Erick Aybar Stats & Scouting Report

AB	5175
AVG	.271
OBP	.313
SLG	.372
HR	58

Full name Erick Johan Aybar
Born 01/14/1984 in Bani, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: S / Throws: R
School Escuela Basica Fanny Pimental
Debut 05/16/2006

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Aybar made his major league debut last May and was used primarily as a defensive replacement before returning to Triple-A. Aybar was included in trade offers for Miguel Tejada and Carlos Lee in July, which may have precipitated his lackluster finish. Much is made of Aybar's free-swinging approach at the plate, but he makes consistent hard contact and is a confident, efficient hitter. He has above-average bat speed and could wind up batting second in a contending lineup. His glove, arm and speed are also plus tools. He has true shortstop actions with above-average range and outstanding instincts, all of which underscore his penchant for making the electrifying play. Aybar doesn't work deep counts or walk very often. He's no power threat, though he can drive balls from gap to gap. He's careless at times in the field and on the bases. A switch-hitter, he's more comfortable and centers the ball more regularly from the left side. He's ready for big league playing time, but is blocked by Orlando Cabrera. He probably faces another year in Triple-A, unless Los Angeles decides to cash him in as a trade chip.
When the Angels signed Aybar for $100,000 in 2002, he was considered a lesser prospect than his brother Willy, who had signed with the Dodgers for $1.4 million two years earlier. Erick has developed into a better player and the pure shortstop the Angels hoped, while exceeding expectations for his bat. Though undersized, Aybar packs some pop in his swing. Early in the year he was trying to pull everything out of the park before Angels minor league hitting coordinator Ty Van Burkleo encouraged him to shorten his swing. Aybar got back to doing what he does best: spraying line drives to all fields and using his plus speed to set the table. He has plus actions at shortstop, turns the double play with aplomb and has enough arm strength to make plays deep in the hole. He plays with passion and consistently has been a catalyst. Aybar remains a free swinger. If he's going to reach his ceiling as a leadoff hitter, he must improve his plate discipline and willingness to work counts. He plays with a fearless energy that borders on recklessness. Headed for Triple-A, Aybar is sandwiched between big leaguer Orlando Cabrera and top prospect Brandon Wood. The best--and most cost-effective--solution eventually will be to find a taker for Cabrera, hand shortstop to Aybar and move Wood to third base.
Aybar played alongside Alberto Callaspo during his first two pro seasons, and they were inseparable on and off the field. In 2004, the Angels decided to break them up so both could play shortstop. Aybar wasn't fazed and led the minors in hits. His older brother Willie is an infielder in the Dodgers system. Aybar possesses a rare blend of sound fundamentals, instincts and pure shortstop actions. He has excellent range, good hands and a plus arm. Offensively, he has a knack for making contact and enough power to hit 15 homers a year. He's adept from both sides of the plate. He has a tendency to force off-balance throws, which led to many of his system-high 34 errors in 2004. At the plate, Aybar gets pull-happy and needs to improve his pitch recognition. He'll chase pitches out of the strike zone, though he often manages to put them in play because he has quick wrists, thus limiting his walks. Aybar will be reunited with Callaspo, who's moving back to second base, at Double-A Arkansas in 2005. He should be ready for Anaheim the following season, but Orlando Cabrera's four-year, $32 million contract clouds Aybar's future with the club.
Former scouting director Donny Rowland and international supervisor Clay Daniel made several return visits to the Dominican to evaluate Aybar. The younger brother of Dodgers third-base prospect Willy Aybar, Erick lowered his asking price from $250,000 and signed for $100,000. He and Alberto Callaspo have formed all-star double-play combinations in the Pioneer and Midwest leagues the last two years. One scout coined them "Hoover and Oreck" because they vacuum up everything. Aybar is flashier with natural shortstop actions and a strong and accurate arm. He also runs a tick faster, has more thump in his bat and drives the ball more consistently. Aybar doesn't exhibit the same type of bat control as Callaspo and tends to be more of a free swinger. He has the tools for shortstop, though some scouts are concerned about his size and project him as more of a utilityman down the road. Known as los hermanos (Siamese twins), Aybar and Callaspo will take their highlight-reel show to high Class A in 2004. Callaspo eventually will face strong competition from within the system in Brandon Wood.
Aybar's older brother Willy signed with the Dodgers in January 2000 for a then- Dominican record $1.4 million bonus. Two years later, with less fanfare, the Angels landed Eric for $100,000. He got his career off to a tremendous start by finishing among the top 10 in the Rookie-level Pioneer League in hitting, triples, runs and total bases. Aybar is a natural shortstop with above-average feet and hands. His arm is solid average and he's capable of making accurate throws on the run from different angles. A plus runner, Aybar needs to improve his technique to be a successful basestealer at higher levels. Offensively, he has good bat speed and a nice stroke from both sides of the plate. He tends to be too much of a free swinger, and the Angels have him working on bunting to take advantage of his wheels. He'll move up to low Class A this year and probably will need a full year at every level.

