Brandon Wood Stats & Scouting Report

AB	700
AVG	.186
OBP	.225
SLG	.289
HR	18

Full name Richard Brandon Wood
Born 03/02/1985 in Austin, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Horizon
Debut 04/26/2007
Drafted in the 1st round (23rd overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 2003 (signed for $1,300,000).

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Just two years removed from high school, Wood went on a power binge for the ages, clobbering 58 home runs between the minors, the Arizona Fall League and a stint with Team USA in 2005. He ascended to the top of this list after the season and has held the No. 1 spot ever since. With Chone Figgins and Maicer Izturis on the shelf in Anaheim with injuries, Wood made his major league debut last April but received just nine starts during four separate big league callups during the season. He collected his first major league hit off Bobby Jenks on April 29. He led Angels minor leaguers with 23 home runs while learning a new position at Triple-A Salt Lake. A shortstop his whole career, Wood slid over to third base during spring training and played there most of the season, though he returned to shortstop during the Pacific Coast League playoffs. Wood can do some serious damage with the bat. He profiles as a middle-of-the-order run producer with 25-30 or more homers per year while being capable of handling shortstop. Comparisons range from Cal Ripken because of his tall, lean build and deceptively smooth defense, to Troy Glaus for his light-tower power and aggressive approach. Wood hits from an upright stance and feasts on fastballs early in counts. He generates exceptional bat speed and his swing has lots of leverage. Balls jump off his bat to all fields with loft, carry and backspin. He's slowly making adjustments in his approach and becoming a better all-around hitter. Defensively, his range is unexceptional, but he fits the mold of the modern offensive-minded shortstop with the actions, body control, hands and plus arm to handle the position just fine. He was solid if unspectacular at third base. He's an average runner with good instincts and has a gamer attitude that enhances his skills. While Wood cut down on his strikeouts from once every 3.0 at-bats in 2006 to once every 3.6 at-bats last season, his greatest deficiency remains his lack of plate discipline. His pitch selection is below-average, and when he falls behind in the count, he'll punch out by chasing balls off the plate and above his hands. He falls into pull-happy modes that make him vulnerable to pitches on the outer half. He must shorten his swing and hone his two-strike approach in order to hit for a higher average and make more consistent contact. He also can tighten his defense at third base, where he made 16 errors in 74 Triple-A games. With Orlando Cabrera traded to the White Sox, the door again swung open for Wood to play his way into the big league lineup as a shortstop. Erick Aybar, Figgins and Izturis and remain shortstop options as well, so Wood might wind up at third base, either in Anaheim or at Salt Lake.
An undersized, overachieving high school underclassman, Wood was thought of mostly as a defense-first shortstop until his senior year at Horizon High (Scottsdale, Ariz.) in 2003. He started filling out his frame and fulfilling his potential, and passed up a scholarship from Texas to sign as a first-round pick for $1.3 million. Wood contended for Minor League Player of the Year honors in 2005, slamming 58 homers between the minors, the Arizona Fall League and Team USA. He led the minors in doubles (53), homers (an Angels minor league record 43), total bases (370) and extra-base hits (101). Wood proved it was no fluke in 2006, topping the Double-A Texas League with 71 extra-base hits and again coming through for Team USA. At an Olympic qualifying tournament in Cuba, he crushed an eighth inning tie-breaking homer off closer Pedro Luis Lazo for the first win by a U.S. pro team against Cuba since Ben Sheets shut down the Cubans to win Olympic gold in 2000. Wood's bat speed, power and fundamentally sound defensive package have prompted comparisons to Cal Ripken. He profiles as a middle-of-the-order run producer and perennial all-star. Wood has an aggressive approach with a leveraged swing that produces well above-average power to all fields. Whether or not he'll remain at shortstop is predicated on the Angels' needs, but he's a solid defender capable of playing shortstop everyday in the big leagues. His range is average, his hands are soft and his arm is a plus. He's adept at making accurate throws on the run and shows proper footwork turning double plays. His defensive skills would play well at third base, his most likely destination if he moves, and he definitely has the bat to profile at the hot corner. Wood is lauded for his instincts in all phases of the game, as well as his makeup. He's an average runner. Wood ranked among the TL leaders in several offensive categories, including finishing first in strikeouts with the highest total of his career. His uppercut swing path won't allow him to make contact often enough to contend for batting titles, and he could post modest averages his first few years in the majors. Wood could reduce his empty swings by fine-tuning his approach. He occasionally tries to do too much with pitcher's pitches, when letting them go by or simply putting them in play would be more effective. Like many young power hitters, Wood will chase balls above his hands and occasionally pulls off pitches on the outer half. When behind in the count, he could shorten his swing. Wood should open 2007 at Triple-A Salt Lake but is close to being ready to contribute in Los Angeles. The Angels already have two superior defensive shortstops in Orlando Cabrera, who's signed through 2008, and Erick Aybar, who's still trying to crack the big league lineup. They also have no clear frontrunner to start at third base, though it's unlikely they'd have Wood learn the position on the job in the majors. He could slide over to the hot corner at Salt Lake if Aybar doesn't make the big league club.
