Reggie Golden
| AB | 505 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .236 |
| OBP | .308 |
| SLG | .39 |
| HR | 16 |
- Full name Reginald D. Golden
- Born 10/10/1991 in Montgomery, AL
- Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Wetumpka
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Drafted in the 2nd round (65th overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2010 (signed for $720,000).
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The top player in Alabama's high school ranks for the last two seasons, Golden is an Alabama recruit whose build and tools remind some evaluators of another Southeastern Conference player of recent vintage, current Brewers farmhand Kentrail Davis. He's a five-tool athlete with present strength who profiles as a right fielder, even though he stands less than 6 feet tall. Golden impressed scouts by grinding through the spring despite a hamstring pull that slowed him all season. He still ran average to above-average times despite his injury, but as he matures, speed won't be a major part of his game. Power will, as Golden has impressive strength and raw bat speed. His approach at the plate is raw, and he lacks the plate discipline that allowed Davis to star from the start of his SEC career. His best present tool is his above-average arm, which fits well in right field. He plays with energy and is coachable, and he'll have to adjust to better pitching with his raw hitting skills.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Golden was raw coming out of an Alabama high school in 2010, and his development has been hindered by injuries. A severe hamstring pull limited him to 15 at-bats in his pro debut, and a strained left knee last spring meant that he got just 26 at-bats in 2012 at low Class A Peoria. Golden still offers an intriguing ceiling, with strength and bat speed that give him above-average power potential and have prompted comparisons to a young Kevin Mitchell. He has made some progress with his approach and plate discipline but needs a lot more at-bats to cut down on his swings and misses and to improve his pitch recognition. Golden is a good athlete who has average speed under way. He should be a solid right fielder, and his above-average arm will play well there. There too, however, he needs repetitions to refine his skills. Golden was back working out at the Cubs complex in Arizona in the fall, so he should be healthy for spring training. He'll likely return to Peoria to open the season, and he needs to start building some momentum. -
Golden has one of the highest ceilings among Cubs farmhands, though they knew his development would require patience when they paid him an above-slot $720,000 bonus as a second-rounder in 2010. He was extremely raw coming out of an Alabama high school, and a severe hamstring pull restricted him as a senior and limited him to 15 at-bats in his pro debut. He moved to short-season Boise in 2011 and won't make his full-season debut until this year. Golden's impressive bat speed and physical strength give him well above-average power potential and draw comparisons to a young Kevin Mitchell. He made strides with his approach and discipline last year, pulling off of fewer pitches and drawing more walks, but he still swings and misses a lot. He'll need to improve his pitch recognition if he's going to hit for average. Golden is a good athlete who's slow out of the batter's box but has solid speed once he gets going. He has a very strong arm that plays well in right field, though he sometimes gets out of control and led Northwest League outfielders with six errors in 2011. Golden will advance to low Class A as a 20-year-old, and he'll probably need a full season in Peoria. -
Multiple scouts have compared Golden to a young Kevin Mitchell for his stocky build and well above-average raw power. He showed off his pop during instructional league, when he homered to the opposite field off a 94 mph fastball from the White Sox' Brian Omogrosso, seven years his senior. Golden gutted through a severe hamstring pull as a high school senior to go in the second round of the 2010 draft, turning down an Alabama scholarship to sign for an above-slot $720,000. The hamstring limited him to 15 at-bats in his pro debut. With his short swing, fast bat and sheer strength, Golden qualifies as one of the top power hitters in the system. If everything comes together, he could be a five-tool player. He has the tools to hit, though he'll have to develop better plate discipline. Golden has plus speed and a chance to play center field, but he figures to lose a step as he fills out and probably will end up in right field. His solid arm will fit anywhere. He didn't face tough competition as an Alabama high schooler, so Golden may need time to adjust if the Cubs send him to low Class A in 2011.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Built like a linebacker and nearly as strong, Golden shows explosive raw power. He already has homered in a game at Wrigley Field--the 2009 Under Armour All-America Game--and projects to hit many more there if he makes it to the big leagues. "The ball comes off of his bat as hard as I've seen," the NL scout said. "He's got a long ways to go because he will swing and miss a lot, but he hit one and I don't know if they ever found it." Golden doesn't pull off balls as much as he did in high school, though he frequently chases pitches out of the zone and will need to cut down on his strikeouts. He's not a burner and doesn't get out of the box well, but he's a solid runner underway. He has improved defensively since signing and should be an average defender with a solid arm in right field.
