Wilson Betemit

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #15 prospect in 2005
  It wasn't that long ago when Betemit, No. 1 on this list in 2001 and 2002, was projected to be a fixture on the left side of Atlanta's infield. Of course, that was before Rafael Furcal took over at shortstop and Chipper Jones returned to third base to keep the hot corner warm for Andy Marte. Meanwhile, Betemit has gone backwards in his development, having only sporadic success with the bat in three years in Triple-A. He did have his best season at Richmond in 2004, but it was his third straight season there. While he set career highs in doubles and homers and improved his batting average, he still has holes in his swing and needs more patience at the plate. He has average speed. Betemit is an above-average defender at third base and at least average at shortstop, displaying good range, soft hands and the strongest infield arm in the system. Some club officials still believe Betemit is capable of blossoming into a regular, but he'll first need to prove himself as a backup infielder with Atlanta in 2005.
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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #12 prospect in 2004
  Betemit ranked as the Braves' top prospect entering the 2001 and 2002 seasons, and was expected to move into Atlanta's starting lineup this spring now that third baseman Vinny Castilla's contract has come to a merciful end. Betemit, however, has stagnated during his two full seasons in Triple-A, and he's not ready for the big leagues. The Braves hope he can turn himself around. He showed signs of doing that last July by batting .313, only to continue his roller-coaster ride by hitting .248 in August. Betemit continues to show holes in his swing, which is why he hasn't made consistent contact or developed the power once expected of him. A switch-hitter, he has struggled from the right side, batting just .171 with one homer against lefties in 2003. His speed is average but not enough to keep him at shortstop. He spent most of last season at third base. While his range and consistency are good and his arm is among the strongest of any infielder in the system, Betemit's value is not as high at the hot corner as it was in the past.
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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #2 prospect in 2003
  Considered one of the top prospects in baseball, Betemit struggled mightily in 2002 at Triple-A Richmond. He hit just .198 during the first three months and made 21 errors in 93 games. A strained back, bruised foot and sprained ankle hurt his performance. Betemit remains a five-tool athlete whose skills are still blossoming. He hits to all fields from both sides of the plate and is adding power. He has a live body with easy actions toward the ball and good bat speed with excellent extension. Scouts believe he'll hit 20 homers and steal 25 bases annually in the big leagues. Betemit can make the spectacular play but also can be lackadaisical on defense. He fields the ball too close to his body at times, and he lets the ball play him instead of being aggressive. The accuracy of his strong arm is unpredictable. His plate discipline has never been strong. After having an outside shot at winning Atlanta's shortstop job last spring, Betemit will return to Triple-A in 2003. He must prove that 2002 was a fluke and a move to third base isn't needed.
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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #1 prospect in 2002
  In his first full season, Betemit reached the major leagues when rosters were expanded in September. Signed prior to his 16th birthday in violation of baseball rules, Betemit sued the Braves during the spring of 2000 before reaching a contract agreement shortly thereafter. He was the top prospect in the short-season New York-Penn League that year, then jumped to high Class A Myrtle Beach to start 2001. Promoted to Double-A Greenville in July after Rafael Furcal was lost for the season, Betemit rose to the occasion and improved in all phases of his game. Carolina League managers rated Betemit as their top prospect, while Southern League skippers ranked him third. Betemit is a natural baseball player and a budding five-tool talent who's still maturing. His body will get stronger, which should enable him to hit for power from both sides of the plate. He hits to all fields with his line-drive stroke. He has outstanding athleticism, shown by the Ozzie Smith-style flip he sometimes makes when taking the field. Betemit also has slightly above-average speed that should allow him to steal 15 bases a year. Defensively, he has good range, a strong arm and soft hands. He thrives on challenges and raises his game to the level of the competition. He has lost his focus on occasion at shortstop, leading to careless mistakes. Some scouts say he will outgrow the position and will have to move to third base. He might be better there because it's a reaction position instead of one that requires concentration. His plate discipline is rudimentary and may be exploited by pitchers at higher levels. The Braves showed with Furcal in 2000 they aren't afraid to let a middle infielder make a big jump to the major leagues. Betemit doesn't have an obvious job opportunity in Atlanta, but should he prove during spring training that he's ready to take over a starting job, the Braves are willing to create room. The Braves all but guaranteed he'll start the season at Triple-A Richmond by signing Vinny Castilla.
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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #1 prospect in 2001
  Early last spring it appeared Betemit might not live up to his potential in the Atlanta organization. In the offseason, Major League Baseball determined the Braves had signed Betemit before he was 16, in violation of baseball rules. While Atlanta was fined and prohibited from signing Dominican players for six months, Betemit staged a walkout at his agent's direction during spring training. An agreement wasn't reached for several weeks, costing Betemit a shot at playing in a full-season league. After blossoming in 1999 as an all-star in the Rookie-level Appalachian League and ranking as the circuit's No. 2 prospect, Betemit dominated the short-season New York-Penn League by placing second in hits and runs and fourth in average. He also was the loop's best prospect. What's not to like? Betemit is a 20-year-old switch-hitter who plays a premier position, has outstanding size and has produced every time he has taken the field. He has incredible range and soft, quick hands that make him an ideal candidate for shortstop or third base. His arm also rates above-average, capable of strong, accurate throws in the hole. His defense has improved considerably and attracted rave reviews from NY-P managers. Betemit has plus power that is expected to increase significantly as his body continues to mature. He's reasonably disciplined at the plate and improved his ability to make contact in 2000. Not unlike other young players, Betemit makes careless mistakes, particularly in the field. He tries to make every play a spectacular one instead of recording the out, which has inflated his error total. Experience is a great teacher, and nowhere is that more evident with Betemit than in keeping up with the speed of the game at higher levels. He tends to rush throws and attack pitchers early in the count, so he needs to get more patient on defense and at the plate. Had he not missed most of spring training, Betemit would have spent 2000 at Class A Macon. But he lost little from an overall development standpoint. That will be proven when Betemit bypasses Macon and opens 2001 at high Class A Myrtle Beach. It would surprise no one if he blazed a trial to Atlanta in less than two more years.
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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #13 prospect in 2000

