Miguel Aparicio

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #8 prospect in 2018
  Signed for $500,000 in 2015, Aparicio was just 18 in 2017, but he played so well in extended spring training the Rangers decided to push him to low Class A Hickory in May. He stumbled there but he looked comfortable when he went down to play at short-season Spokane in the college-heavy Northwest League. Aparicio's all-around game awareness is well beyond his years. His speed and arm strength are both fringe-average, but even without explosive athleticism, he can handle center field because of his top-shelf instincts. Other center fielders have more closing speed, but Aparicio has a quick first step, gets excellent jumps off the bat and takes sharp routes to the ball. Aparicio is a high-contact hitter with good hand-eye coordination and a short, efficient swing. He gained more awareness of the timing with his leg kick as the season progressed and showed a line-drive, all-fields approach. His power mostly goes for doubles right now, with a chance to grow into 10-15 homers. Aparicio is ready to return to Hickory in 2018. He could develop into an everyday center fielder along the lines of Gerardo Parra, albeit with less arm strength.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #14 prospect in 2017
  The Rangers signed two of the best center fielders on the international market in 2015, adding Leody Taveras out of the Dominican Republic and Aparicio from Venezuela for $500,000. Aparicio doesn't match Taveras in terms of athleticism or explosiveness of tools, but he is a well-rounded player whose instincts and overall game awareness are advanced for his age. He's a high-contact hitter with a short, simple swing and manages his at-bats well with a good approach. He's at his best when he stays back and trusts his hands, though he can get caught out front and off balance at times, particularly when he gets too pull-conscious. Aparicio is a good hitter overall with a line-drive approach who can drill one over the fence occasionally and should grow into more power with a chance to hit 10-15 homers. Aparicio's pure speed and arm strength are both slightly below-average, but his defense might be what stands out the most. He makes up for his lack of burner speed with a quick first step, reading swings well to get excellent jumps off the bat and taking good routes. His baserunning acumen is advanced as well. Aparicio is ticketed for the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2017.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #15 prospect in 2016
  Aparicio was one of the more well-rounded players on the international market in 2015, when he signed for $500,000 on July 2. He has good bat control with a short, simple swing, making contact at a high rate and going with where the ball is pitched to hit line drives to all fields. Aparicio is more likely to hit for average than power, with 10-15 home run potential once he gains strength. Aparicio was a high-profile player early in the scouting process who some scouts felt didn't take the steps forward they were expecting, while others think he started to get stronger and got away from his usual line-drive approach while trying to show power. Aparicio is a good athlete, though not as explosive as fellow 2015 international signing Leodys Taveras, with average speed and a fringe-average arm. While he's not a burner, several scouts felt confident he would stay in center field because his reads and instincts are advanced, with his overall game drawing comparisons to David DeJesus and Gerardo Parra. Taveras is also a center fielder, so the Rangers might keep Aparicio in the Dominican Summer League to get him the most amount of playing time.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Northwest League #13 prospect in 2017
  Signed out of Venezuela in 2015 and sent to the Dominican Summer League in 2016, Aparicio played his first season stateside this summer. He opened the year with an aggressive assignment at low Class A Hickory but moved down to Spokane after batting just .176/.255/.247 with the Crawdads. The 18-year-old rebounded nicely in the NWL, where he batted .293/.333/.395. Aparicio was part of the same international class that yielded Rangers top prospect Leody Taveras. While Aparicio doesn't have Taveras' explosiveness--his speed and arm strength are both fringy--there's a lot to like about his tool set. His manager at Spokane, Hagen, said what impressed him most about Aparicio was his bat-to-ball skills. The lefthanded hitter has a short, quick swing and advanced barrel awareness, and he showed a knack for making contact throughout the summer. He hits line drives to all fields and could hit for more power as he gets stronger. Though not a dynamic athlete, Aparicio makes up for it with a quick first step and efficient routes. His high baseball IQ and instincts allow his modest physical tools to play up.

• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Signed for $500,000 in 2015, Aparicio was just 18 last season, but he played so well in extended spring training the Rangers decided to push him to low Class A Hickory in May. He stumbled there but looked comfortable when he went down to play at short-season Spokane in the college-heavy Northwest League. Scouting Report: Aparicio's all-around game awareness is well beyond his years. His speed and arm strength are both fringe-average, but even without explosive athleticism he can handle center field because of his top-shelf instincts. Other center fielders have more closing speed, but Aparicio has a quick first step, gets excellent jumps off the bat and takes sharp routes to the ball. Aparicio is a high-contact hitter with good hand-eye coordination and a short, efficient swing. He gained more awareness of the timing with his leg kick as the season progressed and showed a line-drive, all-fields approach. His power mostly goes for doubles right now, with a chance to grow into 10-15 homers. The Future: Aparicio is ready to return to Hickory in 2018. He could develop into an everyday center fielder along the lines of Gerardo Parra, albeit with less arm strength.