Addison Russell

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #2 prospect in 2015
  The 12th overall pick in 2012, Russell signed for $2.625 million and became the Athletics' top prospect. He was teammates in the Arizona Fall League in 2013 with Cubs prospects Albert Almora, Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler. His 2014 season got off to a slow start; he injured his hamstring on Opening Day and missed two months. When he returned, Russell was the key return for the Cubs when they traded Jeff Samardzija to the Athletics. He combines above-average athleticism with extremely quick hands and impressive strength to produce both plus hitting ability and power. He's nearly impossible to beat with a fastball when he's looking for it and stays back on offspeed stuff, trusting his fast hands and making plenty of highimpact contact. Defensively, Russell has the range and improved footwork to stay at shortstop. He has an average arm with a slight hitch in his throwing motion, but it's accurate and he has a good internal clock, so most scouts believe he can be an average defender. He's played some second base as well. He's an above-average runner but not a burner. Russell's bat will play anywhere. Chicago shortstop Starlin Castro will play as a 25-year-old in 2015, so Russell should open the season at Triple-A Iowa.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #1 prospect in 2014
  A prominent amateur player, Russell was one of just two underclassmen to play in the 2010 Under Armour All-America Game. Athletics scouts were impressed at how he stood out playing with USA Baseball's 18U team, where he hit a grand slam in the gold-medal win against Canada in the 2011 Pan Am Championship in Colombia. In 2012, Oakland made him its first first-round pick out of high school since Jeremy Bonderman in 2001. The 11th overall pick, Russell signed for $2.625 million. After tearing up three levels in his pro debut in 2012, he earned an invitation to big league spring training in 2013, even though it wasn't stipulated in his contract. The A's gave him an aggressive assignment to high Class A Stockton, where he was the youngest player on a California League Opening Day roster by six months. Russell took some time to catch up with the speed of the league but responded to hit .305/.424/.555 in the second half, followed by a solid .282/.361/.435 showing in the Arizona Fall League. One of the game's premier shortstop prospects, Russell can do everything on the field while showing polish beyond his years. His swing hasn't required much tinkering since he entered pro ball, as he generates explosive bat speed and has the bat-to-ball skills to make consistent contact. During Russell's time in big league camp, A's manager Bob Melvin noted the quality of the shortstop's at-bats. He uses the whole field and stays inside the ball well. He already had a mature approach, but he chased fewer pitches and controlled the strike zone even better as the 2013 season went along. His 61 walks were the second most of any Stockton player, and he drew 34 free passes over 52 games in the second half. Russell has plenty of power for a shortstop, though he'll rate closer to average overall as he projects to continue producing 15-20 homers a season after clubbing 17 in 2013. Russell tried bulking up in high school to become more of a power hitter, but the extra muscle mass did little more than relegate him to third base with Team USA. As a result, he refocused his efforts on ensuring he could stay at shortstop, and few question his defensive future now. Russell has solid fundamentals and takes good angles to balls. His lower half works well, and he has the range and athleticism to make plenty of highlight-quality plays. He doesn't have a cannon for an arm, but it's strong enough for the position and plays up thanks to his quick transfer and accuracy. He runs well and steals bases efficiently. The question isn't if Russell will become the A's everyday shortstop, but when. Jed Lowrie and Nick Punto will hold down the position in 2014, but neither should stand in Russell's way when he's ready. Slated to open 2014 at Double-A Midland, he should debut in Oakland at some point in 2014 and be the regular shortstop in 2015.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #1 prospect in 2013
