Josh Vitters

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #25 prospect in 2013
  Vitters made his major league debut last August at age 22, but the Cubs expected more after drafting him third overall in 2007 and signing him for $3.2 million. He never has destroyed minor league pitching and was overmatched by big leaguers in a September callup. Chicago's third-base job was wide open but he failed to seize it, and the club re-signed veteran Ian Stewart in the offseason. Vitters still possesses the strength, bat speed, short stroke and feel for the barrel that made him an elite draft pick. There still are scouts inside and outside the organization who feel comfortable projecting him as a .275 hitter with 20 homers annually. Others think that he gets himself out too often because he's not selective enough--his 30 walks in 2012 represented a career high--and because he brings little intensity to the ballpark. He could be best suited for platoon duty because he destroys lefthanders, hitting .331/.377/.625 against them in Triple-A last year. Vitters doesn't help his cause with his defense at third base, which remains adequate at best. He has the arm strength for the hot corner but struggled with his throws in the majors, and his speed and range are below average. Vitters has a track record of performing much better in his second stint at a level, so maybe he'll handle big league pitching the next time he gets the chance. When the new Cubs regime will give him that opportunity remains to be seen.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #9 prospect in 2012
  The third overall choice in the 2007 draft, Vitters hasn't developed as quickly as hoped since signing for $3.2 million. Nevertheless, he reached Double-A at age 20 and had a solid season when he repeated the level in 2011. He batted .360 in the Arizona Fall League and joined the 40-man roster afterward. Some scouts think he has Jeff Conine potential at the plate, while others question whether he can be a quality big league regular. Vitters still shows the short stroke, bat speed, strength and ability to barrel the ball that made him the No. 3 pick. He recognizes pitches well, makes consistent contact and uses the whole field. However, he has yet to develop the patience to draw walks and lay off pitches he can't punish. His 22 walks in 2011 represented a career high. Vitters has shed a reputation for being laid-back and has worked hard to improve his defense. He has a solid arm but fringy quickness, speed and range. He topped Double-A Southern League third basemen with 21 errors in just 100 games. He also saw time at first base during the season and in the outfield in the Arizona Fall League. He still could be Chicago's third baseman of the near future, but so could Javier Baez or Junior Lake. The Cubs don't have an obvious starter for 2012, which Vitters will begin in Triple-A.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #5 prospect in 2011
  The No. 3 overall pick in the 2007 draft and recipient of a $3.2 million bonus, Vitters reached Double-A before he turned 21 but doesn't get a universal seal of approval from scouts. He hit .361 in his first 11 games at Tennessee last May, then just .194 in the next two months before a pitch broke his left hand in late July. He returned in the Arizona Fall League, where he continued to generate mixed opinions. In Chicago's view, Vitters has the compact stroke, bat speed, strength and hand-eye coordination to hit .280 with 25 homers a season. Club officials believe he's realizing he has to stop trying to pull everything and avoid putting tough pitches in play, though scouts outside the organization think his lack of patience will undermine his potential. He has worked hard on his quickness and body control, improving his speed and range to close to average. His detractors, however, wonder whether he has enough athleticism for the hot corner. His above-average arm is not in question. The Cubs noted a greater sense of urgency in Vitters this offseason and think he's poised to break out at Tennessee in 2011. They hoped he'd be ready in time for them to decline Aramis Ramirez's $16 million contract action for 2012, but that might be pushing it.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #3 prospect in 2010
  The No. 3 overall pick in the 2007 draft, Vitters signed for $3.2 million. Managers rated him the best hitting and power prospect in the Midwest League last summer, when he arrived in low Class A a year behind schedule after developing tendinitis in his left hand in 2008. He struggled when promoted to high Class A at age 19. Vitters has a compact stroke for a power hitter, using his exceptional hand-eye coordination to easily put the fat part of the barrel on balls. He's a potential .300 hitter who could have 25-30 homers a year. He has the hands and arm strength to play third base, and he has improved his agility and footwork since signing. Vitters makes contact almost too easily, as he rarely walks and gives away at-bats by putting balls in play that he should let go by. Though he has gotten better defensively, there's still concern that he doesn't have the quick first step and range to play third base. He's a below-average runner. The game comes so easily to him that some question how diligent he is about addressing his shortcomings. By pounding Arizona Fall League pitching, Vitters made a case for opening 2010 in Double-A. He's on course to hit the majors by the end of 2011.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #1 prospect in 2009
