Nick Markakis Stats & Scouting Report

AB	8302
AVG	.288
OBP	.357
SLG	.423
HR	189

Full name Nick William Markakis
Born 11/17/1983 in Woodstock, GA
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Young Harris College
Debut 04/03/2006
Drafted in the 1st round (7th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2003 (signed for $1,850,000).

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Markakis was BA's 2002 Junior College Player of the Year after batting .455-17-74 and going 11-3, 4.53 on the mound. He has been even better this spring--leading national junior college players in strikeouts per nine innings (14.9) and RBIs (89) entering the district playoffs--creating a huge dilemma for the Reds. Cincinnati has drafted Markakis twice and controlled his rights as a 23rd-round draft-and-follow, but doesn't have the money to both sign him and pay full slot money for the No. 14 overall pick. Rumors circulated that Markakis tried to scare off clubs by asking for a large bonus in an attempt to fall to the homestate Braves in the supplemental first round. He pitched at 92-94 mph for most of the season, though he sat at 88-90 in May. His slurvy breaking ball is a plus pitch and he has improved his changeup. There's some effort to his delivery, but he has a quick arm and few lefties can match his stuff. He's the second-best draft-and-follow on the market, trailing only Chipola (Fla.) JC's Adam Loewen, and like Loewen he could be an early pick if he were just a power-hitting right fielder. Assuming he re-enters the draft, Markakis will be a mid-first-rounder.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The debate regarding Markakis being a hitter or pitcher is officially a footnote to history now, after he put up gaudy offensive numbers in his first complete minor league season. Managers rated him the top hitting and power prospect in the Class A Carolina League in a midseason survey, and he won the home run derby as well as MVP honors in the California-Carolina League all-star game. His numbers improved after a promotion to Double-A Bowie. Markakis was Baseball America's Junior College Player of the Year in both 2002 and 2003, and he turned down the Reds in the draft twice, declining a $1.5 million draft-and-follow offer shortly before the 2003 draft. Most teams preferred him as a lefthander, but the Orioles liked his potential with the bat more and signed him for $1.85 million The debate flared again briefly in 2004 when Markakis pitched as well as hit for the Greek team in the Athens Olympics. But his aptitude as a hitter and rapid development leave no doubt that he'll reach the major leagues as an outfielder, and he should be an all-star once he gets there. Markakis has adapted to professional baseball faster than even the Orioles expected. He has all the physical tools for success--the ability to hit to all fields with power, and the speed, instincts and arm to play anywhere in the outfield. His aptitude for the game is what makes him a premium prospect. "His intangibles are every bit as good as his ability,"one scout said. He has shown the ability to make adjustments to better pitching as he has moved up through the minors, and shows outstanding bat control in the zone. He has established a firm foundation at the plate, where before he would slide through the ball rather than turning on it, and it has allowed him to wait on pitches and read them better. Most scouts think he could play center field in the big leagues, but the Orioles regard him as a prototype right fielder because of his arm and instincts. Though Markakis' power started to emerge in 2004, it still has a ways to go. At the beginning of his pro career, he tried to yank everything out, but now he's willing to hit the ball the other way. Eventually he should be able to hit those pitches over the fence consistently and should start to pull the ball out again. Markakis is fast enough to steal 20-25 bases a year, but he hasn't worked on it much. If he can improve his baserunning and basestealing, it would add another dimension to a well-rounded game. In a perfect world, Markakis would get another season to put the finishing touches on his game before he moves up to the big leagues. But there should be plenty of job opportunities in the Baltimore outfield during spring training, so he'll get a long look in big league camp. If he doesn't set the world on fire, he could open at either Double-A or Triple-A Ottawa, with a likely promotion to Baltimore by the second half.
Markakis was drafted in the 23rd round by the Reds in 2002, then went seventh overall to the Orioles a year later after turning down a $1.5 million draft-and-follow offer from Cincinnati. He was Baseball America's Junior College Player of the Year in both seasons, and signed with Baltimore for $1.8 million. Markakis was an outstanding two-way player at Young Harris (Ga.) JC, and scouts within and outside the organization were divided about where he should play professionally. Hitting won out, and it has looked like the right decision so far. Markakis was batting just .239 through May at low Class A Delmarva, but his swing started coming together and he got red-hot. He batted .345 and hit 18 doubles in the next two months before departing for the Olympics to play for the Greek team assembled with help from Baltimore owner Peter Angelos. Most Orioles officials regarded the trip as a great opportunity, though they were chagrined when Markakis was also asked to pitch. He made two relief appearances--touching 94 mph, it should be noted-- and he was one of the event's best hitters, going 9-for-26 (.346) with a home run. Because it was his first full pro season, Baltimore shut him down when he returned. While his arm strength is undeniable, Markakis' hands and athletic body give him a higher ceiling as an outfielder. Never a full-time hitter before 2004, he made the adjustments that could make him an ideal No. 3 hitter. As one scout said, "He gets better every second." The speed and strength in his hands make him a pure hitter, and the natural snap in his bat gives him good power that should increase as he matures. Markakis established a solid foundation for his swing by getting his lower half more stable as the year went on, giving him better torque on his swing. He already shows good control of the strike zone. His strong, sinewy body earns him comparisons to Shawn Green and Johnny Damon. His athleticism allows him to play center field in a pinch, but his speed and arm make him perfectly suited for right field. Markakis is inexperienced at the plate, so he's still trying to figure out his swing as well as understanding how to attack in hitter's counts. He came in with what the Orioles called "aluminum bat drift," meaning his body would get ahead of his hands. He's learning to keep his body back so it stays out of the way of his beautiful swing. He also needs to refine his outfield defense, improving his jumps and routes to balls. As Markakis has slowly but surely put pitching behind him, he has started to emerge as a potential premium bat and standout defender. His lack of experience as a hitter and his Olympic sojourn have slowed down his progress a bit, but the way he came on in the second half of 2004 opened eyes. He'll begin 2005 at high Class A Frederick and could arrive in the big leagues by the second half of 2006.
BA's 2002 and 2003 Junior College Player of the Year, Markakis led the juco ranks in victories (12) and strikeouts (160) as a pitcher as well as RBIs (92) as a DH last spring. He turned down $1.5 million from the Reds as a draft-and-follow, then went seventh overall to Baltimore and signed for $1.85 million. After playing for Greece at the European Championships in July, he earned top prospect honors in the short-season New York- Penn League. Most teams preferred Markakis as a pitcher, but the Orioles think he can be a special hitter. He's quiet at the plate, with a smooth, natural stroke that produces good leverage. He's adept at manipulating the bat head and can drive the ball to all fields. He obviously has a plus arm and is athletic, which should make him a good defender on either corner. Markakis doesn't have much experience against premium competition, particularly as a hitter. He can be overpowered by good fastballs at this point. He needs to add strength to his frame, and he already has added about 10 pounds of muscle since signing. Markakis probably will start 2004 in low Class A. If he performs as expected, he'll move up fast.