  Before Russell became the Athletics' 2012 first-round pick and top prospect, he had to transform himself. The starting shortstop for Pace (Fla.) High since he was a freshman, he bulked up to add power but scouts started comparing him to Juan Uribe. Getting moved from short to third base while playing for Team USA's 18-and-under team in the summer of 2011 lit a fire under him to shed the extra weight, and he dropped nearly 30 pounds between then and the spring of 2012. Along the way, Russell earned back the shortstop job with Team USA and caught Oakland's attention at the 18-and-under Pan Am Championship in Colombia in November 2011. He belted a grand slam in the gold medal game and hit .364/.481/.614 for the tournament. Despite a solid but somewhat modest high school senior season, Russell went 11th overall in the 2012 draft and gave up an Auburn commitment for a bonus of $2.625 million. He excelled in his pro debut, batting .415 in the Rookie-level Arizona League and getting all the way to low Class A Burlington by the end of the summer. When scouts describe Russell, the adjectives that come up the most are "aggressive" and "explosive." He combines quick hands with tremendous barrel accuracy, enabling him to make consistent hard contact. He hits line drives all over the field with projectable power. It's more like sneaky power right now, though one club official compares Russell's home run upside to that of Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond, who went deep 25 times in 2012. Russell goes to the plate looking to attack the ball. He's vulnerable to chasing breaking pitches away from him, like most young hitters, but his hand-eye coordination and swing should allow him to hit for high averages as he learns to lay off those pitches. Once a kid with a softer body, he now has a leaner, stronger frame and above-average speed. From home to first base, some scouts have graded him as a 70 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale. As aggressive on the bases as he is at the plate, he stole 16 bases in 18 tries in his pro debut. Once he learns the nuances of basestealing, he could develop into a threat to swipe 20-30 bags annually in the major leagues. Russell has eliminated questions about whether he can stay at shortstop. He's a quality athlete with good range, particularly to his left. His actions could stand to be a little cleaner, but he's already a reliable defender who made just 10 errors in his first 48 pro games last summer. He has solid arm strength and a quick release. In addition to all of his physical tools, the A's also love Russell's makeup. He's focused and driven to succeed. Russell has the makings of a big-time shortstop who can affect a game in multiple ways with his power, speed and defense. The A's believe he could advance through the system quickly after seeing how well he handled two promotions in his pro debut, though he'll still likely be ticketed for Oakland's new low Class A Beloit affiliate to start the 2013 season, where he should be joined by fellow premium high school picks Daniel Robertson and Matt Olson. He may only need a couple of years in the minors and could be the franchise's best shortstop since former American League MVP Miguel Tejada.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #28 prospect in 2012 draft
  Russell earned Juan Uribe comparisons last summer for his thick body, arm strength and power potential, as well as his profile as a player who will stick on the left side of the infield. Those comparisons no longer work physically, though, as he has lost at least 20 pounds and shaped up his physique considerably. Some scouts still think he will have to move to third, but most consider him a shortstop with soft hands, improved footwork and an above-average arm. Russell has bat speed and raw power, hindered by inconsistent swing mechanics. He's a tinkerer with his set-up and stance, and his swing can get long and loopy, leading to seven homers this spring but also a fairly modest .368 average. At other times, though, Russell will get locked in, wait on good breaking balls and make consistent, hard contact. Teams that have seen him on the right day as a shortstop with juice may buy the Boras Corp. client out of his Auburn scholarship.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Southern League #2 prospect in 2014
  The Athletics drafted Russell 11th overall out of high school in 2012 and fast-tracked him to high Class A the following year, then to Double-A in 2014. He finished the season as a member of the Cubs organization after Oakland used him as lure to acquire Jeff Samardzija in a July 4 trade. Scouts regard Russell as a safe bet to stick at shortstop despite just average speed because he's agile, sure-handed and owns an accurate, solid-average arm most notable for its quick release. Russell hit for more power than ever after joining Tennessee in July, punishing inside fastballs for power and sitting on breaking balls away and driving them to right field with a short, compact stroke. He makes steady contact and will hit for average in the majors, though it's his plus power and solid glove at shortstop that will make him a star.
