Luis Sardinas

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Texas Rangers #7 prospect in 2015
  The Rangers' July 2 haul in 2009 included $1.55 million to Jurickson Profar from Curacao and $1.2 million to Sardinas out of Venezuela. Injuries slowed Sardinas his first three years, but injuries to other players in the organization helped push him up the ladder in 2014 for three separate big league stints. Sardinas isn't short, but he plays the little man's game. He has good hand-eye coordination, goes with where the ball is pitched and generally stays within the strike zone. His bat-to-ball skills are advanced, but he hits the ball on the ground frequently and has bottom-of-the-scale power, so his bat lacks impact. A double-plus runner earlier in his career, Sardinas now is a plus runner, though his stolen base total has dipped each season. He's a talented defensive shortstop with nimble feet, smooth actions, good instincts and an above-average arm. Fatigue hampered Sardinas' speed, range and even arm in 2014, so getting stronger continues to be a focal point. Sardinas is in the wrong organization, blocked by Elvis Andrus at shortstop, Rougned Odor at second and oft-injured Profar ahead of him. He should be at least a utility player, with a chance to be a defensive-oriented regular who hits at the bottom of the order.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #6 prospect in 2014
  The Rangers signed Jurickson Profar from Curacao and Sardinas from Venezuela on July 2, 2009, with Sardinas commanding a $1.2 million bonus. While Profar zipped through the system, a slew of injuries cut Sardinas' 2010-12 seasons short. After adding strength to his skinny frame, Sardinas stayed healthy in 2013 and reached Double-A Frisco in August as a 20-year-old. He has spent the last two seasons moving through the system with double-play partner Rougned Odor. While Odor has more offensive upside, Sardinas is the superior defender. A 70 runner with good range and an above-average arm, he's light on his feet and is adept at charging balls and making the instinctive play. He has all the tools to be an above-average defender, though like many young shortstops he still tends to lose focus and make errors on routine plays. Sardinas has minimal power, so he plays a contact-oriented game at the plate, hitting line drives to all fields and keeping the ball on the ground. He has good bat-to-ball skills and solid plate discipline, so he could hit for a high average. Sardinas was in over his head when he got to Double-A, so he should return to Frisco to start 2014. He has the defense and contact skills to be an everyday shortstop, but the development of his plate patience and strength will determine whether he hits at the top or bottom of the lineup, or whether he fits better as a utility man.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #7 prospect in 2013
  Sardinas and Jurickson Profar both signed seven-figure deals with the Rangers as 16-year-old shortstops on July 2, 2009. While Profar has rocketed to the big leagues, Sardinas has made slower progress while contending with injures since signing for $1.2 million. A broken finger delayed his 2010 pro debut, and a dislocated shoulder that required surgery limited him to 14 games the following year. He was mostly healthy in 2012, missing time here and there with shoulder soreness. Sardinas has some of the most intriguing tools in the system. His speed, arm strength and defensive potential all grade as double-plus. He has a knack for hitting and shows looseness from both sides of the plate. Because he's skinny, he likes to use an exaggerated load, but Texas has stressed that proper hitting position and a balanced, direct swing will translate to some natural power. Sardinas is an effective basestealer who succeeded on 32 of 41 tries in 2012. With quick feet and plenty of agility, he can make all the plays at shortstop. Sardinas hit .326/.366/.436 in 181 second-half at-bats and gained further experience in the Arizona Fall League, readying him for the jump to high Class A in 2013.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #17 prospect in 2012
