Nick Stavinoha

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #20 prospect in 2007
  Stavinoha has proven to be a bargain since the Cardinals signed him as a fifth-year senior for $15,000 in 2005. He's come a long way from his freshman year at Houston, where he was a linebacker recruit and long snapper on the football team, before opting to attend San Jacinto (Texas) Junior College to pursue his baseball career. He ultimately ended up at Louisiana State for his final two years of eligibility. He jumped to Double-A in his first full season, though he missed time with an ankle injury and then with inflammation in his right elbow. His .218 average in 78 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League was really his first hiccup as a hitter. He has a sound approach at the plate and above-average power. A former catcher in junior college, Stavinoha played both corner outfield slots last year, spending the majority of his time in right field. He has the arm to play there but is a slightly below-average runner. Regardless of which corner he plays on, Stavinoha will go where his bat takes him. He'll advance to Triple-A this season and try to show he can hit against top-level pitching.
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #18 prospect in 2006
  With four extra picks at the top of the 2005 draft, the Cardinals had to save money in the middle rounds and found a bargain in Stavinoha. A seventh-round college senior who signed for $15,000, he jumped right to low Class A and led the system in hitting. Stavinoha began his college career as a linebacker recruit at Houston, and he became a long snapper in order to get playing time. After his freshman year he decided he wanted to play baseball, and he spent two seasons as a catcher at San Jacinto (Texas) Junior College before moving to Louisiana State. He was a DH for his junior season but moved into the outfield as a senior last spring, when he was the Tigers' top hitter at .370-18-65. Stavinoha is a polished hitter who should be able to hit for power and average. The major questions about Stavinoha are his age--because of his extended college career he'll play most of 2006 at 24--and his position. He doesn't have the tools to be a pro catcher, so St. Louis will try him at both outfield corners. He already is one of the most advanced hitting prospects in the organization and could jump to Double-A to start the season.

• December, 2006 Scouting Report
  Stavinoha has proven to be a bargain since the Cardinals signed him as a fifth-year senior for $15,000 in 2005. He's come a long way from his freshman year at Houston, where he was a linebacker recruit and long snapper on the football team, before opting to attend San Jacinto (Texas) Junior College to pursue his baseball career. He ultimately ended up at Louisiana State for his final two years of eligibility. He jumped to Double-A in his first full season, though he missed time with an ankle injury and then with inflammation in his right elbow. His .218 average in 78 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League was really his first hiccup as a hitter. He has a sound approach at the plate and above-average power. A former catcher in junior college, Stavinoha played both corner outfield slots last year, spending the majority of his time in right field. He has the arm to play there but is a slightly below-average runner. Regardless of which corner he plays on, Stavinoha will go where his bat takes him. He'll advance to Triple-A this season and try to show he can hit against top-level pitching.