2014 Mets Top Prospects: No. 8 Amed Rosario, SS

8. Amed Rosario, SS

Height: 6’2”
Weight: 170 lbs.
Age: 18
Bats/Throws: Right/Right

I’m sure everyone has heard by now that Amed Rosario was ranked the number one prospect in the Appalachian League despite slashing .241/.279/.358 in 212 AB’s. He is still very much an extremely raw player so it’s a bit too early to start labeling him the next Troy Tulowitski but he’s a great player to dream on. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2012 for $1.75 million, Rosario just turned 18 years old in November of last year and there’s a lot to be excited about here. Rosario rates as a potential five-tool player that might be able to stick at shortstop; an absolute rarity. Even though some scouts think he might have to move to third base or a corner outfield spot once his 6’2” frame fills out, he is described as having fluid actions, above average speed, and a strong arm so he won’t be a liability, regardless of his future position.

Fangraphs describes him defensively as a future average third basemen at worst, however, his offensive side is what needs the most polish as his swing is wild and inconsistent, occasionally causing him to lose balance. He also tends to dip his right shoulder throughout his swing at times, which gives him some trouble turning on inside pitches and causes him to frequently get jammed. Despite these inconsistencies, he has above average raw power and very quick hands that, with proper development, could allow him to hit for a high average with low strikeout numbers and hit more home runs than your typical shortstop. His above average speed could also allow him to sprinkle in a healthy amount of steals as well, provided he can get on base at a good clip. A very promising sign from Rosario is that he has shown, albeit inconsistently, the ability to drive the ball the other way. When you put all of this together, you have an incredible athlete that could be an asset on both offense and defense but is quite far off from reaching that goal.

Outlook: Within Rosario is a repertoire of tools that gives him the chance to develop into a perennial All Star and franchise player. It is up to him to take the necessary steps and apply his tools to game situations, while ridding the inconsistencies from his game. It is way, way too early to worry about the flaws in his swing. Starting last season as the youngest player in the Appy League put him at an immediate disadvantage and, putting up the numbers he did, he showed he is quite an advanced ballplayer for his age. Experiencing a season of advanced pitching will give him the opportunity to make some noise in Brooklyn this year, where he’ll likely begin the season . With a breakout performance there, it is a certainty that you will start to hear his name more often. Although he still many years away from making his major league debut, Rosario probably has the best chance of any player in the Mets organization to develop into a future top 10 prospect in all of baseball. It will take an extreme amount of will, work, and effort to reach that status, however. Let’s just hope he wants it as much as his fans do.