Don Kelly Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1098
AVG	.23
OBP	.294
SLG	.334
HR	23

Full name Donald Thomas Kelly
Born 02/15/1980 in Butler, PA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Point Park
Debut 04/02/2007
Drafted in the 8th round (237th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2001.

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Kelly never got his due as a prospect playing on a state championship team at Pittsburgh's Mount Lebanon High because he played second base with Marlins prospect Josh Wilson, the team's best talent, at shortstop. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound Kelly made up for the slight in college, where he has become one of the East Coast's best shortstop prospects. He has above-average hands, range, arm strength, quickness and aptitude for the position. His bat is more of a concern as he hasn't shown much power.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Kelly won't be an impact big leaguer unless his power spikes significantly, but he can be a valuable utilityman with a solid bat and the ability to play all over the field. Kelly had his best year as a pro in 2005, raking his way through Double-A before finishing up playing shortstop for Toledo's International League championship club. He hit .300 with seven RBIs in the IL playoffs to cap his first full year above Class A. He missed most of the 2004 season with a nerve injury in his right shoulder that required surgery but played injury-free in 2005. He also played in the Arizona Fall League at shortstop after Tony Giarratano's injuries precluded him from going there. Kelly lacks the range, quickness and agility to be an everyday shortstop and is better suited for third base with his solid arm and good hands. Offensively, Kelly sprays line drives to the gaps, has shown pull power and covers the plate well, making him tough to strike out. He has a chance to open the season as a big league utilityman, but more likely will head to Triple-A as the everyday third baseman.
Unlike Omar Infante, Ramon Santiago and Anderson Hernandez, Kelly was a young shortstop who didn't disappoint the Tigers in 2003. Kelly was the high Class A Florida State League's all-star shortstop--though he played just 20 games there and served a utility role at Lakeland in deference to Hernandez--and held his own following a promotion to Double-A. His biggest assets are his knowledge of the strike zone and his ability to put the ball in play. In an organization where hitters tend to strike out too much and don't draw enough walks, his approach is refreshing. Tall and rangy, he has sure hands but lacks the range to be an everyday shortstop in the big leagues. He has solid-average speed and covers ground better at third base. However, Kelly doesn't have anywhere near the pop necessary to play regularly at the hot corner in the majors. Unless he develops a power stroke, which appears unlikely at this point, his future lies as a utilityman. Added to the 40-man roster this offseason, he could make his big league debut late in 2004.