Logan Watkins Stats & Scouting Report

AB	103
AVG	.233
OBP	.269
SLG	.301
HR	1

Full name Vincent Logan Watkins
Born 08/29/1989 in Wichita, KS
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Goddard
Debut 08/04/2013
Drafted in the 21st round (641st overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2008 (signed for $500,000).

View Draft Report

Middle infielder Logan Watkins received some predraft buzz, but not nearly enough to indicate that a team would spend $500,000 to buy him away from a Wichita State scholarship. Yet that's exactly what the Cubs did. Watkins is an athlete with good speed and a contact-oriented approach from the left side of the plate.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Cubs named Watkins their minor league player of the year and placed him on their 40-man roster after he led the Double-A Southern League with 93 runs and established career highs in most categories. Signed for $500,000 as a 21st-rounder in 2008, Watkins has an interesting package of tools and has the aptitude to get the most out of them. He has a contact approach at the plate, hitting the ball where it's pitched and spraying line drives all over the field. He draws walks and he's stronger than he looks, though his power goes mostly to the gaps. An all-star quarterback and defensive back in high school, he has above-average speed and exploits it by bunting for hits. His biggest needs offensively are to cut down a few more strikeouts and to attempt more steals. Watkins has spent most of his pro career at second base, where his average arm and solid range fit best. He also has seen extended time at shortstop and center field, and he's versatile enough to play almost anywhere on the diamond. Watkins' biggest backers project him as an everyday second baseman, and he may have a better collection of tools than Cubs incumbent Darwin Barney. Scouts outside the organization see him more as a utilityman. Watkins' bat ultimately will determine which group is correct. He'll move up to Triple-A in 2013.
The Cubs fell in love with Watkins' intensity when they were scouting him as a Kansas high schooler, and he has been an organization favorite ever since he signed for $500,000 as a 21st-round pick in 2008. His mental toughness helped him rebound from a dreadful start in 2011, when he hit .122/.235/.149 in his first 20 games in high Class A. He batted .310/.373/.450 the rest of the way and led the Florida State League with 12 triples. Watkins has become less pull-conscious as he has gotten older, spraying line drives to all fields. He has bat speed and is stronger than his 170-pound frame might indicate, capable of hitting 30 doubles a season, but his main job will be to get on base. He's selective but could stand to draw more walks. An all-state quarterback and defensive back as a high school football player, Watkins is a good athlete with plus speed. He's an adept bunter who's getting more proficient at stealing bases, establishing career bests with 21 swipes and an 81 percent success rate last year. His athleticism also makes him a versatile defender. At second base he has plus range, soft hands and solid arm strength. He has gotten the job done in stints at shortstop and center field, and he also has seen time at third base and both outfield corners. Watkins will profile more as a utilityman than as a regular unless he maintains the offensive progress he made in 2011. He'll advance to Double-A this year.
Watkins flew under the scouting radar as a Kansas high schooler, but the Cubs liked his athleticism and intensity enough to give him $500,000 to buy him away from a Wichita State commitment. After hitting .326 in his first two years as a pro, he found the going rougher in his introduction to full-season ball in 2010. He did make adjustments and started turning on more pitches and hitting the ball with more authority in the second half. Watkins has a quick bat, good hand-eye coordination and plus speed, so he should hit for a solid average if he can smooth out the movement in his set-up. He won't ever have much home run power, but he's stronger than he looks and can sting balls into the gaps. His game is more about getting on base, and he shows patience and bunting skills. He's learning to steal bases, having succeeded on just two-thirds of his pro attempts. An all-Kansas quarterback and defensive back, Watkins is a versatile defender with above-average range, soft hands and solid arm strength. He has spent most of his career at second base, where he turns the pivot well on the double play. Chicago had resolved to get him time at shortstop and center field, and when that finally happened in 2010, he looked like a natural at both positions. Watkins plays with an intensity that inspires his teammates, and doubleplay partner Hak-Ju Lee in particular. They'll move up to high Class A together in 2011.
Watkins generated little predraft hype in 2008 and appeared headed to Wichita State out of high school before the Cubs selected him in the 21st round and gave him a stunning $500,000 bonus. He has been worth every penny so far, batting .326 in two pro seasons. He led the Northwest League in plate appearances per strikeout (10.3) in 2009. An all-state quarterback and defensive back in high school in Kansas, Watkins is a quality athlete. He has an unorthodox stance with high elbows, but whips the bat through the zone and makes contact easily. He uses the whole field and is a skilled bunter. He has plus-plus speed and an above-average arm, making him capable of playing almost anywhere on the diamond. He's a hard worker whose intensity rubs off on his teammates. Watkins needs to get stronger to hit the ball with more authority. He can get too aggressive running at times, and too passive at others. He waits on balls too much at second base, relying on his arm to make plays. Watkins merits a look at shortstop and center field, but Chicago hasn't figured out how to make that happen. The Cubs like the way he interacts with Hak-Ju Lee, and if they play together in low Class A in 2010, Watkins faces another season at second base.
The biggest surprise the Cubs pulled in the 2008 draft came when they gave Watkins, a 21st-rounder, a $500,000 bonus. He received some predraft buzz, but not nearly enough to indicate that a team would spend third-round money to lure him away from a Wichita State scholarship. A gifted athlete, he was an all-state quarterback and defensive back for his Kansas high school football team. He swings the bat well and has a disciplined, contact-oriented approach, though he'll need to get much stronger to hit with any authority. Speed is Watkins' most obvious tool, and he might cover more ground at shortstop than Arizona League teammates Starlin Castro and Junior Lake. He played second base and left field, however, while they shared shortstop. Watkins has the range for center field and has a solid arm. The Cubs still haven't figured out what to do with all their young shortstops and where to play Watkins. They may use him at several different positions in Boise this season.

Minor League Top Prospects

Watkins didn't generate much hype before the 2008 draft, but the Cubs paid him a $500,000 bonus in the 21st round to lure him away from Wichita State. The early returns on that investment are positive so far, as the athletic Watkins has batted .326 in two pro seasons. He was one of just five minor leaguers to string together two hitting streaks of 15 games or more in 2009--an especially impressive considering he played just 72 games. Watkins has good hand-eye coordination and sprays the ball all around the field. With his contact-oriented approach and above-average speed, he does a fine job of getting on base. He has yet to homer as a professional, but he has some gap power and still has room to fill out. Watkins started the season in extended spring training, focusing on improving his defense. The hard work paid off, as he showed increased range, softer hands and a better ability to turn the double play when he joined Boise in June. He has a solid arm and also saw some time in left field, and it's possible that he could handle center.