Cristian Santana

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #15 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Santana spent three years in Rookie ball after signing with the Dodgers for $50,000, but he broke out in 2017 and finished tied for the high Class A California League lead in home runs (24) in 2018. He moved to Double-A Tulsa in 2019 and finished third in the Texas League in batting (.301).
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Santana is an aggressive hitter who hunts fastballs and punishes them. His broad physique and quick bat produce plus power when he connects, and he has as much opposite-field power as pull power. Santana struggles to recognize breaking balls and goes fishing for them below the zone. He swings early to avoid getting into breaking ball counts and walked only 10 times in 102 games in 2019. Santana isn't overly rangy at third base, but he makes highlight-reel reaction plays and has a plus-plus arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Santana's approach doesn't look great on paper, but it works for him and he keeps producing. He'll move to Triple-A in 2020.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #14 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Santana signed for $50,000 in 2013 and largely stayed under the radar until a breakout 2017. Facing skepticism he could repeat it, Santana went to high Class A Rancho Cucamonga in 2018 and finished tied for the California League lead in home runs (24), led the league in RBIs (109) and was named postseason MVP after batting .308 with a 1.154 OPS to lead the Quakes to the California League championship.
  
  Scouting Report: Santana is a physical, explosive hitter who punishes fastballs. His physicality and bat speed produce plus power to all fields, sending balls over scoreboards in left field and out over deep gaps in right-center. Santana crushes the hard stuff, but he is very aggressive and extremely poor at recognizing breaking balls, fishing below the zone and swinging and missing wildly. Santana's is a plus defender who makes incredible reaction plays at third base, although his mobility on the move needs to improve. His plus-plus arm is the best in the Dodgers system.
  
  The Future: Santana's power, defense and ability to hit a fastball give him the solid foundation of an everyday player. Whether he improves his breaking ball recognition will determine if he gets there.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #16 prospect in 2018
  The Dodgers signed Santana for $50,000 late in the 2013 signing period out of the Dominican Republic, an under-the-radar transaction that drew little notice at the time. He spent three seasons in Rookie ball before a breakout 2017. Santana hit .537 with five home runs in 10 games in the Pioneer League, and followed by hitting .322 with five more home runs in two months at low Class A Great Lakes. Hitting ability had previously been the knock on Santana, but he made enormous strides in 2017. While he rarely walks, he has begun putting together consistent quality at-bats, and he has the bat speed and strength to punish the pitch he wants. He drives the ball to all fields and shows as much opposite-field power as pull power. Santana is a good athlete with the physicality to hit for power as he continues to grow. That athleticism also gives him a chance to be a plus defender with a plus arm at third base. Santana's performance track record is limited, but he showed enough flashes to excite evaluators as a potential everyday third baseman. High Class A Rancho Cucamonga is his next stop.

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Santana spent three years in Rookie ball after signing with the Dodgers for $50,000, but he broke out in 2017 and finished tied for the high Class A California League lead in home runs (24) in 2018. He moved to Double-A Tulsa in 2019 and finished third in the Texas League in batting (.301).
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Santana is an aggressive hitter who hunts fastballs and punishes them. His broad physique and quick bat produce plus power when he connects, and he has as much opposite-field power as pull power. Santana struggles to recognize breaking balls and goes fishing for them below the zone. He swings early to avoid getting into breaking ball counts and walked only 10 times in 102 games in 2019. Santana isn’t overly rangy at third base, but he makes highlight-reel reaction plays and has a plus-plus arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Santana’s approach doesn’t look great on paper, but it works for him and he keeps producing. He’ll move to Triple-A in 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Santana spent three years in Rookie ball after signing with the Dodgers for $50,000, but he broke out in 2017 and finished tied for the high Class A California League lead in home runs (24) in 2018. He moved to Double-A Tulsa in 2019 and finished third in the Texas League in batting (.301).
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Santana is an aggressive hitter who hunts fastballs and punishes them. His broad physique and quick bat produce plus power when he connects, and he has as much opposite-field power as pull power. Santana struggles to recognize breaking balls and goes fishing for them below the zone. He swings early to avoid getting into breaking ball counts and walked only 10 times in 102 games in 2019. Santana isn't overly rangy at third base, but he makes highlight-reel reaction plays and has a plus-plus arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Santana's approach doesn't look great on paper, but it works for him and he keeps producing. He'll move to Triple-A in 2020.