Chris Coghlan Stats & Scouting Report

AB	2580
AVG	.258
OBP	.334
SLG	.398
HR	53

Full name Christopher B. Coghlan
Born 06/18/1985 in Rockville, MD
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Mississippi
Debut 05/08/2009
Drafted in the C-A round (36th overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2006 (signed for $950,000).

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While Coghlan has never hit more than six home runs in a college season, he's a polished hitter who is a good bet to hit for average with a wood bat. He took a step toward proving that last summer when he won the Cape Cod League batting title with a .326 average. He doesn't generate above-average bat speed, but like Georgia Tech third baseman Wes Hodges, he has a penchant for making solid contact. He uses the entire field, has exceptional plate discipline, good plate coverage and works counts well. He caught briefly when he was younger, and a club could be tempted to move him back there, considering his lack of power at third base. Second base is another option. Coghlan has good hands and moves well to both sides. He has an average arm.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Winning the Cape Cod League batting title put Coghlan on the map the summer before his draft year in 2006. Selected 36th overall and signed for $950,000, he represented the Marlins at the Futures Game in his first full season and was MVP of the Southern League all-star game in 2008. Coghlan has an innate ability to put the barrel of the bat on the ball. He also shows strong plate discipline, and Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria proudly calls him a professional hitter. A solid-average runner, Coghlan has made himself into a legitimate basestealing threat by studying pitchers. Predominantly a third baseman in college, he has made himself into a solid second baseman. His baseball smarts and work ethic bode well for him. Coghlan's hands aren't the softest, and he remains a work in progress around the bag at second. He probably won't hit for much power, though he does tend to find the gaps. It was a surprise when the Marlins acquired slick-fielding second baseman Emilio Bonifacio from the Nationals in November. Coghlan is a superior hitter and could bounce back to third base if needed, but his fast track to the majors as Dan Uggla's eventual replacement has gained a potential roadblock.
Coghlan hit the radar by winning a Cape Cod League batting title (.346) the summer before he went 36th overall in the 2006 draft and signed for $950,000. While at Mississippi, he drew comparisons to Bill Mueller for his dirtbag playing style and ability to put the barrel on the ball. Coghlan's plate discipline is rated the best in the organization, and Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria considers him one of his favorites. After playing mostly third base in college, Coghlan adapted well to second. He has improved his pivot and footwork around the bag, and his aptitude and work habits are excellent. He has an average arm. Coghlan struggled at the plate after a second-half promotion to high Class A, but he had hernia surgery before reporting to the Arizona Fall League and showed better movement and balance after recovering. He had an extreme inside-out swing, and hitting coordinator John Mallee has taught him to stay behind the ball better and use the whole field, which also improved his gap power. He's an average runner at best, but has good instincts on the bases. Coghlan got his bat going again in the AFL, which should serve as a springboard to Double-A. He's on track to reach the majors by 2009.
Though he never hit more than six homers in any of his three seasons at Mississippi, Coghlan boosted his stock by winning the 2005 Cape Cod League batting title with a .346 average. Taken with the 36th overall pick last June, he held out for seven weeks before signing for $950,000. He played with Tyler Jennings, the son of Marlins personnel chief Dan Jennings, at a Tampa-area high school. Coghlan's inside-out stroke allows him to spray line drives to all fields. He shows strong plate discipline, some gap power and a great desire to improve. A third baseman for most of his college career, he moved to second base during fall minicamp and took to the switch. With the help of infield coordinator Ed Romero, Coghan moved well around the bag and showed solid range. After signing, Coghlan had a little trouble with inside fastballs but worked with hitting coordinator John Mallee on pulling more balls. He doesn't have true third-base power, so moving to second base would help him profile better as a regular. Despite his experience at the hot corner, his arm is average at best. Coghlan earns comparisons to Bill Mueller for his ability to make solid contact and his overall gritty play. He should open his first full pro season in low Class A, where Greensboro's cozy First Horizon Park should help his power numbers spike.

Minor League Top Prospects

An exceptionally polished hitter, Coghlan rarely chases pitches out of the strike zone thanks to his pitch recognition and disciplined approach. He works deep counts and rarely has a bad plate appearance. When he does swing, he's short to the ball and has quick hands, allowing him to hit all types of pitches and to drive the ball with backspin to all fields against lefties and righties. Coghlan hits for average and provides gap power. He's a solid-average runner, and his instincts helped him steal 34 bases in 44 attempts. Though he doesn't have the softest hands, Coghlan worked hard on his defense this year, improving his footwork and his double-play pivot. A former third baseman who saw some time at the hot corner with Carolina, he has an average arm and projects at best as a solid-average defender at second base. That would make him a defensive upgrade over Marlins starter Dan Uggla.
A third baseman in college and in his first pro season, Coghlan moved to second base last fall and took to the position nicely at Greensboro. Displaying the ability to turn the double play with good range and arm strength, the Futures Game participant earned a reputation as one of the grittiest players on the circuit. "He can hit and he has good aggressiveness in all areas of his game," Mikulik said. "He has a very good approach at the plate. There's a lot to like about that young man." Coghlan was another of the SAL's best pure hitters. He employs an inside-out swing that produces line drives to all fields, and he controls the strike zone extremely well. His power has increased since his college days, though most scouts believe he'll be more of a doubles threat than a home run source at the major league level.