Orlando Hudson Stats & Scouting Report

AB	4825
AVG	.273
OBP	.341
SLG	.412
HR	93

Full name Orlando Thill Hudson
Born 12/12/1977 in Darlington, SC
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: S / Throws: R
School Spartanburg Methodist College
Debut 07/24/2002
Drafted in the 43rd round (1,280th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Left off the 40-man roster after the 2000 season, Hudson moved from third base to second last year and blossomed. He was leading the Arizona Fall League in slugging and on-base percentage when he left to play for Team USA in the World Cup in Taiwan, where he hit .429 and led the Americans with 12 runs and seven steals in 10 games. Hudson sprays line drives to all parts of the park and has tremendous instincts and aptitude. Though he has below-average speed, he anticipates ground balls, reads pitchers well and is the best baserunner in the system. An outgoing personality and born leader, Hudson plays with passion. Except for his bat, Hudson's tools grade out as average or a tick below across the board. He gets the most out of what he has, but sometimes those players just aren't talented enough. No one in the system doubts Hudson will continue to achieve. If the Blue Jays find a taker for Homer Bush, Hudson will be their starting second baseman. He also could figure into the third-base picture if Eric Hinske can't handle the job defensively.

Minor League Top Prospects

Hudson always has a smile on his face and shows a tremendous passion for the game. Those qualities make him a sparkplug who catalyzes every club he plays on. Hudson profiles as a No. 2 hitter who could be a 20-20 player. The switch-hitter greatly improved his swing from the left side this year, developing more power. A former third baseman, he uses his speed to chase down balls at second, where his defense improved a great deal in 2002. Syracuse manager Omar Malave said Hudson worked hard to improve his pivot and positioning. "He's going to be a .300 hitter in the big leagues," Fields said. "And he's a vacuum at second base who can turn the double play."
For the first three years of his professional career, Hudson was off the radar screen when it came to Toronto infield prospects. Part of the reason had to do with the wealth of talented middle infielders in the system, including Brent Abernathy, Cesar Izturis, Felipe Lopez and Mike Young. And part of it had to do with Hudson's nondescript .274 batting average as a third baseman in his first three seasons. Hudson took to a move to second base, hitting a combined .306 between Double-A and Triple-A and looking strong defensively. He may have a higher offensive ceiling than Izturis or Lopez, though he'll have to contend with both to get regular playing time in Toronto. "He's right up there with Lopez and Izturis," Ottawa manager Stan Hough said. "Where do they keep getting these guys?"
Hudson impressed every manager with his all-out hustle and gritty attitude on the field. More than one skipper rated him as the league's MVP, while one major league scout considered him the top prospect. "He's a gamer who comes to the ballpark every day to beat you," Runge said. "He'll do everything he can to win. He makes contact at the plate and he drives in runs. He's a good baserunner, a baseball-alert type of player." Hudson blossomed this season by moving to second base from third. He displayed good hands, a strong arm and the ability to turn the double play. He also served as Tennessee's tablesetter at the top of the lineup. "He's a guy I'd want on my team," Gideon said. "He reminds me of Chipper Jones with the way he hits for power and average."