Gioskar Amaya
| AB | 2706 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .271 |
| OBP | .348 |
| SLG | .387 |
| HR | 33 |
- Full name Gioskar Julio Amaya
- Born 12/13/1992 in Bejumas, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 175 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Amaya starred alongside Marco Hernandez in the Rookie-level Arizona League during their 2011 U.S. debuts, and again at Boise last summer. Amaya can do a little bit of everything, but he stands out most for how easy he makes it all look. When the Cubs needed an emergency infielder in Triple-A in mid-May, they sent him to Iowa and he delivered a double in his lone at-bat. Amaya uses a short, quick swing that has produced a .333 batting average in two years in the United States. He's growing into some sneaky power and has plus speed, and he hinted at both with his Northwest League-leading 12 triples last summer. After alternating between second base and shortstop with Hernandez in the AZL, Amaya played exclusively at the keystone in 2012 with Boise. His range and arm strength weren't quite good enough at shortstop but are solid at second. He topped NWL second basemen with a .968 fielding percentage. Club officials love his makeup and how he's locked in to play every day. If Amaya keeps producing at the plate when he gets to full-season ball in 2013, he'll start to move quickly.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Amaya showed off his best tool (his bat) by hitting .377 in the Arizona League last year, but he didn't hit a single home run. This summer he popped eight and also led the NWL with 12 triples, showing improved power with his short, quick swing. A sneaky above-average runner who profiles as a tablesetter, he needs to continue to improve his pitch recognition. Amaya and Hernandez have been teammates for the past three seasons now. The two alternated in the middle of the diamond in the AZL, but Hernandez is the better defender and Amaya played exclusively at second base in 2012. His range and arm are just a bit subpar to play shortstop but work fine at second base. -
Amaya spent as much time this year at second base and third base as at shortstop, and that may define his role moving forward. He has the glove and natural instincts to play any position but lacks the quickness and arm to play shortstop on an everyday basis. There's little question about Amaya's bat, as he hit .377/.417/.510 and led the AZL with 77 hits in his first season Stateside. A solid line-drive hitter with gap power, he has strong hands and a good swing. He has above-average speed but may slow down slightly as he gets bigger. Amaya is a smart, instinctive player and made great strides in learning the English language this year. He should be able to move quickly through the system.
