Cavan Biggio

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #9 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Double-A New Hampshire opened 2018 with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette--two top prospects with big league bloodlines. They also had Biggio, the son of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, who went from long shot minor leaguer to a legitimate prospect with a breakthrough season.
  
  Scouting Report: After an underwhelming first full season in 2017, Biggio went to work on the load and timing in his swing. He lowered his hands in an attempt to help his bat stay on plane longer through the hitting zone. The mechanical adjustment helped him increase his power and tap into his power more frequently in games. He more than doubled his home run output from 2017, while his isolated power spiked from .130 to .247. Biggio is a three true outcomes player with a high dose of home runs, walks and strikeouts. His swing still has holes--he struck out 26 percent of the time in Double-A--but he's also a patient hitter whose 100 walks ranked third in the minors. Strikeouts will limit his batting average, but his patience help keep his OBP up, and he has above-average power. Biggio is a smart, instinctive player and an average runner. He turns the double play quickly at second base with an average arm, but he's still working to soften his hands and improve his footwork and range. He has spent time at third base (where his arm is stretched), first base and the outfield as well.
  
  The Future: Biggio has a chance to develop into an average regular, whether it be at second base or as an offensive-minded utility man. Triple-A Buffalo is his next stop, and he could finish the year in Toronto.
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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #25 prospect in 2017
  To be clear, Biggio does not have the upside of his Hall of Fame father Craig, with significantly less athleticism. That said, the younger Biggio has a solid hitting track record, established on his own as an amateur and in his pro debut. A lefthanded hitter with a high-handed setup similar to fellow ex-Notre Dame infielder Craig Counsell, Biggio controls the strike zone well and is selective enough to grade out as a solid-average hitter. A preseason first-team All-American, he cut his strikeout rate and increased his batting average as a junior for the Fighting Irish, though on a offensively-challenged club he was rarely challenged and hit just four home runs. Biggio's best attribute is his batting eye, and he walked more than he struck out at short-season Vancouver. He profiles best as a leadoff hitter, and while he's just an average runner at best, he's a savvy baserunner and basestealer. Biggio's fringy athleticism limits his defensive upside. He is limited to second base or perhaps left field, and he lacks the power to fit a corner profile. He will have to hit to be a regular but has the savvy to maximize his tools.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #350 prospect in 2016 draft
  As you would expect for the son of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, Cavan Biggio has a very intelligent approach to the game. His understanding of the game is arguably his best attribute, as his tools are modest. Biggio is an average runner and stole 14 bases in 14 tries during the regular season. Biggio, who has a plenty of pre-swing movement that he may need to tone down as a pro, has below-average power with an all-field approach that gives him a fringe-average hit tool. His advanced batting eye helped him walk in 21 percent of his plate appearances this season, helping him to post a .473 on-base percentage. Defensively, he's struggled with his reliability as a junior. His range is limited but he turns a good double play.
• Ranked #67 prospect in 2013 draft
  Bloodlines don't get any better than Biggio's. His father Craig collected 3,060 hits in 20 seasons with the Astros and is the head coach at St. Thomas, which won Texas 5-A state private/parochial school titles in 2010 and 2011. Like his dad, Cavan excels at the plate. He's one of the best pure hitters in his draft class, with tremendous feel, a smooth swing and a disciplined approach. He performed well on the showcase circuit and with the Team USA 18-and-under squad last summer. He's bigger than his father at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, and as a bonus he hits lefthanded. He's getting stronger and could develop average major league power. Most of Biggio's value lies in his bat, as he has below-average speed and arm strength. He plays mostly second and third base, with the former position a better fit for his tools. If he loses a step as he fills out, he could wind up on an outfield corner. Not surprising for someone who grew up around the game, he has outstanding instincts in all phases. His father is a special assistant to Astros GM Jeff Luhnow, so Biggio could be a target for Houston's pick at the top of the second round (No. 40). He might not be signable past that choice. He has committed to Notre Dame, which envisions him as a replacement for likely first-rounder Eric Jagielo. Biggio's brother Conor is a reserve outfielder for the Fighting Irish.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Eastern League #14 prospect in 2018
  The third of three big league legacy players on the Fisher Cats’ infield, Biggio went punch for punch with his more highly touted teammates. He led the circuit in home runs, slugging percentage and OPS, and finished second in RBIs and on-base percentage en route to the league’s MVP award. To accomplish this, he lowered his hands, made an effort to be more aggressive on early-count fastballs and generally started taking a more loft-oriented approach. Lowering his hands, evaluators noticed, also helped him establish a consistent sense of timing. Defensively, he logged significant time at second, third and first base and will continue developing as a utility player when he heads to the Arizona Fall League. His arm is stretched at third base and scouts view him as fringe-average at second as well.

• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Biggio has gone from a fringe organizational player last year to a legitimate prospect in 2018. He adjusted his load and timing at the plate, lowering his hands a bit to help his bat spend more time in the hitting zone. Biggio still has his holes that lead to a higher strikeout rate, but his combination of patience and above-average power from the left side give him a chance to be an everyday regular at second base.