Jason Bay
| AB | 4505 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .266 |
| OBP | .36 |
| SLG | .481 |
| HR | 222 |
- Full name Jason Raymond Bay
- Born 09/20/1978 in Trail, BC, Canada
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Gonzaga
- Debut 05/23/2003
- Drafted in the 22nd round (645th overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2000.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Bay has been a traveling man the last two years, and Pittsburgh acquired him as part of the Brian Giles trade. He finished the year as the Pirates' left fielder and drove in eight runs against the Cubs on Sept. 19. Bay doesn't have an overpowering tool but does most everything well. He hits for power and average while showing solid plate discipline. He also is a good runner and a high-percentage basestealer. He has enough athleticism for center field and has enough arm for right. He's a little older than most prospects, meaning he probably won't get much better. While he continued to walk in the major leagues, he expanded his strike zone and struck out far more often than he did in the minors. Bay had surgery to repair a torn labrum in December, but he is expected back by Opening Day. The Pirates hope he will be their starting left fielder, a more difficult position in PNC Park than right. The Pirates hope he fulfills comparisons to Jeff Conine. -
Bay won the 2001 Midwest League batting title in his first full pro season, and his reward was getting traded twice in 2002. First, he became one of several Expos prospects to be given away by general manager Omar Minaya, and then the Mets sent him to the Padres in a midseason deal for Steve Reed. He's not as powerful as Xavier Nady nor as athletic as several of the outfielders who rank behind him, but Bay has a nice combination of tools and instincts. He obviously hits well for average, has gap power and draws walks. He has surprising speed for his size and has succeeded on 84 percent of his basestealing attempts as a pro. Bay is capable of playing all three outfield spots and fits best in right field with his strong arm. San Diego added Bay to its 40-man roster and may start him in Triple-A this year.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Bay has improved every year since the Expos made him an afterthought 22nd-round pick in 2000 as a college senior. He won the Midwest League batting title in 2001, but was dismissed as too old for low Class A. He was traded in separate deals for journeymen Lou Collier and Steve Reed just a year ago. Finally, he is being taken seriously as a prospect. That became evident when he was a key part of the Brian Giles trade with the Pirates, for whom he drove in eight runs in a mid-September game. Bay's tools are solid across the board, and his instincts enhance them. He hits for average and power, controls the strike zone and has succeeded on 84 percent of his steal attempts as a pro. He covers enough ground to play center field and has enough arm to play right. "He's one of the real talented kids in the league," Salt Lake manager Mike Brumley said. "There are a lot of things he can do. He hustles and he has great range in center field for a big man. He shortens his swing and makes adjustments when he has to, and he has power potential."