When Wood was a good-fielding, light-hitting freshman at Horizon High (Scottsdale, Ariz.) in 2000, he wore No. 4, not because he liked the number but because it was the only jersey small enough to fit him. He since has filled out to become one of the game's top power prospects. By 2003 he hit 20 homers as a Horizon senior and became a first-round choice, signing for $1.3 million. Wood hit a modest .263 with 16 homers in his first two pro seasons before breaking out in 2005. He slammed 58 homers between the minors, the Arizona Fall League and Team USA. He led the minors in doubles, homers (breaking the Angels' minor league record), total bases and extra-base hits, becoming the first minor leaguer to do so since Len Tucker in 1956. Then he set an AFL mark with 14 homers in 29 games, going deep four times in one contest. He capped his year with one more homer and earned all-tournament honors as Team USA won an Olympic regional qualifier. Wood's package of power, hitting, all-around defensive skills and championship-caliber makeup prompted one high Class A California League manager to dub him the next Cal Ripken Jr. Wood is an aggressive hitter who attacks pitches with outstanding bat speed while hitting from a slightly open stance. Early in the 2005 season, he occasionally slid his back hip during his swing, collapsed his back side and got underneath balls. He adjusted quickly and learned to take a more direct path to the ball. Wood's swing has leverage that elicits shots with backspin, loft and plenty of carry. "Out of all those home runs, there may have been one or two balls that just cleared the fence," said James Rowson, Wood's hitting coach at high Class A Rancho Cucamonga. "The other 40 were gone right off the bat." Wood's long, thin frame figures to get stronger as he matures. His soft hands, plus arm and great instincts allow him to make all the plays at shortstop. He presently has average speed. As Wood gets bulkier, he will slow down and lose range. While he has the tools to compensate and remain at shortstop, he may profile better at third base with the power in his bat and his arm. He can drive balls to all fields but because of his bat speed and set-up, he opts to pull almost everything. That approach makes him vulnerable to pitches on the outer half. He has had trouble with swinging and missing against good changeups, and he could tighten his strike zone in general. Wood should develop into a perennial all-star infielder at either shortstop or third base. The Angels have more premium middle-infield prospects than any organization, and they'll soon be faced with a difficult shortstop decision with incumbent Orlando Cabrera signed through 2008 and both Erick Aybar and Wood pushing for big league consideration. For now, Wood is ticketed to play shortstop at Double-A Arkansas in 2006. But Los Angeles also doesn't have a clear-cut third baseman, and he quickly could become their solution at the hot corner.
Known as a skinny, defensive-minded shortstop before his high school senior season, Wood blossomed into a power hitter and signed for $1.3 million. He hit a wall in his first full pro season, batting .198 in August after an impressive start. Wood has strong, nimble wrists and quick hands. His swing has natural loft and he accelerates the bat head through the hitting zone well. He shows good instincts at the plate, in the field and on the bases. He has average range and arm strength. Wood struck out too often in 2004 and gets pull-conscious. He often fails to set his feet and hurries his throws. He may outgrow shortstop and could move to third base. Because of his athletic ability and aptitude, Wood has a high ceiling. He profiles as an everyday infielder who should hit for average with 15-20 homers annually. The Angels may give him another half-season at low Class A Cedar Rapids.
When Wood was a 5-foot-10, 130-pound freshman, he was so over-matched that his high school team used a DH for his spot in the lineup. It wasn't until he blossomed physically last spring that his draft stock skyrocketed. After hitting 20 homers, two shy of the Arizona prep record, he signed for $1.3 million. Wood fits the profile of modern shortstops such as Cal Ripken and Alan Trammell. He worked hard to develop his swing with former big league manager Jim Lefebvre before his senior season. He stays behind the ball and can drive pitches with plus bat speed. His instincts, hands and plus arm make up for a lack of pure speed. If he plays his way off shortstop, he has the tools to excel at second base, third base or catcher. Wood swung and missed more often than expected after signing. The Angels believe it was just a case of him being overaggressive and trying to hit for too much power. He became too pull-conscious. The Angels compare Wood's makeup to that of Jeff Mathis and Dallas McPherson, so they expect him to adjust and move swiftly. He'll spend 2004 at low Class A Cedar Rapids.