Minor League Top Prospects

Managers rated Markakis the best batting prospect in the high Class A Carolina League, and he was even more productive after he climbed to Double-A for the season's final month. He collected three hits in his first game and sparked the Baysox to a 21-14 finish. "I love him," one scout said. "I felt like he was one of the top hitters in the league. He's got a great swing, a great approach and he can really throw." Markakis' exceptional hands trigger his smooth, quick swing. This season he learned to turn on his backside instead of sliding his lower half as he swung, improving his balance. He has a line-drive approach to all fields with present gap power. Scouts believe he'll begin pulling the ball with authority as he develops and project him to hit for at least average power in the majors. Though Bowie manager Don Werner praised Markakis' play in center field and believes he can stay there, most scouts project Markakis as a right fielder in the big leagues. His well above-average arm strength is suited for right.
One of the true five-tool players in the CL, Markakis stole the show at the California League-Carolina League all-star game in front of his home fans in Frederick. He won the home run derby over Royals slugger Billy Butler, then topped that performance by hitting two more homers in the game. "Moon shots," Salem manager Ivan DeJesus said. "That's all I think of when I hear the name Markakis. We couldn't find a way to get him out." Compared to former big league outfielder Andy Van Slyke, Markakis hits for average and shows outstanding raw power to all fields. While he has slightly above-average speed, his range and instincts fit better in right field than in center. Most teams considered Markakis a better prospect as a pitcher coming out of junior college, and his 70 arm on the 20-80 scouting scale fits well in right field.
Markakis, who is of Greek descent, missed more than two weeks of the NY-P season when he represented Greece at the European Championships in July. He batted cleanup and hit .323-0-7 with four stolen bases in eight games as Greece finished second. There is a strong likelihood he will play for Greece in next year's Athens Olympics. Markakis was the top two-way player heading into this year's draft, but most teams projected the two-time Baseball America Junior College Player of the Year would be a first-round pick as a pitcher because he's a lefthander with a 92-94 mph fastball and plus breaking ball. The Orioles' decision to make him a full-time outfielder is looking good, though. Starting from a slightly open stance with his hands high, Markakis has a smooth lefthanded stroke. He gets good leverage at the plate and projects to hit with above-average power as he fills out his lanky, athletic frame. He rounds out his five-tool ability with above-average speed. "He's an exciting kid with huge upside," Hudson Valley manager Dave Howard said. "He throws well, he's a good defender for his age and he handled himself well at the plate. Against us he had trouble with really good fastballs, but that's understandable considering his age."