  Vitters starred on the showcase circuit in the summer of 2006, and his strong performance as a high school senior the following spring ensured that he'd go near the top of the first round. Picking third overall, the Cubs went to bed the night before the draft thinking the Royals would take him at No. 2, which would have left Chicago with righthander Jarrod Parker. But when Kansas City decided slugger Mike Moustakas wouldn't be too expensive, that left Vitters for the Cubs. Signed for $3.2 million minutes before the Aug. 15 deadline, Vitters needed time to start raking again. He was rusty at the end of the 2007 season and developed tendinitis in his left hand during minor league camp last spring. He missed the first two weeks of the season, then reinjured his hand while hitting three doubles in his first game at low Class A Peoria. He tried to play through the pain and went 0-for-10 in three games before Chicago shut him down for two months. Vitters went to short-season Boise when he was healthy. The Northwest League's youngest regular, he ranked as its No. 1 prospect, led the circuit with 25 doubles and fashioned a 26-game hitting streak. Vitters' brother Christian is an infielder in the Athletics system. Though he has just 14 at-bats in full-season ball, Vitters is unquestionably the top position prospect in the system. With his exceptional bat speed, hand-eye coordination and ability to put the barrel on the ball, the only real question is whether he'll be more productive hitting for average than power. Using one of the smoothest righthanded strokes you'll ever see, he'll offer plenty of both. He made strides in terms of adding strength and using the whole field in 2008. The Cubs knew Vitters would hit, but they're also excited by the progress he has made at third base. He won't be a Gold Glover, but they're confident he can become an average defender. Infield instructor Bobby Dickerson improved Vitters' agility and footwork through drills, and he showed the ability to make throws from a variety of angles. He has the soft hands and strong arm for the position. His makeup is an asset, as he's extremely coachable and fits in well with teammates. Once he physically matures, Vitters' fringy speed will become below-average. He's not a finished product at third base, though he has plenty of time to develop and will put in the work needed to improve. He's so geared up to make hard contact that he hasn't drawn many walks, and it may border on heresy to ask him to tone down his approach. He's still growing into his home run power, but his 28 doubles in 65 games last year are a strong indicator that he will. Vitters got in additional work by attending the Cubs' Arizona and Dominican instructional league programs. He probably could handle an assignment to high Class A Daytona, but he may first spend a couple of months in Peoria. He could develop rapidly and push for a spot in the middle of the big league lineup by late 2010.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #1 prospect in 2008
  Vitters cemented his status as a first-rounder in the summer before his senior year. After failing to make the U.S. junior national team, he lit up the showcase circuit instead. He won MVP honors at the Cape Cod Classic, ranked as the top prospect at the Area Code Games and smacked three doubles at the Aflac Classic, all in the span of two weeks. Vitters didn't disappoint last spring, either, hitting .390 with nine homers in 24 games despite a bout with pneumonia, and earning first-team All-America honors. The only question was how high he'd go in the 2007 draft. Both the Cubs (picking third) and Pirates (fourth) coveted him, but the Royals seemed set on taking him at No. 2 the night before the draft. Then Kansas City took California prep infielder Mike Moustakas, allowing Vitters to fall to Chicago. He became the highest draft pick in Cypress (Calif.) High history, going five spots higher than Scott Moore (a former Cubs farmhand) did to the Tigers five years earlier. Vitters held out all summer before officially signing minutes before the Aug. 15 deadline expired, landing a $3.2 million bonus. Rusty after his long layoff, he went just 6-for-51 (.118), but that didn't diminish the Cubs' enthusiasm about him. His brother Christian is an infielder in the Athletics system. You can debate which tool is more impressive, Vitters' hitting ability or his power, but the consensus is that his future potential grades as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale in both categories. He's the rare righthanded hitter whose swing is described as pretty, and his bat speed and feel for putting the barrel on the ball are also uncommon. He can crush the ball to all fields and hammers fastballs and offspeed pitches alike. Defense doesn't come as easily to Vitters, but he has plenty of arm strength and reliable hands, so he should become an average third baseman. His work ethic will drive him to put in the time he needs at the hot corner. The Cubs also love his makeup, and he fit in well with teammates at his two minor league stops and in instructional league. Vitters made five errors in nine pro games at third base, and his biggest defensive shortcomings are