Tyler Krieger
| AB | 1832 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .247 |
| OBP | .32 |
| SLG | .35 |
| HR | 22 |
- Full name Tyler Bram Krieger
- Born 01/16/1994 in Laguna Hills, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: S / Throws: R
- School Clemson
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Drafted in the 4th round (124th overall) by the Cleveland Guardians in 2015 (signed for $400,000).
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Primarily a shortstop in his early days at Clemson, Krieger suffered a shoulder injury late in his sophomore year. He had surgery to repair a torn labrum in August, and spent the early parts of the 2015 season as the Tigers' designated hitter, before moving to second base. Even so, Krieger has the bat to profile at just about any defensive position. A switch hitter with bat speed and a short, line drive stroke from both sides. Krieger's wrists are extremely loose, allowing him the flexibility to control his bat and track pitches deep into the hitting zone. Krieger shows over-the-fence power in batting practice, but his short stroke and gap approach have prevented his power from playing in games to this point. Some scouts project him to add even more strength. Krieger has slowly added 25 pounds of muscle since getting to campus, and could add even more when he gets to pro ball. Krieger has the elite first step quickness required of second base, but his arm has been well below average this spring. Scouts who like him project the arm to come back as a serviceable below average arm, while those who aren't as impressed worry about how his arm strength will hinder him defensively.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Coming into 2017, Krieger had not advanced past Class A. He got plenty of experience against upper-level competition during the year, however. He started the year playing for Team Israel in the World Baseball Class, helping the team on its Cinderella run, and then spent the season with Double-A Akron. Krieger struggled at the plate as he worked through some adjustments. He is at his best when he focuses on spraying line drives to all fields and takes advantage of his above-average feel for the barrel. That approach doesn't lead to much power, but his above-average speed helps him produce extra-base hits when he drives the ball to the gaps. Defensively, Krieger has been limited to second base since suffering a shoulder injury during his sophomore year of college that required labrum surgery to repair. Kreiger is a solid defender at his new position, but there is now more pressure on his bat, particularly given his below-average power. He'll look to get back on track at the plate in 2018 as he advances to Triple-A Columbus. -
Krieger started the first 101 games of his Clemson career at shortstop before suffering a shoulder injury during his sophomore season. He ultimately required labrum surgery and was limited to second base when he returned to the field midway through his junior season. After drafting him in the fourth round, the Indians shut him down for the rest of the 2015 season to give him more time to recover. That delayed Krieger's pro debut until 2016, when he started at low Class A Lake County and earned a midseason promotion to high Class A Lynchburg. He has above-average feel for the barrel that allows him to hit line drives to all fields. He doesn't provide much in the way of power, but his above-average speed leads to doubles and triples when he drives the ball to the gaps. Krieger's days as a shortstop are likely over, but he is a solid defender at second base, where his infield actions and hands play well. The Indians have enviable middle-infield depth, which could keep Krieger at Lynchburg to start 2017. With another solid showing, he should be in line to reach Double-A Akron later in the season. -
Krieger began his college career as Clemson's shortstop and started his first 101 games for the Tigers at the position before suffering a shoulder injury during his sophomore season. He ultimately required labrum surgery and was limited to DH duties for the first half of his junior season before moving to second base. The Indians selected him in the fourth round of the 2015 draft but shut him down until instructional league to allow him more time to recover from his injury. Krieger has a good feel for hitting, showing the ability to hit line drives to all fields. He's a patient hitter with a good understanding of the zone. He's an above-average runner but won't provide much in the way of power. Before his injury, Krieger showed the potential to remain at shortstop. He'll have to prove his arm strength has come all the way back and that he can make all the throws required of a shortstop, but he has enough range and hands to give him a chance. Krieger should be ready to make his pro debut in 2016.
Draft Prospects
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Primarily a shortstop in his early days at Clemson, Krieger suffered a shoulder injury late in his sophomore year. He had surgery to repair a torn labrum in August, and spent the early parts of the 2015 season as the Tigers' designated hitter, before moving to second base. Even so, Krieger has the bat to profile at just about any defensive position. A switch hitter with bat speed and a short, line drive stroke from both sides. Krieger's wrists are extremely loose, allowing him the flexibility to control his bat and track pitches deep into the hitting zone. Krieger shows over-the-fence power in batting practice, but his short stroke and gap approach have prevented his power from playing in games to this point. Some scouts project him to add even more strength. Krieger has slowly added 25 pounds of muscle since getting to campus, and could add even more when he gets to pro ball. Krieger has the elite first step quickness required of second base, but his arm has been well below average this spring. Scouts who like him project the arm to come back as a serviceable below average arm, while those who aren't as impressed worry about how his arm strength will hinder him defensively.
