Malquin Canelo Stats & Scouting Report

AB	20
AVG	.2
OBP	.238
SLG	.35
HR	0

Full name Malquin Canelo
Born 09/05/1994 in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 165 / Bats: R / Throws: R

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Canelo is a testament to what can happen when a player adds strength. He bought into the Phillies' conditioning program, gained good weight and as a result got a lot better with the bat in 2015. He hit his way out of low Class A Lakewood with a strong half-season that culminated with MVP honors at the South Atlantic League all-star game and a promotion to high Class A Clearwater. Canelo's defense alone could have bought him a ticket to the majors, but now that his bat has upgraded, his future could be brighter. He still needs to improve pitch recognition and mute his willingness to chase outside the zone, but all signs were positive in 2015, when he hit .281/.331/.396 with 40 extra-base hits and 17 stolen bases in 126 games. In addition to his solid glove work, Canelo also has a plus throwing arm and is an above-average runner. He probably will return to Clearwater to begin 2016, where he'll hope to turn a breakout into a turning point.
A defensive wizard in the mold of Adeiny Hechavarria, Canelo signed with the Phillies out of the Dominican Republic in April 2012. He faces the same looming question as many of his predecessors: Will he ever hit enough to get his glove into the lineup on an everyday basis? Canelo made progress in 2013 as an 18-year-old in the short-season New York-Penn League, making more hard contact and swatting more line drives overall, even if his final line doesn't necessarily reflect it. He's quick and light on his feet, carries a plus arm and can make every play scouts want to see at shortstop. Canelo also is versatile enough to move over to third base in a pinch, so he could be a candidate for a super utility role down the line. He's a solid-average runner who was a skilled-enough baserunner in 2013 to swipe 10 bags in 13 tries. With J.P. Crawford entrenched as low Class A Lakewood shortstop in 2014, Canelo likely will head to extended spring training before taking another go at short-season Williamsport.

Minor League Top Prospects

Canelo's glove never really has been a question, but ever since he signed in 2012 many have worried that he wouldn't hit enough to be a big leaguer. Canelo answered a lot of those concerns with a dominant first half in a return to Lakewood, and he didn't fall apart after a midseason promotion to high Class A Clearwater. Managers who saw Canelo in the league last year and this year said he smoothed out some of his wildness defensively and played more under control. He has above-average range and good feet and actions. He's an average runner who picks his spots to steal as a baserunner. At the plate, Canelo has added strength this year which made a significant difference in his bat speed. He still needs to improve his strike-zone knowledge, but he did a good job of going from someone who projected as a possible utility infielder into someone who may project as a regular.