Minor League Top Prospects

Aybar continued to be one of the more electric shortstop prospects in the game. Yet his future in Los Angeles remained unclear with the presence of Orlando Cabrera ahead of him in the majors and Brandon Wood behind him in Doulbie-A. Aybar made numerous spectacular plays in the field, thanks to his plus range and the best infield arm in the PCL. He makes consistent contact at the plate despite a free-swinging approach, and he also possesses above-average speed and a daring attitude on the basepaths. He can get out of control at times, as evidenced by his 22 errors in 81 games and 18 caught stealings in 50 attempts. "He's a very good shortstop who has some pop from both sides of the plate," Colbert said. "He's very aggressive with the bat and comes out of his shoes when he sees a fastball. He needs to add some discipline, but at the same time that aggressiveness is part of what makes him such a productive player and you don't want to affect that in any way."
Aybar provided a spark at the top of a stacked Arkansas lineup, solidifying his reputation as one of the most exciting prospects in the minors. One scout called him a "make-things-happen guy." He batted leadoff more often once Kendrick joined the Travelers in mid-July, and showed a lot of progress by batting .365 in the No. 1 slot. "He's one of the most exciting players I've had to manage against, offensively and defensively," Tulsa manager Tom Runnells said. "He loves to play and is just fun to watch." Aybar is a plus runner with a good arm and good range at shortstop, and he has great instincts for the game. He plays the little man's game, bunting and stealing bases. He led the Texas League in hits, but he still needs to get a better feel for the strike zone and rein in his aggressiveness. He stole 49 bases but was caught 23 times.
Aybar wowed managers and scouts at the plate and in the field, drawing multiple comparisons to Rafael Furcal. A switch-hitting leadoff man, he led the league in hits (189) and stolen bases (51). He also has more projectable power than most 5-foot-11, 160-pounders, delivering 14 homers and 50 extra-base hits. A free swinger who's difficult to strike out, Aybar will hit .300 but he'll never draw many walks. He was caught stealing a whopping 36 times, but he's expected to improve once he learns how to read pitchers and pick his spots better. Aybar's plus range and arm strength, along with his good instincts and smooth actions, make him a natural shortstop. "He's the perfect combination of fundamentals and flashiness," Rancho Cucamonga manager Bobby Meacham said.
Aybar led all minor league shortstops in hitting, and he was the best defender at his position in the MWL. He has a stronger arm than Callaspo, which is why he played short, and more thump in his bat. The consensus was that Callaspo's more advanced plate discipline gave him a better chance to contribute with the bat. At worst, though, Aybar should become a utility player in the Desi Relaford mold. He's a little quicker than Callaspo and shares his instincts when he reaches base. Managers ranked Aybar right behind Fielder as the league's most exciting player, though their styles couldn't be more different. "You go to the ballpark and you say, 'What is Aybar going to do today?' " Subero said. "He hits and he makes plays at shortstop, and you say, 'There he is again.' "
Aybar is basically a clone of his double-play partner Callaspo, with less size and ability to make contact. Kotchman calls the duo the best up-the-middle tandem he's seen in 23 years in pro ball. Aybar uses his plus speed and solid-average arm to turn hits into groundouts. At the plate, he finished eighth in the batting race. He compares favorably to Jimmy Rollins or Neifi Perez at this stage of his career. Despite his speed, Aybar isn't a great baserunner yet but still piles up stolen bases. He's also learning how to bunt to take better advantage of his fleet feet. "He wants to run before he bunts," Kotchman said. "I told him he'll beat it out even if he bunts it right to them."