an outstanding tool that points to star potential. Oakland's trade for Matt Holliday means Cunningham won't be playing left field for the A's in 2009, but he'll compete for a starting job in right. Additional seasoning in Triple-A wouldn't be bad for him, either. -
After earning high Class A Carolina League midseason all-star honors, Cunningham came to the Diamondbacks in a June trade for Danny Richar. A corner outfielder with the White Sox, he played mostly center field after changing organizations. Cunningham is a natural hitter who has a knack for getting the fat part of the bat on the ball, and he can drive pitches from gap to gap. He's a throwback player who always gets his uniform dirty and plays an instinctive game. He has an above-average arm and has enough speed to get by in center field. While Cunningham does everything well, he doesn't do anything exceptionally, leading to questions about whether he'll end up as a tweener. He has a long swing and better pitchers have been able to get inside on him. He also has a tendency to get out of his comfort zone and try to drive the ball too much. Unless Cunningham adds power or shows he can play center field every day, he has the long-term look of a fourth outfielder or platoon player. He'll start 2008 back in Double-A. -
Undrafted out of high school and unknown when he arrived at Everett (Wash.) Community College, Cunningham tore the cover off the ball as scouts flocked to see his teammates, pitchers Zach Simons and J.T. Zink. He has batted .301 since signing as a sixth-rounder. A muscular, compact athlete, Cunningham produces above-average bat speed and drives the ball to all fields. He stepped up his power production in 2006, and the White Sox believe there's more to come. He crowds the plate and handles the bat well. He has above-average speed and arm strength. Cunningham is a born hitter but still a bit green in other facets of his game. He must work better counts and curb his aggressiveness at the plate. He doesn't get good jumps and probably won't be a basestealer at higher levels. He's going to be a left fielder because his jumps, throwing mechanics and accuracy all need work. Easily Chicago's best position prospect in the lower minors, Cunningham is at least a couple of seasons away from being ready for the majors. He should start 2007 in high Class A and could hit his way to Double-A with a strong spring and fast start. -
Cunningham went undrafted out of high school and didn't start to gain scouts' attention until the fall of 2004 at Everett (Wash.) Community College. He still was a relative unknown heading into the spring, when he proceeded to destroy the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges. He almost won the conference triple crown, finishing with a .465 average and 10 home runs in the wood-bat league. Scouts flocked to see Everett pitchers Zach Simons (Colorado, second round) and J.T. Zink (Boston, eighth round) and Cunningham took advantage of his opportunity to shine. He swatted two long home runs with the Major League Scouting Bureau's film crew in attendance and his stock soared. Cunningham continued to hit after signing quickly for $140,000 as a sixth-round pick. He was an Appalachian League all-star and earned a late promotion to low Class A, where he finally ran out of gas. He has a knack for hitting the ball hard in all directions with strong, quick hands that generate outstanding bat speed. Undersized coming out of high school, he has added muscle without losing his plus speed. His raw arm strength is above-average, though he needs to work on shortening his release and improving his accuracy. He played second base in high school, where his arm and speed were wasted, and his instincts in the outfield need work. He should go back to low Class A for his first full season as a pro.
Minor League Top Prospects
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It would have been understandable had Cunningham gotten lost this season following a whirlwind 2007, when the twice-traded outfielder was dealt to the Diamondbacks for Danny Richar in June and then was part of the prospect haul when the Diamondbacks acquired Danny Haren from Oakland in December. Instead, Cunningham enjoyed a fine Double-A debut, tore up Triple-A and reached the majors in August. Cunningham is a natural hitter who makes consistent hard contact and has solid-average power. He's also a good athlete with solid speed. He's still a work in progress defensively, but he did see time at all three outfield positions and showed a strong arm. "He's a tools guy," Midland manager Webster Garrison said. "Definitely a good hitter and he uses the whole field." -
Cunningham made a smooth transition from juco standout--he was the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges MVP and nearly won its triple crown--to Appy League all-star. Though his pure righthanded swing produced modest power in his debut, his exceptional strength should enable him to hit for more pop as he matures. "He just had a knack for getting base hits," Bristol manager Jerry Hairston said. "He's not a power hitter now, but he hits line drives to all fields, and the power will come." Cunningham handled fastballs but struggled at times against good breaking stuff, often swinging through it. He's a slightly above-average runner who should develop better basestealing instincts with time and experience. He should become a solid defender in right field, and his arm is at least average.
