Elijah Dukes

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #6 prospect in 2007
  Already the owner of a dubious track record of on- and off-field behavior, Dukes continued to self-destruct once the season began, getting sent home on two occasions after run-ins with his manager, teammates and an umpire. He finished the season on a 30-game suspension but returned to the field in the Arizona Fall League. A phenomenal athlete who was a top college football prospect as a linebacker, Dukes has made progress honing his skills and improving his overall knowledge of the game. He's one of the strongest players in baseball and also has the ability to control the strike zone. He combines his above-average speed and an aggressive approach to shine on the basepaths and in the outfield. He is strong arm adds to his right-field profile. Dukes' ceiling is limited only by his outbursts, a major shortcoming that dates back to high school. Though parts of his game are still somewhat rough around the edges, he can make up for small deficiencies with sheer talent. His biggest problem at the plate comes when he tries too hard to hit for power. Dukes is at a crossroads. A change of scenery may be in order, and Tampa Bay is loaded with outfielders, precipitating Dukes getting some work at first base in the AFL. If he can stay focused and control himself, he could develop into an impact player.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #5 prospect in 2006
  Dukes continues to move through the minors and have disciplinary problems along the way. He set career highs in several categories in 2005 but was suspended twice and ejected from five games. He also had legal problems in Tampa, declined an invitation to the Southern League all-star game because he wasn't selected to start and missed the Arizona Fall League in order to complete anger-management classes. Dukes is an incredible athlete with all-star ability. He makes solid contact, has at least 20-homer power and plays with all-out aggression. He has plus speed and range, as well as one of the strongest arms in the organization. He has demonstrated improved control of the strike zone. If he can't accept authority and develop discipline, Dukes will fall short of his potential. That said, he's dedicated to the game. His average suffers when he tries too hard to hit for power. From a tools standpoint, everything is in place for Dukes to be a prototype right fielder. The Devil Rays are working with him to help him reach that potential. On the field, Delmon Young will be a formidable roadblock to Dukes playing right field in Tampa Bay.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #8 prospect in 2005
  A top linebacker prospect in high school, Dukes is one of the best natural athletes in the minors. He spent a month in a team-mandated anger management seminar following a run-in with a South Atlantic League umpire but controlled his emotions and performed well in high Class A. In January, however, Dukes was charged with first-degree misdemeanor battery (domestic violence)--his third arrest in 13 months--after an argument with his sister. Dukes has five-tool ability and above-average instincts despite his limited experience. He has the power and speed to be a 30-30 player in the majors. Though he played mainly left field in 2004, Dukes also has seen time in center field and is a capable defender who takes good routes on flyballs. Dukes' makeup has been questioned since his high school days in Tampa. He has difficulty with authority, and his overall discipline is lacking. His defense and patience at the plate are both inconsistent. Dukes has the talent to become the Rays' first major homegrown, hometown standout and he'll move up to Double-A in 2005. His maturity will determine the pace of his progress.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #12 prospect in 2004
  Dukes, who turned down a North Carolina State football scholarship to sign for $500,000, is as pure an athlete as there is in the minor leagues. To the surprise of many scouts, his baseball skills are catching up rapidly with his physical abilities. The Devil Rays pushed Dukes by sending him to low Class A for his initial taste of pro ball, and his lack of experience was evident early. Dukes was unable to sniff contact with a breaking ball until August and made several mistakes on line drives in the outfield. He started to settle down as he gained experience, and he made big impressions when he had success. His first home run was a Ruthian blast over the center-field wall at Hagerstown. Displaying his plus speed, he showed extreme aggressiveness on the basepaths by going from first to third on everything hit to the outfield. He also swiped 33 bases despite having virtually no idea of basestealing fundamentals. His arm strength is outstanding, and he has become the best defensive outfielder in the organization. While he has plus power and some idea of the strike zone, Dukes needs more discipline to cut down on his whiffs. His makeup, which was a concern when he was an amateur, still needs fine-tuning. He was ejected from more games and got into verbal confrontations with hecklers. There's a chance he could return to low Class A this year.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #18 prospect in 2003
