Chris Carter Stats & Scouting Report

AB	131
AVG	.237
OBP	.34
SLG	.489
HR	8

Full name Vernon Christopher Carter
Born 12/18/1986 in Redwood City, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 245 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Sierra Vista
Debut 08/09/2010
Drafted in the 15th round (455th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2005.

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Chris Carter moved to the head of the Las Vegas high school class. He has athletic ability and raw power, but lacks baseball instincts.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Traded by the White Sox for Carlos Quentin and then by the Diamondbacks in a package for Dan Haren in December 2007, Carter has been knocking on the door to the majors since his Double-A Texas League MVP season in 2009. He has yet to break through, batting just .167 with three homers and 41 strikeouts in 114 at-bats with Oakland the last two years. He missed nearly two months last season with a sprained left wrist but recovered to have a productive season in Triple-A. Carter has a short, easy swing with strength to spare. He can hit tape-measure home runs to all fields when he connects, but connecting continues to be a problem. He swings and misses frequently, and while he'll take walks when teams pitch around him, he gets too passive at times. He needs to be more aggressive early in counts when he gets balls he can drive. Carter's athleticism and speed are below average, so he's limited defensively. He played mostly first base in 2011 after seeing action at the outfield corners and third base in the past. He has average arm strength. Carter will be in the mix for the A's first-base and DH jobs. He doesn't have much left to gain from another year in Triple-A, and Oakland desperately needs his power.
Carter was No. 1 on this list a year ago and the A's hoped he could make an impact by season's end. Unfortunately, his first impression was a 0-for-33 streak to begin his big league career. Before that, Carter had rallied from a slow start at Triple-A Sacramento to bat .319/.421/.637 in the second half. Carter's power always will be his carrying tool. His wrists are exceptionally strong and he has lightning-quick bat speed. He has a short, easy swing capable of hitting balls out of any park in any direction. His power comes with the tradeoff of strikeouts, and his inability to recognize breaking pitches was exploited regularly in 2010. He always has been willing to take his walks, but Oakland tinkered with his approach and emphasized selectivity, which led to him being too passive at times. Carter has below-average speed and range, which limits him to first base and left field. He has enough athleticism and arm strength to play passable defense in left, but first remains his most likely long-term option. With Daric Barton at first base in Oakland, left field and DH are Carter's avenues to making a big league impact in 2011. The A's desperately need his power in their lineup.
Carter has found a home with the Athletics. The White Sox drafted him in 2005, then traded him to the Diamondbacks for Carlos Quentin in December 2007. He spent 11 days in the Arizona organization before getting shipped to the Athletics in the Dan Haren deal, part of a six-player package that also included Brett Anderson and Carlos Gonzalez. After Carter finished second in the minor leagues with 39 home runs in 2008 but batted just .259, he worked hard to shed his reputation as an all-or-nothing slugger. The results were spectacular, as Carter posted a .329 average last season, leading the minors in hits (179) and ranking second in RBIs (115). His power didn't go away either, as he posted his third straight 25-homer season and managers rated him as his league's best power prospect for the third consecutive year. Named MVP of the Double-A Texas League, he led the league in doubles (41), extra-base hits (67), on-base percentage (.435) and slugging (.576). He capped his year with four homers in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League playoffs for Sacramento. Home runs always will be Carter's calling card. However, he dedicated himself to becoming a more complete hitter and stopping from giving at-bats away. He lowered his hands slightly and eliminated a small bat wrap from his swing, giving himself a more compact stroke. With his pure strength and explosive wrists, he still produces light-tower power. Carter can hit balls out of any part of any ballpark, and he's strong enough to do so without having to sell out for power. He's willing to take walks when pitchers won't challenge him, and he did a better job of handling offspeed pitches in 2009. He also made strides defensively at first base, where he should be at least adequate and possibly average, a big step up from years past. He has a strong arm for the position. Though Carter reduced his strikeout rate in 2009, whiffs always will come with the territory with him. He's still learning to control the strike zone and not be overanxious. He needs to stay on breaking balls better, so the A's dispatched him to play in the Mexican Pacific League, well known for being chock full of junkballers. That venture was short-lived, as he returned home with what was believed to be appendicitis but turned out to be the flu. Carter still isn't the most agile first baseman and he has given up playing third base. He played some left field after his promotion to Sacramento, and that might be an option if he can get more experience, improve his instincts and stay in good shape. He has some athleticism for his size, but his first-step quickness and speed are below-average. Carter can add power to an Oakland offense that sorely needs it. He has a great opportunity to make the A's in spring training and should bat in the middle of their lineup for years to come. The final question is where he plays. First base, left field and DH are all possibilities, but his best position is the batter's box.
