Ryan Sweeney Stats & Scouting Report

AB	2118
AVG	.276
OBP	.333
SLG	.38
HR	23

Full name Ryan Joseph Sweeney
Born 02/20/1985 in Cedar Rapids, IA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Xavier
Debut 09/01/2006
Drafted in the 2nd round (52nd overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2003 (signed for $785,000).

View Draft Report

Sweeney has an opportunity to go in the latter part of the first round, but his lackluster performance at the Perfect Game predraft showcase may knock him down into the second. With a 6-foot-5, 200-pound build, high-80s fastball and promising curveball, he has plenty of pitching potential. But the consensus is that his future is as an outfielder. Besides his size, his bat, power potential and arm strength are all plus tools. He's comparable to Brewers minor league slugger Brad Nelson, a fourth-round pick out of an Iowa high school two years ago. Sweeney doesn't have quite as much juice in his bat and can get more pull-conscious, but he's more athletic and looks more fluid at the plate. He also can play right field, while Nelson is most likely a first baseman. Sweeney's best chance to become Iowa's first prep first-rounder may come from the Twins, who like big, strong Midwest players, or the Braves, who have two supplemental picks.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

After the White Sox traded slugger Chris Carter to the White Sox for Carlos Quentin, Sweeney once again became the top position player in the system. No. 1 on this list a year ago--in a split decision over Josh Fields--he has stalled. He has hit .213 in 80 big league at-bats and received a wakeup call when he was denied a promotion last September. Sweeney is a skilled fielder who has hit .289 in five minor league seasons, including three in the high minors. He came to the big leagues with a sweet swing and a willingness to hit the ball the other way and should be able to hit for a solid average when he gets regular playing time at the highest level. He has a plus arm and average speed, and he can play all three outfield positions. When Sweeney was in Double-A, manager Razor Shines projected he would develop 30-homer power, but he never has hit more than 13 in a season. Some believe he's the victim of overcoaching, having had his ability to hit line drives all over the park compromised by Chicago's overzealous attempts to help him hit for more power. He showed tremendous confidence as a teenager but appeared to beat himself up mentally last year. Sweeney had been projected to stick in the big leagues in 2007 and develop into a fixture in the Sox outfield by 2008, but he failed to seize the opportunity. Instead of trading Jermaine Dye, Chicago re-signed him and then dealt for Quentin. It's up to Sweeney to put himself back on the radar.
There's no doubt that Ryan Sweeney loves baseball. That's the only way you can grow up in Iowa and get this far, this fast as a baseball prospect. High school baseball isn't even played during the school year, making it tough for players to get scouted. But Sweeney starred on the showcase circuit, and the only thing teams wondered about was whether he was a better prospect as a lefthanded pitcher or as an outfielder. He had a chance to become the first Iowa high schooler ever drafted in the first round, but just missed. The White Sox selected him in the second round in 2003, signing him for $785,000. Chicago needed an extra outfielder in big league camp the following spring, and when he hit .367 he jumped on the fast track. He began his first full season at high Class A Winston-Salem as a 19-year-old. He consistently has been one of the youngest players in his leagues and made his major league debut in September, just three years removed from high school. Sweeney has an advanced approach at the plate for his age. He has a technically sound swing that has evoked comparisons to that of Harold Baines. He's willing to go with a pitch, giving him the ability to spray doubles from gap to gap. Getting pushed through the minors forced Sweeney to learn to make adjustments against pitchers with much more experience than he had. He totaled just eight homers in his first two full pro seasons--including just one longball in Double-A in 2005, when he played through a wrist injury--but his power started to blossom in 2006. An excellent athlete, Sweeney is a good baserunner but may not steal more than 5-10 bases a season. A right fielder for most of his career, he got a shot to play center in 2006. Sweeney quickly showed he has the instincts and ability to play anywhere in the outfield, and he covers ground well for a big man. The arm strength that once made him a coveted pitching prospect translates into a plus in the outfield. Sweeney still needs to develop his power if he's to hit 20-plus homers on an annual basis in the majors; 10 of his career-high 13 homers came at Triple-A Charlotte's cozy Knights Stadium. He didn't manage a single extra-base hit in 35 at-bats with the White Sox. He's still learning to pull the ball with loft on a consistent basis. Once he learns to stay back better on pitches, he should drive more balls because he won't be out on his front foot. While Sweeney makes good contact, he could stand to work more counts. Brian Anderson batted just .225 with eight homers as a rookie, and manager Ozzie Guillen said Chicago's center-field job will be open to competition in spring training. Sweeney went one round later than Anderson in the 2003 draft but has more potential at the plate. He's the White Sox' No. 3 hitter of the future. Sweeney fits better defensively on a corner, and he could wind up playing there for the Sox this year if Scott Podsednik is moved. He'll only be 22, so it won't be a disappointment if Sweeney returns for a second season at Charlotte.
Coming out of Iowa as a prepster, Sweeney wasn't the most likely candidate to jump on the fast track. But when the White Sox needed an extra outfielder in big league camp in 2004 and he responded by hitting .367, they skipped him a level. He spent 2005 in Double-A as a 20-year-old and played through a wrist injury all year, which helps explain his modest numbers. Sweeney is a smart hitter with a sweet swing. Longtime executive and scout Roland Hemond compares him to Harold Baines. Sweeney hits the ball hard to all fields and has the bat speed to handle plus fastballs. A pitching prospect in high school, he has a plus arm and his right-field play is solid. Despite his fast rise, Sweeney has room to improve as a hitter. The White Sox expect him to develop 15-20 home run power, but he has just 10 in three seasons. Though he controls the strike zone, he could stand to be more patient. Sweeney has been impressive in each of the last two major league spring camps and has moved quickly. It wouldn't hurt him to repeat Double- A and pound pitchers after two years facing constant adjustments.
The White Sox stole Sweeney in 2003's second round after a lackluster showcase performance on the eve of the draft hurt his stock. When injuries created a need for an outfielder in big league camp last spring, they summoned Sweeney--who responded by batting .367. Sox executive adviser Roland Hemond says he gets the same goosebumps watching Sweeney that he once did watching a young Harold Baines. Sweeney is athletic as well as a natural hitter with a textbook swing. He has few holes and uses the entire field. He has gap power and should add pop as he climbs toward Chicago. He also has a plus right-field arm. Some scouts in the high Class A Carolina League questioned Sweeney's bat speed. He opened the season slowly and made matters worse by pressing, causing concerns about his patience. He's still improving as a right fielder. Sweeney should advance to Double-A after holding his own as one of the youngest players in the Carolina League. He could get to Chicago quickly because manager Ozzie Guillen and hitting coach Greg Walker are absolutely in love with his potential.
Sweeney had a chance to become Iowa's first high school first-rounder, but a lackluster performance at a predraft showcase dropped him to the second round. Scouted as both a pitcher and hitter, he signed for $785,000. Because he had college basketball potential, the White Sox were able to spread his bonus over five years. Sweeney drew rave reviews in instructional league. He is a competitor in an ultra-athletic package. He's considered a pure hitter with gap power, in the mold of John Olerud. He has great plate coverage and surprisingly good plate discipline for such a raw talent. He has a plus arm, showing an 88-92 mph fastball and promising curveball last spring, and is suited for right field. Having put on 15 pounds of muscle, Sweeney looks like a power hitter but has yet to become one with a wood bat. He sometimes appears too pull-conscious. His fielding skills are raw. The consensus is that he has more offensive upside than 2003 first-rounder Brian Anderson. With his strong debut, Sweeney showed that he's ready for low Class A this year.

