Tyler Saladino

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #19 prospect in 2015
  A San Diego prep product, Saladino was having a key bounceback season in 2014 at Triple-A Charlotte when he tore his ulnar collateral ligament on a throw home from left field and required season-ending surgery. Saladino remains athletic enough to play shortstop, with an above-average arm pre-injury, and good enough footwork and soft hands stay in the dirt at any spot. He played left field and first base to stay in the Charlotte lineup in 2014 and is an average runner. Saladino has a sound approach at the plate, regularly ranking among the top players in the system in walk rate, and has the power to punish mistakes, but he lacks the hitting ability to be a first-division regular. However, he could be a first-division utilityman and is on the 40-man roster, so he could earn that chance in Chicago in 2015.
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  Ranked Chicago White Sox #26 prospect in 2013
  A productive hitter in college at Palomar (Calif.) JC and Oral Roberts and in his first two pro seasons, Saladino faced adversity for the first time in 2012. The year started on a positive note, as he earned a mid-spring promotion from minor league camp and caught manager Robin Ventura's eye during Cactus League action. But Saladino hit just .236 during the regular season, 46 points below his previous career average, and his .315 slugging percentage represented a 164-point drop. Though he hit 16 homers in high Class A in 2011, he projects as a line-drive hitter with occasional pop. To his credit, Saladino maintained his plate discipline through his struggles, and his on-base ability may be the best part of his offensive game. He's just an average runner but managed to steal 39 bases in 47 attempts. A surehanded fielder with a strong arm and good instincts, Saladino doesn't have true shortstop range. He could wind up at second base and played 21 games there last year. He'll try to bounce back in 2013, likely beginning the season in Double-A.
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  Ranked Chicago White Sox #7 prospect in 2012
  The White Sox drafted Saladino mostly on his reputation as a hitter, taking him in the seventh round after he hit .381 with 17 homers at Oral Roberts in 2010. He nearly matched that longball total in his first full season as a pro, smashing 16 in high Class A despite missing the first month after breaking a bone in his hand during spring training. He continued to play well in the Arizona Fall League. Saladino doesn't have a standout tool but he's a steady all-around player. He has a line-drive, all-fields approach at the plate, making consistent contact with surprising power. He projects as a possible 30-double/15- homer threat at U.S. Cellular Field. He has average speed and range at shortstop, though his instincts allow him to play above his physical ability. His strong arm would fit at third base if he has to move off shortstop. Ticketed for Double-A in 2012, Saladino faces a shortstop logjam ahead. Alexei Ramirez is entrenched in Chicago, while prospects Osvaldo Martinez and Eduardo Escobar already have reached Triple-A and gotten cups of coffee in the majors. Saladino has a better bat than Martinez and Escobar, and he eventually could help the Sox at second or third base or as an offensive-minded utilityman.
• 
  Ranked Chicago White Sox #20 prospect in 2011
  All Saladino does is hit. He was a conference player of the year in consecutive seasons, first when he batted .453 for Palomar (Calif.) JC in 2009, and again when he hit .381 with 17 home runs at Oral Roberts last spring. Undrafted out of high school, he turned down the Astros as a 36th-round pick in 2009 before signing for $115,000 as a seventh-rounder last June. Saladino's swing can get long, leading to strikeouts, but he has a quick bat that gives him surprising gap power for his build. He has plus speed and could fit as a No. 2 hitter if he makes more consistent contact. Saladino's first-step quickness allows him to get to a lot of balls at shortstop, and he has the plus arm get outs on tough chances deep in the hole. Some scouts believe his defense will allow him to climb the ladder even if he slows down as a hitter. He profiles as a big league middle infielder if he continues to hit, or a productive utility player if his bat doesn't quite measure up. He could start his first full pro season in high Class A after batting .309 at Kannapolis in his pro debut.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Carolina League #20 prospect in 2011
  Saladino beat out Juan Silverio, who played alongside him on the left side of Winston-Salem's infield, for the final spot on this list. Both project more as useful backups than first-divison regulars, though Saladino's bat and steady defense intrigued CL observers. Saladino has a track record of hitting as an amateur at Palomar (Calif.) JC and Oral Roberts, and he has been productive as a pro. With good bat speed and hand-eye coordination as well as a solid grasp of the strike zone, he hits line drives all over the field. He has some surprising pop, too, and led the CL with nine triples. He has fringy speed and his range is just adequate at shortstop, but Saladino has soft hands and solid arm strength. He makes the routine play and will be able to handle second or third base if he ends up in a utility role.

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  strong>Background: The White Sox drafted Saladino mostly on his reputation as a hitter, taking him in the seventh round after he hit .381 with 17 homers at Oral Roberts in 2010. He nearly matched that longball total in his first full season as a pro, smashing 16 in high Class A despite missing the first month after breaking a bone in his hand during spring training. He continued to play well in the Arizona Fall League.Scouting Report: Saladino doesn't have a standout tool, but he's a steady all-around player. He has a line-drive, all-fields approach at the plate, making consistent contact and showing surprising power. He projects as a possible 30-double/15-homer threat at U.S. Cellular Field. He has average speed and range at shortstop, though his instincts allow him to play above his physical ability. His strong arm would fit at third base if he has to move off shortstop.The Future: Ticketed for Double-A in 2012, Saladino faces a shortstop logjam ahead. Alexei Ramirez is entrenched in Chicago, while prospects Osvaldo Martinez and Eduardo Escobar already have reached Triple-A and gotten cups of coffee in the majors. Saladino has a better bat than Martinez and Escobar, and he eventually could help the Sox at second or third base or as an offensive-minded utilityman.