Ryan Shealy
| AB | 545 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .268 |
| OBP | .331 |
| SLG | .424 |
| HR | 19 |
- Full name Ryan Nelson Shealy
- Born 08/29/1979 in Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 240 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Florida
- Debut 06/14/2005
-
Drafted in the 11th round (321st overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2002.
View Draft Report
Like his Florida teammate Pat Osborn, 1B Ryan Shealy was a highly regarded prospect out of high school (a fifth-round pick of the Rockies in 1998) who did little but get hurt (elbow surgery) in college until 2002. His considerable power finally manifested itself as a senior, as his 21 homers are five more than he hit in his first three seasons.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
The Rockies took Shealy in the fifth round out of high school in 1998 but didn't sign him until drafting him again as a college senior. He won two home run titles in his first three pro seasons and would have challenged for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League crown in 2005 if not for his big league time. Shealy has tremendous strength and makes pitchers pay if they miss on the inner third of the plate. He has the patience to work counts and is comfortable hitting the ball the other way. He has soft hands and has improved at first base. The last job for Shealy is to turn on pitches more regularly. Though he's a big man with limited range and speed, he has lost 30 pounds since spring training in 2005. Blocked at first base by Todd Helton, he hopes his work on conditioning and agility will make him an option as a corner outfielder. Coming off an inspiring showing with the Rockies, Shealy has earned a spot on the roster. Finding regular playing time will be a bigger challenge. -
The Rockies drafted Shealy in the fifth round out of a Fort Lauderdale high school in 1998, ahead of Matt Holliday (seventh round) and Juan Pierre (13th). They made an aggressive attempt to sign him, but Shealy opted to attend Florida, though he failed to improve his draft stock and went in the 11th round after his senior season. He has won two minor league home run titles in three pro seasons, including 2004 in the Texas League. His strength gives him 30-plus homer potential in any park, and it's scary to think of what he might do at Coors Field. He's also a quality hitter capable of making adjustments quickly, which is why he's a career .323 hitter in the minors. Shealy is purely an offensive player, and knee problems that hampered him in college and during 2003 limit him to first base. Though he doesn't cover a lot of ground, he has soft hands and smooth actions around the bag. But with Todd Helton in Colorado, Shealy has no chance of playing there for the Rockies. His production could skyrocket this year in the thin air of Colorado Springs, where he'll serve as insurance for Helton and possible trade bait. -
The Rockies weren't able to sign Shealy as a fifth-rounder out of a Florida high school in 1998, and for the first three years of his college career it didn't appear that they had missed out on much. He had elbow surgery and hit just 16 homers during that time before cranking 23 homers as a senior in 2002. After signing, he went out and won the Rookie-level Pioneer League MVP award with a .368-19-70 performance that included league highs in homers, RBIs, on-base percentage (.497) and slugging (.714). Shealy injured his left knee during a running drill on his first day in minor league camp last year, requiring arthroscopic surgery to repair a slight cartilage tear. Once he regained his health, he resumed hitting for power. Shealy has a clear idea of what he wants to do at the plate. He's at his best when he tries to drive the ball back up the middle. He's strong enough to handle inside pitches and has the discipline to draw walks. He's not very agile and is a liability as a runner and defensively at first base. He has soft hands but doesn't cover much ground around the bag. He'll jump up to Double-A in 2004.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
Only Tavares' league-leading average kept Shealy from having a legitimate shot at the league triple crown. He led the TL in home runs and RBIs as he continued his prolific professional career--he has career numbers of .323/.426/.592. At 25 and 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Shealy appears ready for a shot at the big leagues, to see if he can be a true power plant at first base. Not so fast, managers say. Shealy lacks Botts' athleticism or speed, and even one of his biggest defenders among TL managers compared him to Mariners DH Bucky Jacobsen, though he meant it as a compliment. Others said he had holes in his swing and was more of a hitter who punished pitchers' mistakes, rather than one who could hit good pitching. "I thought he was a good hitter who really made adjustments," Coolbaugh said. "Pitchers would go away, away, away, but he would adjust when they came in. I think he'll always be overlooked just for the way he looks. I think he needs the right situation, and with Colorado having Todd Helton, that probably isn't it." -
While Shealy posted eye-popping numbers in his first pro season, they have to be tempered with the fact that he came to the Pioneer League as a college senior who turned 23 before the end of the season. First basemen Paul McAnulty (Idaho Falls) and Jason Perry (Medicine Hat) were similar cases as college juniors coming into the league, but managers clearly believed Shealy was the best prospect. Shealy's best tool is his bat. His 19 homers were nine more than the next closest competitor and he just missed winning the league's triple crown, as only McAnulty posted a better average. Shealy has good balance at the plate, keeps his hands inside the ball and has a chance to become an impact hitter with power to all fields. His first pro summer compares favorably to those of previously productive college bats Lyle Overbay and Jay Gibbons. Defensively, Shealy is below average at first base but does offer a big target. With Todd Helton in Colorado, Shealy is athletic enough that a move to outfield wouldn't be out of the question.
