Ronny Cedeno Stats & Scouting Report

AB	2565
AVG	.245
OBP	.289
SLG	.353
HR	40

Full name Ronny Alexander Cedeno
Born 02/02/1983 in Carabobo, Venezuela
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut 04/23/2005

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Cedeno won the Arizona League batting title with a .350 average in his U.S. debut in 2001, then hit just .212 the next two seasons as the Cubs rushed him through Class A. His bat has bounced back, and he spent three months in the majors in 2005, mostly on the bench. He was just starting to get regular playing time in September when a Brad Hennessey pitch broke his left hand. Cedeno has the best actions and arm strength among Chicago's infield prospects, and he has proven that he can be more than just a glove man. His strong hands and wrists give him good bat speed that should allow him to hit for average and maybe 15 homers per year. His speed is slightly above average. To fit near the top of the lineup, Cedeno will need to show more patience and basestealing savvy. He can get homer-happy, but that happens less than it did in the past. Though the Cubs re-signed Neifi Perez, they say he'll be a backup. Cedeno will get the opportunity to start at second base or shortstop, depending on further moves the club makes this offseason.
After Cedeno won the Rookie-level Arizona League batting title with a .350 average in 2001, Chicago skipped him two levels and sent him to low Class A. His bat took a while to recover, as he hit a combined .212 the next two years. He finally caught his breath last season, when he started to spray line drives all over the field again. Cedeno still needs to improve his ability to make contact, work counts and get on base, but he's no longer an automatic out. He matured and stopped trying to break out of slumps by getting three hits in one trip to the plate. A plus runner, he's still feeling his way as a basestealer. The Cubs say anything Cedeno does with the bat is a bonus, and they proved it by protecting him on the 40-man roster after a 2003 season in which he batted .211. He has a cannon arm--the best among the system's infielders--good range and soft hands. He led Southern League infielders with a .963 fielding percentage last year. The only comparable glove man among Cubs farmhands is Carlos Rojas, whose offensive skills lag far behind Cedeno's. Assuming Cedeno continues to hold his own at the plate in Triple-A, he'd be an alternative for the Cubs in 2006 if they decide not to re-sign Nomar Garciaparra.
When the 2001 regular season ended, Cedeno had finished second in the Arizona League batting race at .350. But when SportsTicker reviewed all of its statistics before declaring them official, it discovered that Cedeno actually had won the batting title. The Cubs thought Cedeno was special when they signed him out of Venezuela, likening him to a second-round pick, and they appear to be right. He obviously can hit for average and he also has good power for a middle infielder, not to mention above-average speed. He has plus tools on defense as well, as both his range and arm are assets. Cedeno just needs to add polish to his game. He'll have to control the strike zone better, improve his basestealing skills (he was caught 12 times in 29 attempts last year) and get more consistent defensively (his 22 errors tied for the AZL lead). He's ready for low Class A, where he might see some time at second base if 2001 third-round pick Ryan Theriot is assigned to Lansing as well.

Minor League Top Prospects

Cedeno won the Rookie-level Arizona League batting title with a .350 average in his U.S. debut in 2001, but the Cubs pushed him to low Class A at age 19 the next year, plunging him into a two-year slump. His bat started to come back around last year in Double-A, and exploded in 2005. He hit .355 in the PCL and .300 in limited action with Chicago. Cedeno has strong hands and wrists, giving him bat speed and solid pop for a middle infielder. He has improved his discipline, chasing fewer pitches and using the opposite-field more often. He's a slightly above-average runner who can steal an occasional base. Even when he struggled with the bat in the past, Cedeno still impressed with his defense. He has a very strong arm, good range and soft hands. One PCL manager said he couldn't believe the Cubs played Neifi Perez regularly instead of Cedeno, whose left hand was broken by a pitch in September.
Cedeno was an able successor to Luis Montanez, a Cubs shortstop prospect who was the league's No. 1 prospect a year ago. Cedeno hit .350, losing his bid for the batting title to Mariners infielder Roman Cordova on the final day of the season. Cedeno is a pure shortstop with terrific hands and instincts. While he tied for the league lead with 22 errors, many came on balls other shortstops would not have reached. "He's got a lot of the same actions as Andy Gonzalez," Comstock said. "He doesn't have the same physical package, but he has range and a great arm, and should hit for power and average."