Shane Costa Stats & Scouting Report

AB	421
AVG	.254
OBP	.289
SLG	.366
HR	5

Full name Shane Jeremey Costa
Born 12/12/1981 in Visalia, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Cal State Fullerton
Debut 06/02/2005
Drafted in the 2nd round (42nd overall) by the Kansas City Royals in 2003 (signed for $775,000).

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Costa has an outside shot of going in the first round. He's a solid lefthanded college hitter, much like Tulane's Michael Aubrey and Rice's Vince Sinisi--both surefire first-rounders. Costa has a similar track record of success. He has played well for three years in college and had a solid tour of duty with Team USA last summer. He's been near the top of the Big West Conference in average, RBIs and stolen bases all season, but not home runs and the knock is that he hasn't shown consistent power--at least not in games. Though he shows plus power in batting practice, questions about his game power may knock him to the second round, especially because he plays a corner outfield position. He has center-field actions but has been primarily a right fielder throughout his career at Cal State Fullerton. Costa is a baseball rat and plays the game hard.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

In need of a left fielder, the Royals called up Costa ahead of schedule May 31 and started him for much of June. He hit homers off Jeff Weaver and Carlos Silva, but Costa wasn't ready for the majors and went down to Triple-A July 20 after Kansas City traded Tony Graffanino to the Red Sox for Chip Ambres. Costa's strike-zone discipline and short, efficient swing makes him a candidate to hit for a high average with low strikeout numbers. He handles all types of pitching well and can use the whole field. He's a heads-up baserunner with average speed and plenty of intensity. Costa has the strength to hit 20 homers annually, but he doesn't have much load to his swing and seems content to serve line drives to the opposite field. His below-average arm limits him to left field. Costa once drew Brian Giles comparisons, and while he's a stocky player with a keen eye, he'll never have Giles' power. If he doesn't hit for more pop, Costa may be nothing more that a fourth outfielder. He'll spend much of 2006 in Triple-A.
Costa signed for $775,000 after earning the 2003 Big West Conference player of the year award. His father Leo is a former college football player and national bodybuilding champion who works as a personal trainer. That upbringing gives Costa an aggressive mentality. A polished hitter, Costa has quick hands that allow him to turn pitches into line drives. He easily makes adjustments and consistent contact. He's an average baserunner and defender. Costa's below-average arm relegates him to left field, where he'll need to produce for more power. The Royals want him to do a better job of loading his hands in his swing. If he does that and starts to turn on more pitches, he could translate his strength into 20-25 homers per year. One Royals scout compares Costa, physically and statistically, to Brian Giles. Giles always posted solid on-base percentages in the minors but never slugged better than .400 until he reached Double-A. Costa has followed a similar path, and needs to ratchet up his power production at Double-A Wichita in 2005. He should be in the majors by 2006.
After grabbing Mitch Maier at the end of the first round, the Royals opted for another polished college hitter in Costa. The 2003 Big West Conference player of the year, he signed for $750,000 after playing in the College World Series. His father Leo is a former college football player and national bodybuilding champion who works as a personal trainer. Costa's hands are quick and nimble, allowing him to react to all types of pitches. He shows good bat control and plate discipline, and he uses the whole field. He's fast and aggressive on the bases and in the outfield. Costa's upright stance with his feet close together was more tailored for aluminum bats, so the Royals spread him out in hopes of generating more power. He also must focus on going with pitches, not trying to pull balls on the outer third or inside-out offerings on the inner half. His arm is limited but shouldn't prevent him from playing center field. He likes working out, but Kansas City has cautioned him about getting too muscle-bound and losing flexibility. Costa received a late promotion to high Class A, where he doubled in his lone playoff start. He'll begin there in 2004 as he pushes his way to the majors as a player in the mold of Rusty Greer.

Minor League Top Prospects

The Royals placed most of their top draft picks on the younger of their AZL clubs, but didn't want to disrupt a set lineup when Costa signed midway through the season. The second-round pick proved he was too advanced for the league by hitting .386 and earning a late-season promotion to high Class A. "He overmatched this league," Athletics manager Ruben Escalera said. "He's a very aggressive player with a great approach to hitting." A good contact hitter with a quick, short stroke, Costa rarely swung and missed. He had a knack for putting the ball in play with two strikes. His power was mostly gap-to-gap. With slightly above-average speed, Costa seems best suited for a corner position. He played all three outfield positions in Arizona.