Oswaldo Navarro Stats & Scouting Report

AB	23
AVG	.13
OBP	.286
SLG	.13
HR	0

Full name Oswaldo Ramses Navarro
Born 10/02/1984 in Villa De Cura, Aragua, Venezuela
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Aquiles Nazoa
Debut 09/09/2006

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Managers rated Navarro the top defensive shortstop in the Texas League last year, and he has been the best defensive infielder on our Mariners tools list for three years running. Navarro still has to prove he can hit enough to earn a big league role. Defensively, he could play in the majors right now. He has above-average hands, actions and instincts at shortstop, and scouts grade his arm and range from solid to plus. Nothing stands out about his offensive game, and his strikeout rate spiked in the upper minors last year. He doesn't hit for much average or power, and his average speed doesn't lend itself to basestealing. His plate discipline improved last season but still took a hit when he was pushed to Triple-A. His ceiling is as a defensive-minded utilityman. He'll spend most of 2007 in Triple-A.
If the Mariners could somehow combine Navarro and Yung-Chi Chen, they'd have a valuable middle infielder. While Chen's hitting is the most notable part of his otherwise ordinary game, Navarro stands out with his glove but has a questionable bat. He edges Asdrubal Cabrera as the best infield defender in the system. Navarro's middle-infield actions, instincts and hands all are above-average, and he has enough arm to make plays from shortstop. Like most of Seattle's infield prospects, he has seen time at a variety of positions to enhance his versatility. That's especially valuable to Navarro because most scouts project him as a utilityman. He has a smooth, flat swing that's tailored to contract, but at times he'll try to hit for power. While he surprised the Mariners with 29 doubles and nine homers in 2005, he needs to stop swinging for the fences and just worry about getting on base. He has some speed but isn't a huge basestealing threat. Navarro is an organization favorite, a gamer who plays with constant energy. Seattle added him to the 40-man roster this offseason and could skip him a level to Double-A, though his bat probably isn't ready for that jump.
Of all the Mariners' middle-infield prospects, Navarro is the best defender. He played more second base than shortstop last year because he was teammates with Adam Jones at Wisconsin and Asdrubal Cabrera at Everett. Seattle likes to enhance the versatility of its infielders by using them at a variety of positions--Navarro also saw brief action at first and third base--but he definitely can play shortstop. He has the surest hands in the system, can make all the throws and covers a solid amount of ground. Though he led the Northwest League in doubles after a midseason demotion from low Class A, Navarro will have to get much stronger to succeed at the plate. He'll also need to tighten his strike zone and focus more on getting on base. He's an above-average runner, but not as quick as his stolen-base totals (21 in 26 attempts last year) might indicate. Navarro likely will have to share shortstop again in 2005, as both he and Matt Tuiasosopo are headed to low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

The Mariners sent Navarro straight from their Venezuelan academy to make his U.S. debut in a college league. They knew his defense would play, but he surprised them by batting .293 into late July before he wore down. Waiting to fill out at 6-foot-1, 160 pounds, Navarro played a small man's game at the plate. He hit the ball where it was pitched and bunted for hits. While he survived at the plate, Navarro needs to mature in the field. He made difficult plays look routine. Owing to his inexperience, he sometimes turned easy outs into errors. "He was probably the best shortstop in the league," Everett manager Pedro Grifol said. "He has great hands, great instincts and an average arm that should get better. He also projects more speed and range."