Minor League Top Prospects

Wood had a so-so season (by his lofty standards) in the PCL in 2007, and he slumped at midseason before hitting .333 with 18 homers over the final two months. But he failed to control the strike zone in three separate trips to the majors, getting regular playing time only when injuries riddled the Angels at shortstop. Wood's best tool is undoubtedly his power. He's a great mistake hitter and can hit the ball out of any part of any park. However, he still has trouble laying off breaking pitches and he still strikes out too much. He'll probably never hit for a high average in the majors and often gets too pull-conscious. After converting to third base in 2007, Wood went back to shortstop this year, the position he'd played his entire career. He has good instincts and enough range and arm strength to stay at short. He's an average runner.
Wood's streak as an extra-base hit champion ended at two seasons, as he failed to post even a .500 slugging percentage in the PCL. In fact, he needed three doubles on the season's final day to crack the 50 extra-base hits barrier, which he had cleared with ease in both 2005 and 2006. It didn't help that he was called to the majors three times this season, only to see action in a sporadic 21 pre-September at-bats. Also new for Wood was his move to third base. The Angels moved him there during spring training and he seamlessly made the switch, showing the same average range, soft hands and plus arm that made him solid defender at shortstop. He's an average runner. A prototypical power hitter, Wood can hit the ball out of any part of the park. He continued to struggle with pitch selection and strikeouts, though he did improve over his 2006 numbers. He matched his walk-strikeout ratio (.38) from 2005, his breakout year, but still fanned once every 3.6 at-bats. Opposing pitchers were able to take advantage of Wood's aggressiveness at the plate, and he showed a disturbing tendency to pull off the ball on the outside corner. Still just 22, Wood has plenty of time to refine his approach and to fill out physically, and one manager likened his potential to that of Troy Glaus.
Wood proved his breakout 2005 season was no fluke, leading the league with 71 extra-base hits in his first Double-A experience. He also topped the TL with 149 strikeouts, however--the highest total of his minor league career--as he tried to prop up a weak team that won just 51 games all season. The sock in Wood's bat is obvious, and observers said his strike-zone awareness improved as the season went on. Teams attacked him by staying in on his hands and giving him a steady diet of breaking balls early, but by the end of the year it was harder to get him out that way. Wood also made strides on defense, showing improved range and good hands and footwork. He should be able to stay at shortstop, though the Angels also have Orlando Cabrera and Erick Aybar available.
After an 0-for-4 showing on Opening Day, Wood homered in his next two games and never looked back, hitting at least eight home runs in each month while finishing the season as the overall minor league leader in doubles (53), home runs (43) and total bases (370). He had 101 extra-base hits, a feat so rare that records are murky as to the identity of the last player to reach the century mark. All this from a player who hit .251 with 11 homers last season at low Class A Cedar Rapids. Wood's power surge was universally seen as legitimate, as he generates incredible bat speed with strong wrists. "He's a skinny guy, but he's got some serious whip in his swing," an AL scout said. Managers rated Wood the league's best defensive shortstop. He has sound fundamentals, average range and a plus arm, though there's some concern about his ability to stay at shortstop as he starts to fill out his lanky 6-foot-3 frame. At the same time, the fact that he's still getting stronger left some feeling that the sky's the limit for his offensive ceiling. "He's still going to get better," San Jose manager Lenn Sakata said. "He looks like the next Cal Ripken to me."
Shortstop was the deepest position in the MWL. Wood stood out the most among a group that also included Clinton's Ian Kinsler, Wisconsin's Adam Jones, West Michigan's Tony Giarratano, Peoria's Brandon Ryan and Battle Creek's Hector Made. The third 2003 first-rounder in the top five, Wood fits the offensive mold of the modern shortstop. Though he packs just 185 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame, his quick hands and wrists and the loft in his swing give him the power to hit at least 15-20 homers per year. He shows good instincts at the plate and on the bases. Wood's speed is a tick below average, but don't discount his ability to play shortstop. He's agile enough and covers enough ground, especially to his right. He positions himself well, has a plus arm and might have had the best footwork among MWL shortstops.
Wood, the 2003 Arizona high school player of the year, started his career close to home before being promoted to Rookie-level Provo after 19 games. He didn't homer in the AZL after hitting 20 in high school but showed good power potential and an ability to turn on the best fastballs in the league. He did go deep five times in the Pioneer League. "He's tall, thin and rangy," Angels manager Brian Harper said, "but he's got the power to play third base if he gets too big for shortstop." Wood will remain at shortstop for now. He has average speed, but the soft hands and all the other actions desired at the position.