Daniel Brito Stats & Scouting Report

AB	2094
AVG	.259
OBP	.325
SLG	.362
HR	27

Full name Daniel Alejandro Brito
Born 01/23/1998 in Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: L / Throws: R

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: Signed for $650,000 as a 16-year-old in Venezuela, Brito repeated low Class A Lakewood in 2018 and struggled his first two months. His numbers ticked up in June, with Brito batting .278/.337/.361 over his final 47 games before an early August promotion to high Class A Clearwater.

Scouting Report: Brito and shortstop Arquimedes Gamboa formed a promising but vexing middle infield in Clearwater, with both showing flashes of raw talent that has yet to translate into offensive performance. Brito has the components to be a good hitter with a fairly loose, sound swing and good bat control. However, he can get too aggressive and pull-happy, leaving him vulnerable on the outer third, and when Brito struggles, he has a habit of pressing, causing his troubles to compound. Where Brito did make progress is on defense. An average runner with an average arm, Brito improved his first-step reads off the bat and improved his range, grading out as a plus fielder with good hands at second base.

The Future: Brito has a chance to develop into an everyday second baseman, but there's still considerable risk until his performance ticks up for more than a short burst. He will open 2019 back in Clearwater.
Signed for $650,000 as a 16-year-old in 2014, Brito looked like he was in the midst of a breakthrough season early in 2017. By the end of April at low Class A Lakewood, he was hitting .327/.377/.449, but his performance cratered the rest of the season. Brito has the ingredients to be a good hitter. He uses his hands well at the plate with a loose, fluid stroke and good bat speed. He started to grow into more power in 2017, which may have gotten him into trouble as he got away from his usually sound approach in an attempt to show off that pop. Instead of keeping his weight back and using the whole field, Brito became more pull-conscious, trying to yank pitches on the outer third that led to a lot of ground outs to the right side. He could rebound if he gets back to his line-drive, all-fields approach. Brito is an average defender at second base with a chance to be a tick better. His speed and arm strength are both average tools and he does a good job turning double plays. Repeating low Class A Lakewood is a possibility for Brito in 2018.
The two biggest international bonuses the Phillies awarded in 2014 went to Arquimedez Gamboa ($900,000) and Brito ($650,000), a pair of Venezuelan shortstops. While the Phillies have pushed Gamboa more aggressively, Brito thus far looks like the better prospect. After a promising season in the Dominican Summer League in 2015, Brito impressed in his U.S. debut last year in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Brito hasn't gained much weight since signing, so he's still a skinny, long-limbed teenager, but he has a mature hitting approach for his age. He's a disciplined hitter who tracks offspeed well and keeps his weight back, trusting his hands to put the ball in play at a high clip. He has a loose, handsy swing with good hand-eye coordination and the bat control to square up all types of pitches. Brito has minimal power right now, though he has the physical projection to grow into 8-12 home runs. An average runner, Brito moved to second base full time in 2016 and likely stays there. He's smooth turning the double play with a solid-average arm and charges the ball well, projecting as an average to slightly better fielder. Brito should compete for a spot with low Class A Lakewood in 2017.

Minor League Top Prospects

Brito was one of Philadelphia's bigger international acquisitions of 2014, when he signed for $650,000 out of Venezuela. A skinny, long-limbed shortstop, he played second base this year and probably stays there long term, but it's his bat that's his calling card. Brito has an advanced hitting approach for his age with good plate discipline and pitch recognition skills. He stays back on the ball, doesn't drift forward and tracks pitches well, using a loose, handsy swing and good hand-eye coordination to barrel up balls at a high rate. Brito is a high-contact hitter with good bat control who can handle good fastballs and breaking pitches, hitting line drives to all fields. Mostly a gap hitter now, he has room to add weight and develop 8-12 home run power, though his offensive value lies more in his on-base skills. An average runner, Brito projects as at least an average defender at second base, where he charges balls well and looks smooth turning the double play with a solid-average arm.

Scouting Reports

Brito had never hit above .252 at any full-season level before the 2021 season, but after hitting .296 with an .820 OPS at Double-A Reading he received a promotion to Triple-A on July 22. The 23-year-old second baseman was one of the most impressive hitters at the team's alternate training site, improved his bat speed during the offseason and stayed busy by playing in the Venezuelan Winter League.