Lopez would be an unlikely major leaguer, but his bat just might get him there. The Brooklyn native wasn't drafted and signed in 1995 with independent Ogden. The Blue Jays signed him in June 1996 after he had finished fourth in the Pioneer League in batting, and Lopez has continued to hit. In his second full season at Syracuse, Lopez again batted better than .320, improved his home run and RBI totals, and walked more than he struck out. There's little doubt Lopez can hit, but he lacks the power to be considered a regular, and his fielding limits him to first base or DH. One member of the organization said Lopez could be a poor man's Edgar Martinez, but even he wasn't sure if any organization--let alone Toronto--would give Lopez the chance to find out.
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