Rey Navarro Stats & Scouting Report

AB	29
AVG	.276
OBP	.276
SLG	.448
HR	1

Full name Reynaldo Navarro
Born 12/22/1989 in Caguas, Puerto Rico
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: S / Throws: R
School Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
Debut 04/24/2015
Drafted in the 3rd round (103rd overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2007 (signed for $333,000).

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A February workout in Puerto Rico drew several dozen scouts, and Angel Morales and Neftali Soto were the two prospects to show the most potential. But when even more scouts showed up for a predraft workout on the island in May, it was the slick-fielding Navarro who earned accolades. He swings the bat with authority, hitting line drives to left field with plus bat speed. He is susceptible to balls on the outer half, as he tends to cheat on the inside pitch, but he shows a willingness to spread out and use the middle of the field with two strikes, so it's reasonable to think Navarro can refine his overall approach. He has flashy, natural actions up the middle, and other than improving his consistency on routine, Navarro's defensive package is his most appealing asset. He has a fringe-average arm. He's a solid-average runner. Navarro could be drafted as early as the second round.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

After he spent his first two pro seasons in Rookie ball, the game started to slow down for Navarro in 2009. After making 66 errors in his first 128 games at shortstop, he made just 29 in 118 contests last season. A plus defender, he has good range to both sides, nimble feet and a solid-average arm. He still lays back on some balls he should charge and he'll rush plays at times, but he's much more consistent at shortstop. Though Navarro has yet to put up big offensive numbers, he showed improvement at the plate as well. Quiet and focused, he shows a repeatable swing and a line-drive approach from both sides. He did a better job of making contact in 2009, though he needs to further cut down his strikeouts and draw more walks. He's not very strong, but he can occasionally drive balls into the gaps and hit 25 doubles last year. A slightly above-average runner, he showed more savvy as a basestealer in 2009 than he had in a past. He projects as a quality defender who'll probably fit toward the bottom of a big league lineup. He's athletic enough to play a variety of positions if he's needed as a utilityman. He'll advance to high Class A in 2010.
Because the Diamondbacks lack a complex-based affiliate, Navarro has spent his first two pro seasons in the Rookie-level Pioneer League, where he was probably over his head. He played the entire 2008 season at 18 years old. Navarro has the tools to become an ideal No. 2 hitter. Scouts saw him playing around with switch-hitting as a high schooler in Puerto Rico, and he took it on full-time in instructional league after the 2007 season. He has shown enough progress that the Diamondbacks now like his lefthanded swing better than his natural righty stroke. He has a better swing from the left side, as it's more repeatable and has fewer holes. He does show more power as a righty, but his game always will be about moving the ball around rather than driving it. He also has above-average speed. Shortstop has been a struggle so far for Navarro, who made 28 errors in 2007 and 38 in 2008 to lead the Pioneer League both years. There's some question as to whether he has the arm or actions to stay there, and he may have to move to second base. Arizona says otherwise, arguing that his mistakes are sins of aggression and his first-step quickness and athleticism make him a legitimate shortstop. While the numbers don't show progress, the Diamondbacks were happy with Navarro's year, noting that he improved his body and his quickness and showed a much better idea at the plate. He'll move up to low Class A at age 19 and try to prove he can stay at short.
A product of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, Navarro drew interest at a workout on the island in May. He sealed his match with Arizona by attending a predraft workout in Phoenix, where he looked comfortable in a major league environment. The Diamondbacks took him in the third round and gave him a $330,000 bonus. Navarro has all the tools scouts look for in a shortstop, with plus range as well as quickness, great actions and an average arm. Navarro also showed promise at the plate, with good bat speed and a line-drive stroke. He started switch-hitting full-time during instructional league. Navarro committed a Pioneer League-high 28 errors and will work to become more consistent on routine plays. He needs to get stronger and develop a better approach to become a productive hitter. He's too aggressive at the plate at this point. Ideally, Navarro could become a slick-fielding shortstop who bats in the No. 2 hole and moves the ball around the field. Navarro was sometimes overmatched in the Pioneer League, but the Diamondbacks have no complex team so they had to throw him in the fire. He'll try to win a starting job in low Class A but could spend 2008 at short-season Yakima.

Minor League Top Prospects

Still just 17, Navarro offers more projection than any other player in the Pioneer League. He gets rave reviews for his slick defense and excellent range at shortstop. While he made a league-high 28 errors, many came on balls other shortstops wouldn't reach and he should get steadier with more experience. A switch-hitter with average speed, Navarro still has a long ways to go at the plate. He does have bat speed, a line-drive stroke and a willingness to use the entire field. He'll have to get stronger and more patient to be productive, however.