AB | 206 |
---|---|
AVG | .218 |
OBP | .307 |
SLG | .267 |
HR | 0 |
- Full name Anthony Michael Rendon
- Born 06/06/1990 in Houston, TX
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Rice
- Debut 04/21/2013
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Drafted in the 1st round (6th overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2011 (signed for $6,000,000).
View Draft Report
Rendon entered the season as the draft's top-rated prospect and still sits atop our rankings, but his season hasn't gone as planned. After hitting a combined .391/.497/.750 with 46 homers as BA's Freshman of the Year in 2009 and College Player of the Year in 2010, Rendon hit .323/.526/.516 with five homers in the regular season this spring. He strained his throwing shoulder in the second week of the season and has played little in the field. Rendon hadn't given teams any medical information as of mid-May, leaving them in the dark about the severity of the injury. Though it has affected his swing and bat speed, he's still the best all-around hitter in the draft. The 6-foot, 190-pounder has tremendous strength in his hands and wrists, uncanny hand-eye coordination and exceptional strike-zone discipline. Teams have pitched around him all season, and he was the runaway NCAA Division I leader with 66 walks. His bat speed and ability to barrel balls give Rendon more usable power than any player in the draft, with scouts projecting the righthanded hitter to bat .300 with 25-30 homers a year in the major leagues. When healthy, Rendon is a gifted third baseman with above-average range and arm strength. He has drawn comparisons to Evan Longoria and Ryan Zimmerman, though he bears a closer physical resemblance to David Wright. Rendon tore ligaments in his right ankle in the 2009 NCAA regionals and broke the same ankle on a slide with Team USA last summer, but he has been running and moving as well as ever this spring. He has average speed and runs the bases well. Both ankle injuries came on fluke plays, so scouts don't consider him injury-prone. As frustrating as his season has been, Rendon remains a strong candidate to go No. 1 overall. If Pittsburgh goes in another direction, it's unlikely the Mariners would pass on him at No. 2.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Rendon is one of the most accomplished college players of the last decade, and his rise to elite prospect status has been slowed only by a succession of injuries. A 27th-round pick by the Braves out of Houston's Lamar High in 2008, Rendon burst onto the national scene at Rice the following spring, hitting .388/.461/.702 with 20 homers to win Baseball America's Freshman of the Year award. He tore ligaments in his right ankle after stepping on a sprinkler head during NCAA super regionals that June, but he rebounded to hit .394/.530/.801 with 26 homers in 2010 to win BA College Player of the Year honors. Once again his summer was lost to injury, as he broke the same ankle while running the bases in his second game with the U.S. collegiate national team. A strained throwing shoulder largely limited him to DH duties as a junior, and he got few pitches to hit, leading NCAA Division I with 80 walks while producing just six homers. Rendon still ranked as the 2011 draft's top prospect, but uncertainty about his shoulder caused him to drop to the Nationals as the sixth overall pick. He signed a $7.2 million big league contract that including a $6 million bonus at the Aug. 15 deadline. After a stellar spring training, Rendon once more succumbed to the injury bug on April 7, slightly fracturing his left ankle while running the bases in his second pro game. He returned to action on July 19 and quickly reached Double-A Harrisburg, but he didn't truly find his stride until the Arizona Fall League, where he batted .338/.436/.494. Rendon stands out most for his strong, lightning-quick hands, which Rice coach Wayne Graham has often compared to those of Hank Aaron. Rendon's tension-free swing allows him to stay back and then whip his bat through the zone, generating hard line drives from foul pole to foul pole. He has excellent balance, advanced pitch recognition and a patient approach (as evidenced by his 176-78 BB-K ratio at Rice), though his timing and pitch selection were off somewhat in his injury-shortened 2012 pro debut. Though he isn't overly physical, he has enough leverage in his swing to hit 20 or more homers annually while contending for batting titles. Rendon compiled an impressive defensive highlight reel in college, and the Nationals have been impressed with his body control, hands, footwork and instincts. He had a plus arm at Rice, but it now rates as more of a solid tool. He also has lost a step or two after his three ankle injuries, making him a slightly below-average runner. If he can stay healthy, Rendon can an all-star third baseman with a middle-of-the-order bat and quality defensive skills. But with Ryan Zimmerman in his prime and locked into Washington's third-base job for the foreseeable future, Rendon figures to wind up elsewhere--perhaps second base, where he has played on occasion in college and in spring training. His solid athleticism and baseball savvy should allow him to adapt to a number of defensive positions, and his bat should make him an impact big leaguer. He figures to return to Double-A to start 2013, and he could get his first taste of the majors later in the year because his skills are advanced. -
