Jamie Hoffmann Stats & Scouting Report

AB	26
AVG	.154
OBP	.143
SLG	.346
HR	1

Full name Jamie Richard Hoffmann
Born 08/20/1984 in New Ulm, MN
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 235 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School New Ulm
Debut 05/22/2009

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Yankees don't usually need low-cost reserves, but they have stated their desire to lower their payroll in 2010. To that end, they traded Brian Bruney to the Nationals for the No. 1 pick in the major league Rule 5 draft, then used that choice to grab Hoffmann. He'll compete for a backup outfield job on the big league roster, and if he doesn't stick with New York, he'd have to clear waivers and get offered back to the Dodgers for half his $50,000 draft price. Hoffmann was drafted in the eighth round in 2003--by the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes. Like former all-star catcher Terry Steinbach, Hoffmann excelled in hockey and baseball at New Ulm (Minn.) High. Unselected in the baseball draft, he signed with Los Angeles as a free agent and reached the majors in his sixth pro season. Hoffman is a physical player with 55 speed on the 20-80 scouting scale, which along with his solid-average throwing arm allows him to play all three outfield spots. His defense is ahead of his offense, and despite his size he never has quite tapped into his raw power. The Yankees had hitting coordinator Kevin Long check out Hoffmann on film prior to selecting him and believe he has a foundation for hitting that just needs to be tweaked, not overhauled. His defense, speed and contact ability--plus the inclusion of Austin Jackson in a trade for Curtis Granderson--should help Hoffman win a bench job with the Yankees. That's his ceiling on a contending club.
An eighth-round pick of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes in 2003 with a linebacker's body, Hoffman nearly went to Colorado College to play hockey before signing with the Dodgers. He homered in his only at-bat in big league camp in the spring but started last year 2-for-22 with Jacksonville. He rallied and earned a spot in the Southern League all-star game. Hoffman can play all three outfield positions--center field capably--with a throwing arm and speed that grade out as average or a tick above, and he gets good jumps and runs good routes. He remains one of the Dodgers' best defensive outfielders. Mostly a gap hitter, he has some power but has an open stance and sometimes loses his timing in his swing. When he's out of rhythm, his swing gets long. An overachiever who does a lot of things well but not great, Hoffman went to the Arizona Fall League after the season and hit safely in 10 of the 11 games he played. If he learns to hit lefthanders with more authority-- he has just 21 extra-base hits and three homers off lefthanders the last four full seasons--he could hit enough to be a regular. The Dodgers love his desire, drive and grinder mentality, likely earning him a trip to Triple-A for 2009.
In high school, Hoffmann appeared to have a bright future as a professional athlete--but hockey figured to be his sport. The NHL's Carolina Hurricanes drafted him in the eighth round after he played in the United States Hockey League in 2002-03. Like former all-star catcher Terry Steinbach, Hoffmann had excelled in baseball and hockey at New Ulm High. He was Minnesota's state baseball player of the year as junior and led New Ulm to the state 3-A title as a senior, and signed with the Dodgers as a nondrafted free agent in August 2003. In his pro debut, Hoffmann topped the Gulf Coast League in runs, hits, triples, RBIs and total bases in 2004. He's raw in all phases of the game, but his rugged frame and all-out approach make him intriguing. His plus speed enables him to cover lots of ground and make up for his lack of instincts in center field, where he moved last year after playing third base in 2004, and he also has an average arm. His swing is a little stiff, but he's learning to better incorporate his lower half. Hoffmann makes consistent contact, has gap power and could hit 10-12 home runs annually in the majors as he learns to pull the ball. He has the aptitude to command the strike zone, but presently tends to chase breaking balls out of the zone and gets impatient at the plate. Fastballs in on his hands also give him trouble. Hoffmann opened 2005 with a strong performance in low Class A, then hit the wall after a promotion, meaning he'll return to high Class A this year.

Minor League Top Prospects

An eighth-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2003 NHL draft, Hoffmann appeared destined for a career in hockey when he signed with the Dodgers as a nondrafted free agent in August 2003. Like former all-star catcher Terry Steinbach, Hoffmann starred in both baseball and hockey at New Ulm (Minn.) High. Hoffmann was the Minnesota 3-A baseball player of the year in 2002 but hadn't played much baseball when he reported to spring training this year. It showed, and he didn't make a good first impression. But he showed remarkable progress and led the league in runs (40), hits (71), total bases (105), triples (seven) and RBIs (36), while finishing fourth in average (.310) and stolen bases (14). He struggled at the plate with an unorthodox swing at times, but he showed good bat-eye coordination and his bat stayed in the hitting zone for a long time. He also won over managers with his all-out style of play. "You can tell he was a hockey player because he was always dirty," Butler said. "He's a very aggressive defender, a throwback player. He can really hit a fastball but needs to recognize breaking balls better." It's not clear whether Hoffmann will stay at third base, though he also improved there after making progress with his footwork. He's an average runner.