Minor League Top Prospects

One scout called Sweeney the most improved player he'd seen this year and he might be the White Sox' best all-around center-field candidate for 2007. He has been a fixture on the prospect map since a strong big league camp in 2004 at age 19, but his power hadn't emerged until this season, when he set personal bests in homers (13), doubles (25) and slugging percentage (.452). Sweeney has a beautiful lefthanded swing. He lines pitches all over the park, but in the second half he started to pull the ball with loft and hit eight homers in the final two months. As he achieves better balance at the plate and learns to stay back, scouts expect him to develop more pull power because he won't be out on his front foot. Though his range is just average, his arm is a plus and he can play anywhere in the outfield. He makes good use of his average speed tracking balls in the outfield, getting down the line and scoring from first on doubles.
Sweeney, like Anderson, jumped from the Rookie-level Pioneer League to high Class A to start the season. Anderson moved up to Double-A during the season, but unlike Anderson, Sweeney is still a teenager. And as a 19-year-old among older, more experienced players, Sweeney held his own. Considered a second-round steal out of an Iowa high school last year, Sweeney's season was not without its struggles. Still, some scouts who saw both players said they preferred Sweeney. "He hasn't shown great bat speed--more slider bat speed to me, but that should change with more at-bats," one AL scout said. "It could be a comfort thing. You get offspeeded to death in this league--especially guys like him. But if you know he can't get around on the fastball, it makes it easier to set him up."