Argenis Diaz

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #17 prospect in 2009
  Only one Red Sox shortstop (Rick Burleson, 1979) has been honored in the 51-year history of the Gold Glove awards, but Diaz could double that number one day. He has dazzled club officials with his defensive wizardry since arriving in the United States in 2006. His instincts are so outstanding and his actions so smooth that he has terrific range to both sides despite owning slightly below-average speed. He also has soft hands, and managers rated his arm the strongest among Eastern League infielders last season. The only thing he needs to work on defensively is a tendency to rush plays at times. Diaz has set career highs for batting average in each of the last two seasons, sandwiched around a .358 performance in Hawaii Winter Baseball, but he still has a ways to go offensively. He has some strength but lacks leverage in his swing and gets impatient, so he doesn't drive the ball consistently. He's not fast or aggressive on the bases, limiting his ability to steal or take extra bases. He needs to focus on making contact and getting on base, and he probably won't merit batting near the top of a lineup. Nevertheless, his defense is so special that he could become a big league regular in the mold of former Boston shortstop Alex Gonzales, sans the same pop. Diaz is the most advanced shortstop prospect in the system, though Yamaico Navarro, a superior hitter, is close to catching him. Diaz may return to Double-A to open the 2009 season.
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #12 prospect in 2008
  As soon as Diaz made his U.S. debut in 2006, Boston realized he's the best defensive shortstop its system has seen in years. His actions, instincts and first step are so good that he has above-average range to both sides despite owning slightly below-average speed. His hands are reliable, his exchange is quick and his arm is strong. He can wow scouts just by making routine plays. The Red Sox compare his defensive skills to those of Alex Gonzalez, who played a slick shortstop for them in 2006. Diaz isn't as strong physically as Gonzalez, but he made some encouraging progress with the bat in 2007. He hit a career-high .279 during the regular season, then challenged for the Hawaii Winter Baseball batting title before slumping late and finishing at .358. It's still unclear what Diaz will bring to the table offensively. He doesn't offer much power and speed, so he needs to focus on making contact and getting on base. His approach is fairly sound for his age, though he can get too aggressive at times. He took such a huge cut at a pitch in late April that he hurt his shoulder and missed most of May. He speaks English very well, which makes it easier for him to receive instruction. Boston believes Diaz will develop into a Gold Glover who hits for a high average. Though he hasn't progressed past low Class A, he was eligible for the Rule 5 draft this offseason, so the Red Sox didn't hesitate to add him to their 40-man roster. He'll advance to high Class A this year.