  As if the Devil Rays didn't have enough athletic outfield prospects, they selected Dukes in the third round last June with the 74th overall pick. A product of Tampa's Hillsborough High, Dukes follows in the footsteps of such alumni as Carl Everett, Dwight Gooden and Gary Sheffield. A linebacker and running back on the gridiron, he turned down a football scholarship to North Carolina State and signed for $500,000. Dukes draws comparisons to Bo Jackson because of his impressive combination of size, speed and strength. He may be the strongest player in the organization, and he has been clocked at 4.0 seconds to first base from the right side of the plate. Dukes is a polished athlete and is not as raw as many players who focus on football in high school. While his entire game needs refinement as he devotes all of his time to baseball, Dukes' maturity is the biggest concern at this point. He attended four high schools in four years, and several off-the-field incidents bothered many schools and scouts. Based on his limited experience, Dukes should spend the first half of 2003 in extended spring training before reporting to Rookie-level Princeton.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked International League #11 prospect in 2006
  Dukes tools are as good as anyone's and he might be the most talented player in the league. He was also the IL's most enigmatic player, as he was sent home three times by the Devil Rays, twice with suspensions. He got into it with his manager, his pitching coach, his teammates and was suspended by the league for arguing balls and strikes and refusing to leave the field after an ejection, leading one observer to question his ability to function in a team environment. Nobody questions Dukes' raw tools. His game is about power and speed, and one scout gave him 70 future grades on the 20-80 scouting scale for both. Like other young hitters in the league, he should continue to show more pop as he matures. While he's fast once he gets going, he doesn't have an especially quick first step and doesn't project as a basestealer at the major league level. Dukes' hitting and throwing arm graded at 65, just a tick below his power and speed. He has average range on the outfield corners, and features both arm strength and accuracy. While he played left field in deference to Young while both were at Durham, Dukes has the defensive tools for right. "You hear about five tools. Well, Elijah has six. He has a tool they haven't even invented yet," Shines said. "As a baseball player, he can do it all. There are things he has to work on to make the big leagues, but it has nothing to do with baseball."
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  Ranked Southern League #20 prospect in 2005
  The SL's most polarizing player, Dukes combines serious five-tool talent with significant questions about his makeup. He has developed a reputation as a loose cannon thanks to his frequent run-ins with umpires and the law, and he did little to alter that reputation by getting ejected five times in 2005. "He's got a chance to be a pretty good player," a National League scout said. "He runs well, has a good arm, he's got power. I know his makeup is a very big question mark and I don't know if I would trade for him, but he's got the ability." Though Dukes seems to have a problem with authority and isn't regarded as a good teammate, he does play the game hard. He can hit for power and average, he can steal bases and he can play all three outfield positions. He chased a lot of breaking balls out of the zone early in the year but made adjustments as the season progressed.
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  Ranked California League #6 prospect in 2004
  Dukes spent the first two months of the season in the low Class A South Atlantic League. He put up solid numbers before taking a month off to attend team-mandated anger-management courses after a run-in with an umpire--another in a string of behavior problems that have been an issue since high school. Sent to Bakersfield in July, Dukes' unquestionable tools began to translate into production, as he hit .369 in the final month. Dukes was one of the nation's top linebacker prospects when he came out of Tampa's Hillsborough High, which also has produced Carl Everett, Dwight Gooden and Gary Sheffield. Based on pure physical talent, Dukes had the highest ceiling of any player in the league and among the highest in the minors. He's a classic five-tool athlete with power, speed, arm strength and instincts. Dukes' conduct will continue to be a concern, but the Devil Rays say they saw a marked difference in his attitude with Bakersfield. Managers praised the football mentality he brought to the game. "He showed the desire to be what he can be," Visalia manager Stu Cole said.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #79 prospect in 2007

• December, 2005 Scouting Report
  Dukes continues to move through the minors and have disciplinary problems along the way. He set career highs in several categories in 2005 but was suspended twice and ejected from five games. He also had legal problems in Tampa, declined an invitation to the Southern League all-star game because he wasn't selected to start and missed the Arizona Fall League in order to complete anger-management classes. Dukes is an incredible athlete with all-star ability. He makes solid contact, has at least 20-homer power and plays with all-out aggression. He has plus speed and range, as well as one of the strongest arms in the organization. He has demonstrated improved control of the strike zone. If he can't accept authority and develop discipline, Dukes will fall short of his potential. That said, he's dedicated to the game. His average suffers when he tries too hard to hit for power. From a tools standpoint, everything is in place for Dukes to be a prototype right fielder. The Devil Rays are working with him to help him reach that potential. On the field, Delmon Young will be a formidable roadblock to Dukes playing right field in Tampa Bay.