Neftali Soto Stats & Scouting Report

AB	42
AVG	.071
OBP	.091
SLG	.095
HR	0

Full name Neftali O. Soto
Born 02/28/1989 in Manati, Puerto Rico
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Colegio Marista
Debut 05/18/2013
Drafted in the 3rd round (109th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2007 (signed for $279,000).

View Draft Report

Of Puerto Rico's three most established prospects, Soto has the best present hitting ability, showing more power than Reynoldo Navarro and making better contact than Angel Morales. Unlike those two, Soto isn't expected to stay in the middle of the diamond. He's an adequate defender with solid-average arm strength who has improved his lateral quickness and running since last fall, but ultimately Soto's bat is going to have to carry him. He has a rudimentary feel for the strike zone, with a willingness to work counts. He has a whippy swing with plus bat speed, though his swing gets long at times. Balls jump off his barrel, and if he can continue to make adjustments he might develop into a heart-of-the-order slugger with lots of doubles and 25 home runs a year.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Part of the 2007 Reds draft class that produced Devin Mesoraco, Todd Frazier and Zack Cozart, Soto has had a much slower climb to the big leagues, and he took a step back in 2012. Drafted as a shortstop, he has moved from third base to catcher to first base as a pro, slowing his progress. He's entrenched as a first baseman now, which is bad news when you play in an system where Joey Votto is signed through 2023. After hitting 31 homers in 2011, Soto regressed significantly, getting too pull-happy and dealing with a midseason stint on the disabled list with a back injury, which hurt his chances to get out of his slump. Soto doesn't need to sell out to hit the ball over the fence, as his above-average raw power gives him the ability to hit the ball out to all fields. Power is his calling card, as he's a below-average hitter overall, a well below-average runner and an average defender at first base. Soto is unlikely to get a full-time big league shot until the Reds either trade him or drop him from their 40-man roster and someone else claims him, so he'll head back to Triple-A and try to improve his performance.
When the Reds drafted Soto in the third round in 2007, he was considered a polished hitter who might not be able to stick at shortstop. Five seasons later, Soto has bounced from shortstop to third base to catcher and finally to first base. His bat has risen to the occasion, as he tied Paul Goldschmidt for the Double-A Southern League lead with 31 homers in 2001 despite missing a month with a broken bone in his left wrist. His plus power started translating into production once he became less pull-happy. He hit 11 homers in 2009, with nine to left field and none to right. Last year, 10 of his 31 blasts were opposite-field shots. Soto's approach is still undisciplined, as he rarely takes ball four, and some scouts question his ability to handle quality inside fastballs. His value lies mainly in his bat, as he's a well below-average runner and an average-at-best defender. He has a strong arm, though it doesn't get much use at first base. With Joey Votto and Yonder Alonso ahead of him, Soto looks like trade bait. Added to the 40-man roster in November, he's ready for Triple-A.
It has taken him several position swaps, but Soto finally found a home on defense. Unfortunately for him, that position will also make it harder for him to reach the big leagues with Cincinnati. Drafted as a shortstop, Soto moved to third base in his first full pro season. Because of his lack of range and strong arm, the Reds tried him as a catcher in 2010. He didn't stay there long, partly because the Reds now have Devin Mesoraco and Yasmani Grandal, and he ended up moving to first base during the 2010 season. Soto showed potential behind the plate, and he has the hands to be a solid first baseman, though his best defensive attribute, a plus arm, is wasted at first. Offensively, Soto has some of the best power in the organization, especially when he gets to extend his arms. His swing is relatively uncomplicated and easy to maintain, but it's also a long stroke, and scouts have concerns that he'll struggle to catch up with good fastballs. He's a below-average runner who figures to get slower as he matures. After two years in high Class A, Soto will head to Carolina in 2011.