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked International League #12 prospect in 2002
  The consensus best shortstop prospect in baseball entering the year, Betemit struggled at the plate and in the field. He hit .198 in the first three months and didn't get untracked until he returned from missing three weeks with a sprained ankle. He also made 21 errors in 92 games at shortstop. Despite the growing pains, managers recognized his potential. He started to deliver in the final two months, batting .292-4-17 over his final 46 games. "He's only 20--he's a baby--plus he was hurt," Fields said. "He's very athletic and moves well, plus he's got pop." One manager even compared Betemit's career path to that of Chipper Jones. Like Jones, Betemit possesses plenty of arm strength but struggles with the accuracy of his throws. A move to third wouldn't be a surprise, and Betemit has ample power for a corner infielder. As Betemit struggled to stay above the Mendoza Line, word circulated that the Braves were frustrated with his play and poor attitude. Managers saw nothing of the sort, and Richmond skipper Fredi Gonzalez praised his shortstop's determination.
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  Ranked Southern League #3 prospect in 2001
  When a shoulder injury knocked Atlanta's Rafael Furcal out for the season in July, it created a chain reaction throughout the Braves system that landed Betemit in Double-A. Two months later, Southern League clubs were wondering why he had been at the Class A level. Betemit impressed managers with his fluid body, above-average arm strength, budding power and plus speed. There was some concern about his inside-out swing, but the results, both in terms of average and power, were hard to dispute. While some managers wondered if his future would be at shortstop, others liked what they saw at the critical position. "He gets to the ball easy and he makes tough plays look easy," Jacksonville manager John Shoemaker said. "He has tremendous arm strength. He can throw the ball from the hole without putting any effort into it. I think this guy is going to move quick." Managers didn't like Betemit's tendency to put some mustard on routine plays. One skipper said Betemit would be better off playing third base because he would have less time to think about plays.
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  Ranked Carolina League #1 prospect in 2001
  Betemit is a switch-hitter who can produce for average and power. It's what he can do with the glove, however, that makes league managers believe he will be a success in the major leagues. Betemit has all the tools to win a Gold Glove at shortstop: size, arm strength and outstanding range. He made so much progress with Myrtle Beach that Pelicans manager Brian Snitker envisioned him being part a regular of the Atlanta infield within the next two seasons. With Rafael Furcal at shortstop and Marcus Giles at second base, Betemit could fit in at third base, pushing Chipper Jones to the outfield permanently. "He's going to elevate his game wherever he's at," Snitker said. "Obviously, the tools are there." Salem manager Dave Collins likened Betemit to another Carolina League all-star shortstop: Tony Fernandez, who earned that honor in 1981--a year before Betemit was born. Fernandez went on to win four Gold Gloves with the Blue Jays. Betemit needs to make some minor adjustments, such as drawing more walks and cutting down on his errors, but no one doubted he'll become a star.
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  Ranked New York-Penn League #1 prospect in 2000
  A switch-hitting middle infielder with the ability to hit for average (and eventually power), Betemit didn’t play like an 18-year-old. Managers raved about his hands and his range, pointing to his defense first and offense second. "He's a person where you can just see he's got good in him," said Jim Saul, Betemit's manager at Jamestown. "His 30 errors have been because of being too pretty instead of getting the job done. He has an outstanding throwing arm with range, and he hits well from both sides of the plate with power." Said Williamsport coach Eric Chavez: "He swings the bat really well, plus he has a great arm and can field. He's going to be a good one. He just has good baseball instincts out there."
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  Ranked National League #2 prospect in 1999
  Betemit has the complete package for a shortstop. He's an exciting player who has pop from both sides of the plate and should develop more power as he fills out his lanky frame. He runs well, though that has not translated into many stolen bases yet. Betemit showed good hands, good range and a strong arm in the field. He was the managers' consensus choice as the top defensive shortstop in the league. Though he made 33 errors, many of them came on aggressive plays.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #49 prospect in 2003
• Ranked Baseball America's #8 prospect in 2002
• Ranked Baseball America's #29 prospect in 2001
• Ranked Baseball America's #99 prospect in 2000

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  A switch-hitting middle infielder with the ability to hit for average (and eventually power), Betemit didn’t play like an 18-year-old. Managers raved about his hands and his range, pointing to his defense first and offense second. "He's a person where you can just see he's got good in him," said Jim Saul, Betemit's manager at Jamestown. "His 30 errors have been because of being too pretty instead of getting the job done. He has an outstanding throwing arm with range, and he hits well from both sides of the plate with power." Said Williamsport coach Eric Chavez: "He swings the bat really well, plus he has a great arm and can field. He's going to be a good one. He just has good baseball instincts out there."