Evan Gattis

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #8 prospect in 2013
  Gattis took a four-year hiatus from baseball before surfacing at NCAA Division II Texas-Permian Basin in 2010 and signing for $1,000 as a 23rd-rounder that June. He won the low Class A South Atlantic League batting title (.322) in his first full pro season, then slugged 18 homers in 74 games while battling tendinitis in his right wrist in 2012. Gattis possesses more raw power than any hitter in the system. He generates impressive bat speed with lightning-quick wrists and tremendous strength, producing power from foul pole to foul pole. He controls the strike zone and barrels the ball with consistency. Gattis' layoff shows how raw he is as a catcher. He has solid arm strength and threw out 39 percent of basestealers in 2012, but he's rough as a receiver and awkward behind the plate. He has enough athleticism to play left field adequately, where he saw most of his action in Double-A and in winter ball. He has below-average speed but moves well for his size and runs the bases aggressively. Gattis could follow the path of Josh Willingham, a catcher-turned-outfielder who didn't establish himself in the big leagues until age 27. A strong winter in Venezuela should prepare Gattis for Triple-A and possible big league shot in 2013.
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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #27 prospect in 2012
  A bargain for $1,000 in the 23rd round of the 2010 draft, Gattis seemed to emerge from nowhere during the second half of his first full pro season. He opened 2011 in extended spring training and played only part-time upon joining Rome in early May. The promotion of Christian Bethancourt in late June opened an opportunity behind the plate and Gattis made the most of it. He hit .382 in August and won the South Atlantic League batting title with a .322 average. He also tied for fifth with 22 homers despite playing in just 88 games. Gattis has a quick, compact swing that generates plus raw power. He gets excellent leverage from his tall frame and can hit lasers when he gets his arms extended. He lacks patience at the plate, something more advanced pitchers may be able to exploit. Though he's a below-average runner, he's not bad for his size or his position. Gattis does a good job of working with pitchers but looks rusty and mechanical at times behind the plate. That's understandable considering that Gattis didn't play baseball for four years. He originally committed to Texas A&M but never wound up in College Station, admittedly terrified of playing big-time college baseball. He spent a month in drug rehab because his parents worried that he smoked marijuana too often, then hurt his left knee at Seminole State (Okla.) JC and left. He spent three years driving around the country and living out of his pickup. Gattis has the arm strength and receiving skills to make it as a catcher, but he still has a lot of work to do behind the plate. He threw out just 23 percent of basestealers and committed 10 errors and 15 passed balls in 52 games last year. If he can't polish his catching, he'd have to make it as a first baseman, where he saw some action in 2011. Gattis is already 25 but he's intriguing and could jump on the fast track if he gets off to a hot start in high Class A this year.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Gattis took a four-year hiatus from baseball before surfacing at NCAA Division II Texas-Permian Basin in 2010 and signing for $1,000 as a 23rd-rounder that June. He won the low Class A South Atlantic League batting title (.322) in his first full pro season, then slugged 18 homers in 74 games while battling tendinitis in his right wrist in 2012. Scouting Report: Gattis possesses more raw power than any hitter in the system. He generates impressive bat speed with lightning-quick wrists and tremendous strength, producing power from foul pole to foul pole. He controls the strike zone and barrels the ball with consistency. Gattis' layoff shows with how raw he is as a catcher. He has solid arm strength and threw out 39 percent of basestealers in 2012, but he's rough as a receiver and awkward behind the plate. He has enough athleticism to become adequate in left field, where he saw most of his action in Double-A. He has below-average speed but moves well for his size and runs the bases aggressively. The Future: Gattis could follow the path of Josh Willingham, who tried to make it as a catcher and didn't establish himself in the big leagues until age 27. A strong winter in Venezuela should prepare Gattis to advance to Triple-A in 2013, and he could make his major league debut later in the year.