  Texas signed two Latin American shortstops for seven figures in 2009, Jurickson Profar ($1.55 million) and Sardinas ($1.2 million). While Profar has generated more attention and ranks No. 1 on this list, Sardinas may have better raw tools. But he hasn't been able to stay healthy and doesn't have the same polish. A broken finger delayed his 2010 pro debut, and a dislocated shoulder on a swing and miss during instructional league that fall led to surgery and limited him to just 14 games last year. While scouts don't necessarily think of Sardinas as injury-prone, they do question his durability and slight frame. A quick-twitch athlete, he reminds the Rangers of a young Tony Fernandez. Sardinas is a plus-plus runner with first-step quickness and lateral agility, giving him better speed and range than Profar. Sardinas has above-average arm strength and smooth actions in the field. As a switch-hitter with impressive hand-eye coordination, he offers a similar offensive package to Profar. Sardinas is skinny but not weak, and he has some whip in his swing that produces gap power, though he occasionally tries too hard to muscle up in his swing. His bat takes a good path to the ball, though it's better from the right side, and he would benefit from staying on top of the ball more often. Texas would like to see Sardinas advance to low Class A in 2012 and stay healthy for the entire season.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #8 prospect in 2011
  Texas invested seven-figure bonuses in two Latin American shortstops in 2009, landing Jurickson Profar and Sardinas ($1.2 million). Sardinas' 2010 pro debut was delayed when a pitch hit him on the hand in extended spring training, and he dislocated his shoulder on a swing and miss during instructional league. Sardinas is a quick-twitch athlete who reminds the Rangers of a young Tony Fernandez. He has louder raw tools than Profar but is less advanced in all phases of the game. Sardinas is a plus-plus runner with a lightningquick first step that gives him excellent range at shortstop and the potential to be an elite basestealer. He also has above-average arm strength, but he must become more consistent defensively and avoid concentration lapses. Sardinas currently lacks strength at the plate and tries to compensate--especially as a lefthanded hitter--with his upper body in a way that gets his lower half out of sync and causes him to swing uphill. The Rangers want him to stay on top of the ball and hit it on the ground to use his speed better. He'll never hit for power, but he has the hand-eye coordination to hit for average and use the gaps. Shoulder surgery will knock Sardinas out for most of 2011, but the Rangers can wait on his talent. If he adds strength and polish, he could be a dynamic shortstop.
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  Ranked Texas Rangers #13 prospect in 2010
  The Rangers believe Jurickson Profar and Sardinas are two of the best shortstop prospects that have appeared on the international market in the last five years, and they signed both for seven-figure bonuses in 2009. Sardinas showed a propensity for hitting better in games than in batting practice as an amateur, and he appeared in the Perfect Game National Showcase in Minneapolis in mid-June before signing with Texas for $1.2 million. Sardinas is a true shortstop with a wiry, athletic frame that evokes that of former all-star Tony Fernandez. He has smooth infield actions, sure hands, excellent range and above-average arm strength at shortstop. He projects as an above-average defender as he gains experience. Sardinas ran a 6.83-second 60-yard dash at the Perfect Game showcase and has been clocked as low as 6.6 seconds, making him an above-average runner. Offensively, he has a loose, wristy swing and a slap approach from both sides of the plate. He has decent plate discipline for his age and has shown an ability to work the count and take walks. He has started gain weight and strength since signing, and the Rangers envision him as a solid line-drive hitter in time. He'll always have below-average power, however. Sardinas will start 2010 in extended spring training before making his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League. He has a chance to be a slick-fielding everyday shortstop with speed and the ability to get on base.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #20 prospect in 2014
  Evaluators who like Sardinas most give him present or future plus grades in every category but power, which is well below-average. He particularly excels on defense, with wide range and a strong arm at shortstop, with comparisons ranging from a young Ozzie Guillen to Elvis Andrus. Injuries up and down the Rangers system prompted the organization to push Sardinas aggressively from Double-A Frisco to Round Rock up to Texas for three separate callups. Thus the 21-year-old hit an empty .281/.302/.364 in 81 minor league games this season, relying on contact ability from both sides of the plate and plus speed. "He has the baseball IQ and instincts to steal bases," one Double-A Texas League manager said. "The only question left is the drive to and want to, (but) he's still young and needs to mature a little to play the game at a high level." A rival PCL manager said Sardinas clearly was talented, but he wasn't sure he was a slam-dunk big league starter because he doesn't impact the ball or always make smart on-field decisions.
