Socrates Brito

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #19 prospect in 2018
  Coming off an injury-riddled 2016, Brito was bit by the injury bug again in 2017 while he repeated the Pacific Coast League at Triple-A Reno. In 2016, he suffered a fractured toe while with the big league team, then he fractured the hamate in his wrist while getting ready for winter ball in November. In 2017, he needed yet another surgery after severely dislocating his left ring finger on a headfirst slide into home plate during a game early in spring training. The injury cost him two and a half months, impacting his standing on the organization's depth chart, and journeyman Jeremy Hazelbaker stepped into the fourth outfielder void. Brito, meanwhile, didn't play well enough at Reno to warrant even a September callup. Little has changed in terms of Brito's tools and upside, and he still gets high marks for his work ethic. Coaches say he might have become bogged down at the plate by mechanics, limiting his athleticism, and he still could use work on his approach. He runs well and can handle all three outfield positions, but he probably is best suited for a corner. Brito has handled righthanded pitchers better than lefthanders in his career, leading some scouts to view him as a potential platoon outfielder. Brito will have to show he can stay healthy in order to reach even that ceiling as he fights for a spot with the D-backs out of spring training.
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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #4 prospect in 2017
  Injuries to two starting outfielders gave Brito a chance to seize a permanent role with the Diamondbacks in 2016. Instead, he struggled at the plate and spent more than half the season at Triple-A Reno. He also missed time with a fractured toe. Brito still possesses the tools that have tantalized since he first signed with Arizona in 2010. He has upper-body strength with good line-drive power to the gaps, but he hasn't yet developed a good approach at the plate or the feel to hit. He could stand to work counts better. A plus runner with a plus arm, Brito has the ability and range to play all three outfield positions, though some don't believe he's agile enough for center field. He also needs to learn to use his speed better on the bases. Brito fractured his hamate in November while preparing for winter ball in his native Dominican Republic. While he should be healed in time for spring training, the injury is worth watching as he tries to win a big league job out of camp.
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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #8 prospect in 2016
  Brito started turning his tantalizing tools into production in 2014 at high Class A Visalia, then raised expectations even higher in 2015 with a solid year at Double-A Mobile, especially in the second half when he hit .347/.398/.540 with seven of his nine home runs. The Diamondbacks named Brito the organization's minor league player of the year, and he capped his season by playing well as a September callup. Brito got stronger in 2015 without losing any speed, making him a potential powerspeed threat. While his bat speed isn't great, he's got strength in his upper body and strokes line drives to the gaps. He developed a better approach at the plate and made more consistent contact in 2015, lowering his strikeout rate from 19 percent in 2014 to 16 percent in 2015. He still tends to struggle against lefthanders, though. Brito has double-plus speed that helped him lead the minors with 15 triples. He has the range for any outfield position, and his plus arm ranks as one of the best outfield arms in the system. Brito's lack of polish, combined with the D-backs' outfield depth, means that he probably will open 2016 at Triple-A Reno. He could be an extra outfielder on the low end or a regular right fielder on the high end.
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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #19 prospect in 2015
  Ever since signing in 2010, Brito has been more about tools and future projection, but his promising season at high Class A Visalia in 2014 hinted at future production. His plus raw power started to emerge in games, more with doubles to the gap, but the loft he generates in his swing indicates that more balls will leave the park as he gets stronger. He's now a borderline plus runner who has the basestealing instincts to swipe 38 bats in 2014. Brito split time in both right and center field, with scouts remarking that his defense exceeded expectations. His plus arm ranks as the best among outfielders in the system, and he also rates as the organization's most athletic player. The Diamondbacks saw enough to add Brito to the 40-man roster in November. He'll experience his first big league spring training camp in 2015.
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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #29 prospect in 2013
  The Diamondbacks signed Brito out of the Dominican Republic for $190,000, then voided the deal when he failed a steroid test and re-signed him for $90,000 two months later. That small investment may pay off, though Brito is still a long way from the big leagues. One scout said that Brito has the biggest gap between his present and future grades, but that he's still someone to dream on. Brito spent his second year in the United States at Missoula, showing speed but no power. While his in-game power has not yet emerged, he shows enough pop in batting practice to prove that he will hit with power when he fills out his wiry strong frame and improves his pitch selection. Brito is one of the fastest players in the system once under way, and his speed gives him good range in the outfield, although his routes are sometimes poor. He has plus arm strength and is improving his accuracy. He is still years away but has the tools to profile as a big league regular if he figures everything out. He'll advance to low Class A in 2013.
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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #30 prospect in 2012
  The Diamondbacks signed Brito out of the Dominican Republic for $190,000 in February 2010, then voided the deal and re-signed him for $90,000 when he failed a steroid test two months later. After serving a 50-game suspension, Brito saw his first pro action in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in 2010 before making his U.S. debut last year. His game mentality quickly made him a favorite of coaches and scouts in the Arizona League. Brito, who has drawn comparisons to Garret Anderson, has a rocksolid physique with room to get stronger. He shows a lot of power during batting practice and should have more pop in games once he gets his upper and lower halves working more in sync. Brito has slightly above-average speed and is still refining his basestealing skills. He has played all three outfield spots and probably fits best in right field. He has a strong arm that's still a touch inaccurate. He'll still be only 19 this year, which he'll begin in extended spring training before heading to Missoula or Yakima in June.

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Brito broke out at Double-A Mobile in 2015 and opened 2016 in a platoon with Chris Owings after big league center fielder A.J. Pollock injured his elbow and missed most of the year. But Brito struggled at the plate, batting just .179/.196/.358, and spent more than half the season at Triple-A Reno. He also missed time with a fractured toe. Scouting Report: Brito still possesses the tools that have tantalized since he first signed with Arizona in 2010. While he doesn't have great bat speed, he has upper-body strength with good line-drive power to the gaps, but he hasn't yet developed a good approach at the plate or the feel to hit. He often chases bad pitches and could stand to work counts better. A plus runner with a plus arm, Brito has the ability and range to play all three outfield positions, though some observers don't believe he's agile enough for center field. He also needs to learn to use his speed better on the bases.
  
  The Future: Brito fractured his hamate in November while preparing for winter ball in his native Dominican Republic. While he should be healed in time for spring training, the injury is worth watching as he tries to win a big league job out of camp.