Jeff Baisley Stats & Scouting Report

AB	43
AVG	.256
OBP	.319
SLG	.279
HR	0

Full name Jeffrey Scot Baisley
Born 12/19/1982 in Tampa, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School South Florida
Debut 09/09/2008
Drafted in the 12th round (371st overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2005.

View Draft Report

Jeff had ankle problems rob him of some quickness and agility, but he's a line-drive, gap-to-gap hitter who should be a solid minor league bat.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

As a 23-year-old in the Midwest League, Baisley was named to the midseason all-star team and won league MVP honors. After skipping high Class A in 2007, Baisley performed well enough to make the initial Futures Game roster, but was eventually replaced because of a knee injury. The injury cost him a month and he finished up in the Arizona Fall League to make up for lost time. A solid defender with good hands, footwork and arm strength on the corner, Baisley doesn't excel in any department, and scouts have questioned his bat speed and power ability in the past. He hit for decent pop in Double-A, and in a system devoid of righthanded power bats, Baisley will keep getting chances to prove himself. He's a below-average runner, and after a poor performance in the AFL, coupled with the lost development time, Baisley likely returns to Double-A in 2008.
Weighed down by a stress fracture in his left foot as a junior in 2004, Baisley wasn't drafted and was just a 12th-rounder as a senior in 2005. He was the low Class A Midwest League's MVP as a 23-year-old while leading it in RBIs, runs and total bases. He wasn't promoted because the A's wanted Kane County to win and needed 2003 first-round pick Brian Snyder to get playing time in high Class A. Baisley will jump to Double-A in 2007 to see what he's made of. Scouts agree he's a sound defender at third base with good hands and footwork and an average arm. One of three brothers to play pro ball--older brother Brad was a second- round pick (Phillies) in 1998, while his twin Brian catches in the Yankees system-- Baisley has good instincts and game savvy. His bat is the question. Scouts aren't sure he'll be able to catch up to power stuff in on his hands at higher levels, and some have him pegged as a minor league slugger. The A's will accelerate his timetable in 2007.
The younger brother of righthander Brad Baisley, a 1998 Phillies second-round pick who topped out in Double-A, Jeff attended South Florida, where he started alongside his twin brother Brian. Baisley expected to be drafted as a junior in 2004, but he tried to play through a stress fracture in his left foot and batted just .264. He rebounded to hit .356 with a school-record 26 doubles last spring, which got him drafted in the 12th round. He had a solid pro debut and shined in instructional league, where he earned MVP honors. Baisley's strengths are exactly what the A's like to see in hitters. He has a patient approach at the plate, good contact skills and gap power. While his range at third base is just average, he has soft hands and a plus arm. Baisley may not develop the power to profile as an everyday player at the corner, and at 23 he needs to move quickly through the system. He'll likely begin the year in high Class A, but Oakland would like to get him to high Class A at some point during 2006.

Minor League Top Prospects

The league MVP, Baisley did it all. He led the MWL in runs (86) and RBIs (110, the second-highest total in the minors) and also was the circuit's best defensive third baseman. Baisley is a very good situational hitter who doesn't try to do too much. He has a balanced stance, sound swing and pitch-recognition skills, enabling him to drive balls from gap to gap. He moves better than most 6-foot-3, 210-pounders, showing range to both sides, and has a solid arm. The biggest knock against him was his age: 23, ancient for low Class A. The Athletics are also high on fellow third baseman Myron Leslie (Baisley's former South Florida teammate), who was ensconced in high Class A, so they left Baisley at Kane County. "It's an absolute crime that kid played there for the entire season," a second AL scout said.