One of the Reds' most promising hitting stars in his first two pro seasons, when he batted .327/.360/.522, Soto experienced his first taste of failure in 2009. He saw his strikeout rate jump, his power production plunge and his defense suffer at high Class A Sarasota. Soto possesses excellent hand-eye coordination and plus power potential, but his swing isn't particularly fluid and Florida State League pitchers took advantage of his tendency to chase pitches out of the zone. Soto was a high school shortstop but has thickened up since signing. He was never fast and is now a well below-average runner who has lost some first-step quickness at third base. He has the arm for the hot corner, but his actions and range are below average for the position. Cincinnati tried Soto at catcher in instructional league and he showed a receptiveness to make the move and picked up some of the essentials quickly. He would profile better behind the plate, though the Reds haven't decided whether he'll move there in 2010. Soto likely will return to high Class A, this time at Cincinnati's new Lynchburg affiliate, to open the season.
Soto was supposed to spend 2008, his first full pro season, at Rookie-level Billings. But when Dayton third baseman Brandon Waring fractured his thumb in early July, Soto moved up to low Class A and never left. His .500 slugging percentage would have ranked second in the Midwest League if he had enough at-bats to qualify. Soto broke Juan Gonzalez's youth home run records in Puerto Rico. His raw strength and bat speed give him 60-65 power on the 20- 80 scouting scale. Though he has a long, vicious swing, he has hit for average and made contact thanks to his excellent hand-eye coordination. He has a strong arm at third base. Soto's speed is well-below-average and his athleticism isn't much better. He moved from shortstop to third base last year, and he may need a less challenging position in the future. He struggles to charge bunts and slow rollers, his range is limited, his footwork is rough and his throws sometimes lack accuracy. He has a solid gameplan at the plate but needs to show he can take a walk when pitchers work around him. Soto was held back in Billings because of the Reds' logjam at third base, which also could mean that he starts 2009 back in low Class A. His bat is ready for a bigger challenge, but Cincinnati wants to keep him at the hot corner as long as possible.
Soto broke Juan Gonzalez' youth home run record in Puerto Rico, and he showed off his power potential during his pro debut. Scouts considered his bat relatively polished for a Puerto Rican high schooler, and he showed that by displaying the ability to work counts to go along with excellent hand-eye coordination. He has above-average bat speed to go with a smooth stroke and should develop into a 25-30 homer threat as he fills out and matures. Soto will stick at shortstop until he proves he can't play the position, but it's hard to find anyone who believes he won't have to move. He's an average runner at best, and as he matures, he'll likely outgrow the position. His average arm might be enough to allow him to slide over to third base, but if not, his bat has enough potential to allow him to be a corner outfielder. In that way, he's much like Reds first-rounder Todd Frazier. Soto may be able to handle a jump to low Class A this season.

Minor League Top Prospects

Soto, who broke Juan Gonzalez's home run records at Colegia Marista High School in Puerto Rico, ended his first full season batting third for Dayton in the MWL playoffs. He has considerable bat speed power, and he broke his bat on a sinker this summer and still drove the ball to the wall. He's also a polished hitter for a teenager, showing a quiet setup and good balance at the plate. He's aggressive, so he doesn't draw a lot of walks, though Soto regularly puts the barrel of the bat on the ball. His well below-average speed doomed him as a shortstop, so he moved to third base this year. He has enough arm for the hot corner, but his range is just adequate.
Soto broke Juan Gonzalez's youth home run record in Puerto Rico, hinting at the raw power potential he possesses. Slowed by minor elbow inflammation in August, he was shut down early and missed the last two weeks of the season. Soto hits for gap power now to all fields with a smooth, easily repeatable stroke. He has advanced plate discipline for his age, though he struggles with breaking balls at times. He tends to tuck his front shoulder in, which doesn't allow him to take advantage of his load on a consistent basis He's a fringe-average runner who likely will have to move off of shortstop. Arm strength isn't a question, but he lacks first-step explosion and range. He might be better suited for second base or left field, especially if he makes adjustments offensively and taps into his power.