his agility and his ability to read hops. He addressed both areas in instructional league, doing a lot of jump-rope work to quicken his lower half and taking hundreds of ground balls. Chicago writes off his lackluster debut to being more gung-ho than prepared after three months without game action. He got a little pull-conscious, but his stroke looked as sound as ever. Once he fills out, he'll be a below-average runner, though he shouldn't be a liability on the bases. Aramis Ramirez is signed through 2011, which could create a dilemma because Vitters' bat should be ready for the majors well before then. But the presence of Ramirez and the depth of third basemen in the system also will make it easy for the Cubs to let Vitters develop at his own pace. He'll begin his first full pro season at low Class A Peoria.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Florida State League #14 prospect in 2009
  No player on this list was tougher to evaluate than Vitters. Promoted to Daytona at the end of June after an excellent start to the season in low Class A, he struggled at the plate and missed two weeks with a hand injury. He also showed a lack of urgency, seeming to cruise through games in one gear, though he seems to be a hard worker who doesn't shy away from spending time in the batting cage. "Wherever you rank him will be too high and too low," said one scout, explaining that Vitters is a high-ceiling prospect but one with a high risk of not reaching his ceiling. Vitters isn't very selective at the plate, but he has excellent hand-eye coordination and above-average bat speed. While he batted just .238/.260/.344 at Daytona, he did show he could turn on quality fastballs. One of his three homers came on a 93-mph heater. At third base, Vitters shows a strong arm but there are concerns that he doesn't have the range to stick there long term. He has below-average speed.
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  Ranked Midwest League #3 prospect in 2009
  Vitters opened 2008 at Peoria but played in just four games before a hand injury shut him down. In his return to the MWL this year, managers rated him as the league's best hitting prospect and the best power prospect. "He's a special player," Cedar Rapids manager Bill Mosiello said. "He physically reminds me of a righhanded Chase Utley. He's stronger than he looks." Vitters excels at the plate more through a short, powerful stroke and hand-eye coordination than pure bat speed. He makes consistent hard contact but gives away at-bats by swinging at too many pitches, a weakness opponents exploited more after his promotion to high Class A at the end of June. He may hit for power and average but never draw many walks. He's also a below-average runner. His defensive ability is of greater concern. Vitters has good hands and enough arm for third base, but he lacks a quick first step and range. He's a laid-back kid, and MWL observers would have liked to see him be more aggressive about addressing his plate discipline and his defense.
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  Ranked Northwest League #1 prospect in 2008
  The third overall pick in 2007, Vitters was the highest-profile player in the NWL this season. He started 2008 in low Class A but developed tendinitis in his left hand and was assigned to Boise after recuperating in extended spring training. Vitters tied a NWL record with a 26-game hitting streak and led the league with 25 doubles. Vitters has an easy swing and plenty of bat speed, which produce above-average power. Unlike many young hitters, he hangs in well on breaking balls. He showed improvement at third base and should become an average defender with a strong arm. "He's a good-looking player," Salem-Keizer manager Tom Trebelhorn said. "He's a prototypical third baseman. At 21, you'll have a real man. He has good bat accuracy and doesn't panic."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #70 prospect in 2010
• Ranked Baseball America's #51 prospect in 2009
• Ranked Baseball America's #43 prospect in 2008

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The third overall choice in the 2007 draft, Vitters hasn't developed as quickly as hoped since signing for $3.2 million. Nevertheless, he reached Double-A at age 20 and had a solid season when he repeated the level in 2011. Some scouts think he has Jeff Conine potential at the plate, while others question whether he can be a quality big league regular. Scouting Report: Vitters still shows the short stroke, bat speed, strength and ability to barrel the ball that made him the No. 3 pick. He recognizes pitches well, makes consistent contact and uses the whole field. However, he has yet to develop the patience to draw walks and lay off pitches he can't punish. His 22 walks in 2011 represented a career high. Vitters has shed a reputation for being laid-back and has worked hard to improve his defense. He has a solid arm but fringy quickness, speed and range. He topped Double-A Southern League third basemen with 21 errors in just 100 games. He also saw time at first base during the season and in the outfield in the Arizona Fall League. The Future: He still could be Chicago's third baseman of the near future, but so could Javier Baez, Junior Lake, D.J. LeMahieu and Ryan Flaherty. The Cubs don't have an obvious starter for 2012, which Vitters will begin in Triple-A.