Ray Olmedo Stats & Scouting Report

AB	444
AVG	.23
OBP	.273
SLG	.293
HR	2

Full name Rainer Gustavo Olmedo
Born 05/31/1981 in Maracay, Venezuela
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 165 / Bats: S / Throws: R
Debut 05/25/2003

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Olmedo draws comparisons to Omar Vizquel for his flashy glovework. He has outstanding actions, soft hands and plus arm strength. He gets careless at times, but cut his errors from 40 in 2001 to 25 last season. After Olmedo batted .237 against righthanders in 2000, the Reds decided to make him switch-hitter. A natural righty, he has batted .255 and .260 as a lefty the last two years, but his righthanded production has suffered as a result. Olmedo is a slap hitter who lacks power and gets the bat knocked out of his hands by overpowering stuff. He made more consistent contact last year and showed more patience at the plate. He's a solid-average runner who will be a threat on the bases once he improves his reads and jumps. His work ethic is as good as any player in the organization. Olmedo could move up to Double-A, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to return to high Class A at the start of 2003.
Olmedo plays the most exciting infield defense the organization has seen since Pokey Reese was ascending through the system in the mid- 1990s. In Olmedo's native Venezuela, the comparisons he draws are to that nation's other great shortstops. He has the quickness, deft footwork, arm strength and range of an elite shortstop. With those gifts, his flashiness is no surprise. Asked to try switch-hitting in 2001, Olmedo accepted the task and held his own when he batted lefthanded for the first time. He used his speed to lead the organization in stolen bases. Olmedo occasionally is too slick for his own good and needs to make routine plays more routinely. He has work to do offensively, because he doesn't walk or make contact often enough for the singles hitter that he is. He also needs to refine his basestealing technique after getting caught 17 times. The Reds are confident Olmedo, who has an unquenchable work ethic, can hone his game while receiving a promotion to Double-A. Though Cincinnati has a glut of middle infielders, Olmedo may force the organization to make room for him.
Olmedo is one of several promising players signed by international crosschecker Johnny Almaraz. Olmedo is as raw as he is gifted. Cincinnati officials, some of whom rate Olmedo above the since-traded Wilmy Caceres, say his defensive skills are reminiscent of perennial Gold Glover Omar Vizquel's. Olmedo has incredible hands, though he must remind himself to stay down on ground balls. A natural righthanded batter, he's working on hitting from the left side, which would enhance his value. He's a quick learner with excellent instincts who's willing to bunt and move runners along. Olmedo stole 17 bases this year at Dayton but still needs to refine his technique. More important, he must walk more and strike out less. He'll probably begin 2001 in Double-A with many of Cincinnati's other top prospects.

Minor League Top Prospects

Despite 40 errors in 129 games, Olmedo was considered the best defensive shortstop in the league. He also had the top infield arm and soft hands. "He makes dumb errors because he's young," Colbert said. Olmedo has been compared to Omar Vizquel, but he made Sparks think of the other half of Cleveland's double-play combination. "He reminds me a lot of Roberto Alomar, who I played with in '85," Sparks said. "He has the same build and the same approach, plus he's just learning how to switch-hit." Olmedo actually fared much better hitting lefthanded for the first time (.259) than he did from his natural right side (.159). He's a stolen-base threat, but that's his only offensive asset at this point. He doesn't hit for average or power, and his plate discipline is nonexistent.