• 
  Ranked California League #1 prospect in 2013
  The Athletics challenged Russell, the 11th overall pick in 2012, with an assignment to Stockton for his first full year. The youngest player on a Cal League Opening Day roster, he took some time to adjust to the level before hitting .305/.424/.555 in the second half with the league?s fourth-highest OPS at .979. Russell wowed Cal League observers with his all-around tools. He?s a complete package, hitting with a balanced swing that generates plenty of bat speed. The ball jumps off his bat?even on pitches he mis-hits?and he has surprising power for his size, projecting for 15-20 homers a season and possibly more. When he?s not hitting balls over the fence, Russell produces plenty of line drives that should help him rack up doubles. ?He?s in a league by himself,? a scout with a National League club said. ?You?re talking about a 19-year-old kid, that he?s a game-changer. He?s a five-tool guy.? Some scouts worried about Russell?s arm action on throws, as he had a tendency to sling the ball, but he has the tools to stick as a major league shortstop. His speed and pure arm strength both grade above-average, while his range and athleticism led to some eye-opening plays.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #1 prospect in 2012
  Signed for $2.625 million as the 11th overall pick in June, Russell is an explosive player, both offensively and defensively. He offers a promising combination of power and speed as well as the range to play shortstop at the major league level. Russell batted .415/.488/.717 during his 26-game AZL stint and continued to hit after promotions to short-season Vermont (.895 OPS) and low Class A Burlington (.817). His quick hands generate above-average bat speed, causing the ball to jump off his bat. He needs to clean up his swing mechanics but he still finds a way to regularly barrel up the ball. Scouting reports from earlier in his high school career indicated Russell likely would need to move off shortstop because he has a thick body, but he lost 20 pounds as a senior and is capable of staying there. In addition to his good range at shortstop, he also has an above-average arm. A plus runner, he stole 16 bases in 18 attempts across three levels.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #3 prospect in 2015
• Ranked Baseball America's #14 prospect in 2014
• Ranked Baseball America's #48 prospect in 2013

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Before Russell became the Athletics' 2012 first-round pick and top prospect, he had to transform himself. The starting shortstop for Pace (Fla.) High since he was a freshman, he bulked up to add power but scouts started comparing him to Juan Uribe. Getting moved from short to third base while playing for Team USA's 18-and-under team in the summer of 2011 lit a fire under him to shed the extra weight, and he dropped nearly 30 pounds between then and the spring of 2012. Along the way, Russell earned back the shortstop job with Team USA and caught Oakland's attention at the 18-and-under Pan Am Championship in Colombia in November 2011. He belted a grand slam in the gold medal game and hit .364/.481/.614 for the tournament. Despite a solid but somewhat modest high school senior season, Russell went 11th overall in the 2012 draft and gave up an Auburn commitment for a bonus of $2.625 million. He excelled in his pro debut, batting .415 in the Rookie-level Arizona League and getting all the way to low Class A Burlington. Scouting Report: When scouts describe Russell, the adjectives that come up the most are "aggressive"and "explosive."He combines quick hands with tremendous barrel accuracy, enabling him to make consistent hard contact. He hits line drives all over the field with projectable power. It's more like sneaky power right now, though one club official compares Russell's home run upside to that of Ian Desmond, who went deep 25 times in 2012. Russell goes to the plate looking to attack the ball. He's vulnerable to chasing breaking pitches away from him, like most young hitters, but his hand-eye coordination and swing should allow him to hit for high averages as he learns to lay off those pitches. Once a kid with a softer body, he now has a leaner, stronger frame and above-average speed. From home to first, some scouts have graded him as a 70 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale. As aggressive on the bases as he is at the plate, he stole 16 bases in 18 tries in his pro debut. Once he learns the nuances of basestealing, he could be a threat to swipe 20-30 bags annually in the major leagues. Russell has eliminated questions about whether he can stay at shortstop. He's a quality athlete with good range, particularly to his left. His actions could stand to be a little cleaner, but he's already a reliable defender who made just 10 errors in his first 48 pro games. He has solid arm strength and a quick release. In addition to all of his physical tools, the A's also love Russell's makeup. He's very focused and driven to succeed. The Future: Russell has the makings of a big-time shortstop who can impact a game with his power, speed and defense. The A's believe he could advance quickly after seeing how well he handled two promotions in his pro debut, though he'll still likely be ticketed for Oakland's new low Class A Beloit affiliate to start the 2013 season. He may only need a couple of years in the minors and could be the franchise's best shortstop since former American League MVP Miguel Tejada.