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  Ranked Carolina League #14 prospect in 2013
  For the second straight season, Sardinas formed one of the minors? best double-play combinations with second baseman Rougned Odor. He has an above-average arm and solid range that should improve with experience and as he continues to learn to read pitches off the bat. A fearless defender, Sardinas turns the double play with ease, though he tends to lose focus at times in the field, particularly on routine plays. Whether Sardinas joins Odor on a path to the big leagues depends on the continued development of his bat. He succeeds by putting the ball on the ground and using sub-four-seconds speed to first base to beat out throws. He could grow into some line-drive pop, particularly from his natural right side, where he does a better job of barreling balls. Sardinas knows his role and does a good job bunting and hitting behind runners. He uses his speed well on the basepaths and has the instincts to be a basestealing threat. ?He knows his game. He knows he is not a power guy,? Myrtle Beach?s Wood said. ?For him to be successful, he has to hit the ball on the ground, stay on top of the ball. He needed to be that table-setter, and he showed that he has the ability to do it.?
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  Ranked Texas League #11 prospect in 2013
  Sardinas and double-play partner Rougned Odor made their Double-A debuts on the same night, Aug. 1, after starring in the high Class A Carolina League. With their limited time in the TL, both middle infielders barely qualified for this prospect ranking, but both showed enough promise to warrant inclusion. Sardinas signed for $1.2 million four years ago on the same day as Jurickson Profar. Sardinas didn?t quite catch up to the speed of Double-A in his month in the TL, batting an empty .259 in 29 games, but his manager, Buechele, described him as a ?pesky offensive player.? A switch-hitter, Sardinas puts the ball in play and can sometimes reach the gaps. He?s probably more comfortable now from the right side. Sardinas needs to continue to learn the strike zone, as he?ll contribute more offensively with his plus-plus speed and by getting on base than with power. Defensively, he?s a smooth shortstop who glides to balls to his left and right while showcasing above-average arm strength. Given his youth, he had a tendency to lose focus, but if it comes together he?s a first-division shortstop.
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  Ranked Arizona Complex League #17 prospect in 2011
  Following his strong pro debut in 2010, Sardinas ranked No. 8 on both our AZL and Rangers prospect list. But his progress stalled this year after he dislocated his throwing shoulder last fall, requiring surgery, and hurt his left shoulder in mid-July, right before he was to be promoted. A switch-hitter, Sardinas batted only righthanded this year in order to protect his throwing shoulder. He has little power but puts the bat on the ball, allowing him to make the most of his plus-plus speed. When healthy, he's an excellent defensive shoulder with a strong arm, but he has played just 40 games in two years because of hand and shoulder injuries.
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  Ranked Arizona Complex League #8 prospect in 2010
  The Rangers gave seven-figure bonuses to a pair of Latin American shortstops in 2009, and they're already seeing positive returns from Jurickson Profar (the No. 1 prospect in the short-season Northwest League) and Sardinas. After missing the first month after a pitch hit him on the hand in extended spring training, Sardinas showed plus speed and defensive tools to go with a promising bat. A switch-hitter, Sardinas has good on-base skills and should hit with more power as he adds strength to his 160-pound frame. His speed grades as a 65 on the 20-80 scouting scale, and he can zoom to first base in less than four seconds on bunts. He also has all the tools to be a standout defender. He has plus range, tremendous quickness and a strong arm. He tends to take a few plays off in game, typical of many young players.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Sardinas and Jurickson Profar both signed seven-figure deals with the Rangers as 16-year-old shortstops on July 2, 2009. While Profar has rocketed to the big leagues, Sardinas has made slower progress while contending with injures since signing for $1.2 million. A broken finger delayed his 2010 pro debut, and a dislocated shoulder that required surgery limited him to 14 games the following year. He was mostly healthy in 2012, missing time here and there with shoulder soreness. Scouting Report: Sardinas has some of the most intriguing tools in the system. His speed, arm strength and defensive potential all grade as double-plus. He has a knack for hitting and shows looseness from both sides of the plate even with excess movement in his setup. Because he's skinny, he likes to use an exaggerated load, but Texas has stressed that proper hitting position and a balanced, direct swing will translate to some natural power. Sardinas is an effective basestealer who succeeded on 32 of 41 tries in 2012. With quick feet and plenty of agility, he can make all the plays at shortstop. The Future: Sardinas hit .326/.366/.436 in 181 second-half at-bats and gained further experience in the Arizona Fall League, readying for the jump to high Class A in 2013. His offensive development and health will determine whether he'll be a first-division regular.