Rendon won Baseball America's Freshman of the Year award in 2009, followed by College Player of the Year honors in 2010. A strained throwing shoulder limited him to mostly DH duties and sapped his power as a junior last spring, and while he still sat atop BA's draft prospect rankings, he slid to the Nationals at No. 6. He signed a big league contract worth $7.2 million (including a $6 million bonus) at the Aug. 15 deadline, and sat out games in instructional league while continuing to build up strength in his shoulder. Though he's not physically imposing, Rendon has remarkable strength in his hands and wrists, uncanny hand-eye coordination, outstanding plate coverage and exceptional pitch recognition. He consistently drives the ball hard to all fields and projects as a well above-average hitter with plus power. He has average speed despite torn ligaments in his right ankle in 2009 and a break in the same ankle in 2010, and he's smart on the basepaths. When healthy, Rendon has superb defensive instincts and actions, good range and an above-average arm. He has drawn comparisons to Evan Longoria, Ryan Zimmerman and David Wright. With Zimmerman entrenched at third base in Washington, Rendon eventually may shift to second base. His polished bat should carry him quickly through the minors.
Minor League Top Prospects
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One of the bright spots of the Nationals? disappointing season was the best pro season by Rendon, who played third base almost exclusively with the Senators before playing second base?and even some shortstop?at Triple-A and in the majors. Despite his work up the middle, Rendon could still be the heir to Ryan Zimmerman, who had throwing issues at third base this season, even when healthy. Rendon has Gold Glove abilities at the hot corner and is more than capable at second base. Because of the vast strength in his wrists and forearms, he?s also got the potential for more than 20 homers annually and a solid average. ?He?s got enough power to hit home runs,? a second scout said. ?Usually they?re bigger now, but Willie Mays wasn?t a monster. Mickey Mantle wasn?t a monster like these guys today. It?s a matter of how much power you?ve got.? -
Rendon, the sixth overall selection in 2011, has struggled to remain on the field over his short professional career, missing last season with a shoulder injury and much of the 2012 campaign due to an ankle fracture. Considered the top pure hitter in his draft class, a fully healthy Rendon finally tapped into his offensive potential this fall, batting .338/.436/.494 with 10 doubles, second in the AFL. Scouts were impressed by his patient approach, strength and contact ability to all fields but also pointed out a handful of mental lapses simply caused by lack of playing time the past two seasons. Defensively, Rendon displays smooth actions and good arm strength at third base, where he projects to be an above-average defender.
Top 100 Rankings
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Defensive Infielder in the Washington Nationals in 2013
- Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the Washington Nationals in 2013
- Rated Best Hitter for Average in the Washington Nationals in 2013
- Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the Washington Nationals in 2012
- Rated Best Hitter for Average in the Washington Nationals in 2012
Scouting Reports
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Background: Rendon is one of the most accomplished college players of the last decade, and his rise to elite prospect status has been slowed only by a succession of injuries. A 27th-round pick by the Braves out of Houston's Lamar High in 2008, Rendon burst onto the national scene at Rice the following spring, hitting .388/.461/.702 with 20 homers to win Baseball America's Freshman of the Year award. He tore ligaments in his right ankle after stepping on a sprinkler head in during NCAA super regionals that June, but he rebounded to hit .394/.530/.801 with 26 homers in 2010 to win BA College Player of the Year honors. Once again his summer was lost to injury, as he broke the same ankle while running the bases in his second game with the U.S. collegiate national team. A strained throwing shoulder largely limited him to DH duties as a junior, and he got few pitches to hit. Rendon still ranked as the 2011 draft's top prospect, but uncertainty about his shoulder caused him to drop to the Nationals as the sixth overall pick. He signed a $7.2 million big league contract that including a $6 million bonus at the Aug. 15 deadline. After a stellar spring training, Rendon once more succumbed to the injury bug on April 