After leading White Sox farmhands with 25 homers in 2007, Carter was traded twice that December. Chicago traded him to the Diamondbacks for Carlos Quentin before Arizona used him as part of the package to acquire Dan Haren. In 2008, he topped the high Class A California League in runs (101), homers (39), RBIs (104) and slugging percentage (.569) and added five longballs in the playoffs as Stockton won the title. Carter's plus-plus raw power ranks among the best in the minors. He hits the ball deep out of the park to all fields with a fluid swing that generates tremendous loft and natural leverage. He shows the patience to draw walks. He has a strong arm. Carter's outstanding power comes with the tradeoff of a high strikeout rate. He has some holes in his swing and is susceptible to breaking balls. He has some athleticism, but his lack of first-step quickness and range are a liability at third base, where he committed 14 errors in 41 games, and his below-average hands are a handicap at first base, where he made 10 errors in another 41 games. He hasn't been much better as a right fielder. Ticketed for Double-A, Carter should be able to hit his way into Oakland's lineup. The A's will continue to try him at different positions, but he may ultimately wind up as a DH.
Not to be confused with the Chris Carter whom the Diamondbacks traded to acquire Emiliano Fruto from the Nationals in August, this slugger joined Arizona in a December deal that sent Carlos Quentin to the White Sox. Carter dropped to the 15th round of the 2005 draft because he was considered a raw project, but he has shown more aptitude more quickly than expected, slugging 51 homers in 273 career games. Carter's calling card is the ability to hit the ball a long way, and he's also showing that he can hit for average and not get himself out chasing bad pitches. An opposing manager who saw him in the low Class A South Atlantic League said that Carter's approach reminded him of a young Jermaine Dye. He has a natural, fluid swing from the right side and generally looks to use the whole field instead of to pull the ball. He has shown the ability to make adjustments from one at-bat to the next. Carter has nothing going for him except for his bat. Drafted as a third baseman, he has migrated across the infield and will have to work hard to become even an adequate defender at first base. He made 11 errors in just 73 games there last season. Carter doesn't run well, has little agility around the bag and has below-average hands. Offensively, strikeouts will be a tradeoff for his power. The California League notoriously favors hitters, and Carter could put up huge numbers at Visalia in 2008. He needs to improve markedly on defense, however, as he doesn't have the option of being a DH now that he's with a National League organization.
Carter's bat has launched him from 15th-round high school draftee to prospect in less than two years. The White Sox hoped he could spend 2006 at low Class A Kannapolis, but he returned to extended spring training after a bumpy start. He led the Rookie-level Pioneer League in homers, extra-base hits (37) and total bases (143). While the rest of his game is pedestrian, Carter's power is impossible to overlook. He swings hard and can drive good fastballs and hanging curveballs. He's a pull hitter but has the strength to hit the ball out to the opposite field as well. He has a decent eye at the plate and is willing to take a walk when pitchers start nibbling, as they often do against him. Carter's power comes with a tradeoff-- lots of strikeouts. His bat will have to carry him because he's a below-average runner, defender and thrower. Drafted as a third baseman, he moved to first base full-time in 2006. He's prone to errors because he lacks soft hands, and he'll need a lot more work fielding grounders and taking throws. Carter will return to Kannapolis, and he's probably three to five years away from Chicago.
