Kelvin Gutierrez Stats & Scouting Report

AB	321
AVG	.333
OBP	.408
SLG	.495
HR	11

Full name Kelvin Manuel Gutiérrez
Born 08/28/1994 in San Francisco De Macoris, Dominican Republic
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Debut 04/27/2019

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

TRACK RECORD: Gutierrez made it to the big leagues in his age-25 season, getting into 20 games just over a year after being acquired from the Nationals as part of the deal for Kelvin Herrera. He spent the rest of the year at Triple-A Omaha for 75 games before a fractured toe ended his season early.

SCOUTING REPORT: If he could hit a little better, Gutierrez would be easy to pencil in as the Royals' third baseman of the future. He's often graded as a plus defender at the hot corner, with good hands and a plus-plus arm. At the plate he's a free swinger who struggles to cover the outer half of the plate and is susceptible to spin away. He has raw power but sells out for it.

THE FUTURE: Gutierrez will get a chance at regular playing time during spring training, with the hope that he'll start tapping into the power needed for a corner-infield position.
Track Record: The best-known of the three prospects acquired from the Nationals for Kelvin Herrera in June 2018, Gutierrez played all of 2018 in Double-A after seeing time in the Arizona Fall League the year before. His results at the plate with the two teams were practically identical, combining for a .275/.329/.400 slash line and a career-high 11 home runs.

Scouting Report: Gutierrez has consistently shown the defensive skills to play third base at the big league level, but he's yet to prove he has the power needed for the position. He has a relatively simple inside-out, line-drive swing with quick hands at the plate, routinely producing hard contact to all fields. The Royals' hitting coaches had him adjust his swing to reduce the length, allowing him to get to pitches sooner. There's quickness in Gutierrez's bat, with power to right-center field and the ability to barrel good velocity. Defensively, Gutierrez is an above-average defender thanks to soft hands and good first-step quickness. His arm grades as plus-plus. He got a few games at shortstop this year just as a look to increase his versatility. Gutierrez has fringe-average speed but used his instincts to steal 20 bases in 24 attempts.

The Future: Gutierrez will move to Triple-A. If the power emerges, he could be a regular, but otherwise, there are few big league roster spots for backup third basemen.
Gutierrez's first complete year of full-season ball didn't materialize in 2017 because the 23-year-old missed parts of June and August and the entire month of July with an ankle injury. Despite the highest strikeout rate of his career in the high Class A Carolina League, Gutierrez acquitted himself well offensively through 58 games with Potomac, where his quick hands played at the plate with a smooth, line-drive swing. More of a contact hitter, Gutierrez was beginning to leverage the ball more regularly before hitting the disabled list. With a 6-foot-3 frame, he has a chance to add in-game power. Gutierrez's strength continues to be his aptitude for the defensive side of the game, where his quick hands and plus arm are his best tools. He has arguably the best arm in Washington's system, and some evaluators said it was the best in the Carolina League. Despite his size, Gutierrez has smooth footwork and a quick first step that leads to solid range laterally and the ability to make plays on slow rollers in front of him. Gutierrez will likely start 2018 in Potomac again and hope for good health.
Signed for $30,000 in 2013 as a shortstop, Gutierrez has since outgrown the position but impressed evaluators as he's moved to third base and improved offensively. He advanced to full-season ball for the first time in 2016, spending most of the year with low Class A Hagerstown before being promoted to high Class A Potomac for a playoff push. Gutierrez has a short, balanced swing and makes consistent contact, resulting in a .288 batting average so far in his young career. His power mostly manifests itself as doubles pop, but as he physically matures he should start driving the ball over the fence more often and could develop average power. He also became a threat on the bases for the first time in 2016, swiping 25 bags in 34 tries as an average runner. Gutierrez has adjusted well defensively to the hot corner. He has plus arm strength and has the hands and range to make highlight-reel plays. He is prone to making errors, but as he matures and continues to learn his new position, he can be an above-average defender. Gutierrez earns praise for his makeup and baseball IQ and is set to return to Potomac in 2017.

Best Tools List

Rated Best Infield Arm in the Kansas City Royals in 2020
Rated Best Infield Arm in the Kansas City Royals in 2019
Rated Best Infield Arm in the Washington Nationals in 2018

Scouting Reports

TRACK RECORD: Gutierrez made it to the big leagues in his age-25 season, getting into 20 games just over a year after being acquired from the Nationals as part of the deal for Kelvin Herrera. He spent the rest of the year at Triple-A Omaha for 75 games before a fractured toe ended his season early.

SCOUTING REPORT: If he could hit a little better, Gutierrez would be easy to pencil in as the Royals’ third baseman of the future. He’s often graded as a plus defender at the hot corner, with good hands and a plus-plus arm. At the plate he’s a free swinger who struggles to cover the outer half of the plate and is susceptible to spin away. He has raw power but sells out for it.

THE FUTURE: Gutierrez will get a chance at regular playing time during spring training, with the hope that he’ll start tapping into the power needed for a corner-infield position.
TRACK RECORD: Gutierrez made it to the big leagues in his age-25 season, getting into 20 games just over a year after being acquired from the Nationals as part of the deal for Kelvin Herrera. He spent the rest of the year at Triple-A Omaha for 75 games before a fractured toe ended his season early.

SCOUTING REPORT: If he could hit a little better, Gutierrez would be easy to pencil in as the Royals' third baseman of the future. He's often graded as a plus defender at the hot corner, with good hands and a plus-plus arm. At the plate he's a free swinger who struggles to cover the outer half of the plate and is susceptible to spin away. He has raw power but sells out for it.

THE FUTURE: Gutierrez will get a chance at regular playing time during spring training, with the hope that he'll start tapping into the power needed for a corner-infield position.