7, slightly fracturing his left ankle while running the bases in his second pro game. He returned to action on July 19 and quickly reached Double-A Harrisburg, but he didn't truly find his stride until the Arizona Fall League, where he batted .338/.436/.494. Scouting Report: Rendon stands out most for his strong, lightning-quick hands. Rendon's tension-free swing allows him to stay back and then whip his bat through the zone, generating hard line drives from foul pole to foul pole. He has excellent balance, advanced pitch recognition and a patient approach (as evidenced by his 176-78 BB-K ratio at Rice), though his timing and pitch selection were off somewhat in his injury-shortened 2012 pro debut. Though he isn't overly physical, he enough leverage in his swing to hit 20 or more homers annually while contending for batting titles. Rendon compiled an impressive defensive highlight reel in college, and the Nationals have been impressed with his body control, hands, footwork and instincts. He had a plus arm at Rice, but it now rates as more of a solid tool. He also has lost a step or two after his three ankle injuries, making him a slightly below-average runner. The Future: If he can stay healthy, Rendon can an all-star third baseman with a middle-of-the-order bat and quality defensive skills. But with Ryan Zimmerman in his prime and locked into Washington's third-base job for the foreseeable future, Rendon figures to wind up elsewhere--perhaps second base, where he has played on occasion in college and in spring training. He figures to return to Double-A to start 2013, and he could get his first taste of the majors later in the year because his skills are advanced. -
Rendon, the sixth overall selection in 2011, has struggled to remain on the field over his short professional career, missing last season with a shoulder injury and much of the 2012 campaign due to an ankle fracture. Considered the top pure hitter in his draft class, a fully healthy Rendon finally tapped into his offensive potential this fall, batting .338/.436/.494 with 10 doubles, second in the AFL. Scouts were impressed by his patient approach, strength and contact ability to all fields but also pointed out a handful of mental lapses simply caused by lack of playing time the past two seasons. Defensively, Rendon displays smooth actions and good arm strength at third base, where he projects to be an above-average defender. -
Rendon won Baseball America's Freshman of the Year award in 2009, followed by College Player of the Year honors in 2010. A strained throwing shoulder limited him to mostly DH duties and sapped his power as a junior last spring, and while he still sat atop BA's draft prospect rankings, he slid to the Nationals at No. 6. He signed a big league contract worth $7.2 million (including a $6 million bonus) at the Aug. 15 deadline, and sat out games in instructional league while continuing to build up strength in his shoulder. Though he's not physically imposing, Rendon has remarkable strength in his hands and wrists, uncanny hand-eye coordination, outstanding plate coverage and exceptional pitch recognition. He consistently drives the ball hard to all fields and projects as a well above-average hitter with plus power. He has average speed despite torn ligaments in his right ankle in 2009 and a break in the same ankle in 2010, and he's smart on the basepaths. When healthy, Rendon has superb defensive instincts and actions, good range and an above-average arm. He has drawn comparisons to Evan Longoria, Ryan Zimmerman and David Wright. With Zimmerman entrenched at third base in Washington, Rendon eventually may shift to second base. His polished bat should carry him quickly through the minors. -
Background: Rendon won Baseball America's Freshman of the Year award in 2009, followed by College Player of the Year honors in 2010. A strained throwing shoulder limited him to mostly DH duties and sapped his power as a junior last spring, and while he still sat atop BA's draft prospect rankings, he slid to the Nationals at No. 6. He signed a big league contract worth $7.2 million (including a $6 million bonus) at the Aug. 15 deadline, and sat out games in instructional league while continuing to build strength in his shoulder. Scouting Report: Though he's not physically imposing, Rendon has remarkable strength in his hands and wrists, uncanny hand-eye coordination, outstanding plate coverage and exceptional pitch recognition. He consistently drives the ball hard to all fields and projects as a well above-average hitter with plus power. He has average speed despite torn ligaments in his right ankle in 2009 and a break in the same ankle in 2010, and he's smart on the basepaths. When healthy, Rendon has superb defensive instincts and actions, good range and an above-average arm. The Future: Rendon has drawn comparisons with Evan Longoria, Ryan Zimmerman and David Wright. But with Zimmerman entrenched at third base in Washington, Rendon eventually may shift to second base. His polished bat should carry him quickly through the minors.