Like Micah Schnurstein, another White Sox third-base prospect from Las Vegas, Carter shot onto the radar in his pro debut. Considered a project when he signed as a 15th-round pick last June, he had little problem against older pitchers in the Appalachian League. He generates impressive power with his strong 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame and finished fourth in the Appy home run chase. He'll need to tighten his strike zone at higher levels, however. Carter also has to find a position. He's a decent athlete and moves well for his size, but he struggled at third base, committing 13 errors in 38 games. He also saw time at first base, which might be a better fit but also would reduce his value. If he has a good spring, he could start the season in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Carter's year was a tale of two seasons. After a disappointing first half in which he hit .233/.342/.485, he batted .319/.421/.637 after the all-star break. He wound up finishing fourth in the league in homers (31) and fifth in RBIs (94), though he ranked third in strikeouts (138). Carter's power was never in doubt. He has the strength and bat speed to crush balls to all fields, and he's willing to take his walks when pitchers don't challenge him. Veteran Triple-A hurlers were able to exploit his problems recognizing breaking pitches, however, and managers also felt he could be exploited with fastballs inside. Teams ultimately will have to live with his strikeouts in order to get to his power. He looked awkward at times playing first base, but Carter got better as the year went on and was a passable defender. The Athletics moved him to left field in late July and kept him there after calling him up to the majors. He has enough athleticism to get by there for now, and he has some arm strength, but he has below-average speed and range and will have to stay in shape to make the outfield a long-term option.
Carter has built his reputation on power, with 64 home runs the last two seasons. He didn't show quite the same pop in his Double-A debut, but he did lead the league in doubles (41) and extra-base hits (67). He also looked like a much more well-rounded hitter, topping the TL in on-base and slugging percentage while winning MVP honors. People who had seen Carter in previous seasons said he showed a quicker bat and did a better job of handling an assortment of pitches this year. He still has amazing bat speed that gives him easy power. Skeptics still see Carter as a high-strikeout hitter whose average will come back to the .260-.280 range. Some still regard him as a defensive liability, but most scouts and managers thought he had improved at first base and might be playable in an outfield corner if he got himself into better shape.
Few minor leaguers have as much pure power as Carter, who was traded from the White Sox to the Diamondbacks to the Athletics in a span of 11 days last December. He led the Cal League with 39 home runs in the regular season, then added five more in the playoffs, including a grand slam and a solo shot in the title clincher for Stockton. He also topped the league in runs (101), RBIs (104) and slugging percentage (.569). Carter hits balls as hard as anyone and smashes line drives out of any part of any park. Weinstein compared him to Frank Thomas at a similar stage in their careers and said Carter more athletic. He's susceptible to breaking balls, but he showed improvement in controlling the strike zone as the year went on. "He has holes in his swing but if you make a mistake, it's bye-bye," an American League scout said. The problem with Carter is finding a place for him on defense. He split time between the infield corners for the Ports, and the consensus is his hands aren't good enough for first base and he's too big and slow to be effective at third base. He has also worked in the outfield and seems destined to end up as a DH.
From a hitting standpoint, Carter's name was often mentioned in the same breath as Royster's. A former third baseman who moved to the opposite infield corner this year, Carter finished third in homers (25) and RBIs (93). After he hit .333 with eight homers in May, he was pitched around for most of the last three months. "He reminds me of a young Jermaine Dye," Greensboro manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "He was a little erratic at first base early in the season but he really learned the position. Offensively, he tries to stay gap to gap. His approach is outstanding for such a young player." Carter has a natural, fluid swing and makes adjustments at the plate. He looked much better than he did last year in the SAL, when he hit .130 and lasted just 13 games before being sent to extended spring training. He has below-average speed and hands, so his bat will have to carry him.
The White Sox gave Carter a quick hook when he struggled in low Class A in April, reassigning him to extended spring training after just 13 games. After improving his plate discipline and shortening his swing at the club's Arizona base, he exploded onto the Pioneer League scene by clubbing 10 homers in his first 24 games. He led the league in both homers (15) and extra-base hits (37). Carter's huge 6-foot-4 frame reminded some managers of Frank Thomas, and his strength provides plus natural power. While he takes more than his share of walks, he also strikes out often because he's vulnerable to good breaking pitches. What Carter has in power he lacks in athleticism, as the White Sox quickly moved him from third to base after drafting him a year ago. He has made progress softening his hands, but he probably won't ever be more than an average defender.