Albert Cordero Scouting Report (2010)
In only two games, New York Mets catching prospect Albert Cordero solidified himself in my mind as one of the top-3 true catching prospects I saw in person this past season. At 20, the young Venezuelan threw out nearly half a dozen baserunners and mixed in a couple of line drive singles for good measure earning a start in what wound up being the final playoff game of Savannah's season. Likely to return in 2011, Albert Cordero will partner with Neifi Zapata to make the best catching combination Savannah has had in years.
Physical Projection: Listed at 5'11", 175 lbs, Cordero appeared to be closer to 190 pounds. Evenly proportioned, he may have a touch more room to fill out, but he currently has the ideal combination of size and athleticism behind the plate so why mess with a good thing? Whether at the plate or behind it, Cordero's quickness stands out immediately. Having watched catching coaches work with me for over a decade, and having played against current and former professional catchers, I trust my father's opinion when he exclaimed, "Other than Cordero and the third baseman on the other team (Nolan Arenado), nobody on the field really stands out as anything special."
Offense: With quick wrists and a high leg kick, Cordero packs some punch for a player without a ton of size. His swing with less than two strikes is fluid, yet aggressive and allows him to tap into the power he does have which is evident by his .469 slugging percentage. However, Cordero struck me as more of a line drive spray hitter in game action and my gut tells me his power may not translate fully at higher levels.
What impressed me most about Cordero's offensive approach was his ability to spread out and shorten up with two strikes in an effort to make contact. This adjustment speaks volumes of his baseball acumen and seeing a lesson in "Hitting 101" is a rarity at the level when so many hitters are content to just "grip it, and rip it" throughout an entire at bat.
Defense: It's rare to watch a player defensively in the South Atlantic League and not be able to identify an obvious weakness, especially amongst catchers. With the position having so many nuances to master, backstops often develop at a much slower rate than prospects at other positions. In Cordero however, his on-field leadership and defensive prowess showed through quickly. In only two games, Cordero accumulated more caught stealings than catchers should have in a week or more. In gunning down three runners at second base, one at third, and successfully executing the rare pick off at first base, Cordero had lightning quick footwork and a strong, accurate arm which I would rate at slightly above average. Also present were receiving and blocking skills, as well as the ability to manage a game even though he had very little experience catching the pitcher, or working with Sand Gnats defenders.
Speed: He's a catcher. What do you expect? Cordero will never steal bases, but his feet are an asset defensively and that's really all that matters.
If one needs a sleeper for a top-20 New York Mets prospect list, Albert Cordero is your guy. As a matter of fact, I'm shocked that I had never heard of Cordero spoken about in prospect circles prior to watching him in person. By the end of 2011, it would not surprise me if Cordero was regarded as the top catching prospect in the organization and appeared on many "inquire" lists of other major league organizations should the Mets new regime find a way to field a contending team in 2011. Look for him to surface on a big league roster sometime in 2013 with the possibility of being the type of catcher who doesn't "wow" on paper, but becomes both an on-field asset and fan favorite due to his all-around skill set and high baseball IQ.
Physical Projection: Listed at 5'11", 175 lbs, Cordero appeared to be closer to 190 pounds. Evenly proportioned, he may have a touch more room to fill out, but he currently has the ideal combination of size and athleticism behind the plate so why mess with a good thing? Whether at the plate or behind it, Cordero's quickness stands out immediately. Having watched catching coaches work with me for over a decade, and having played against current and former professional catchers, I trust my father's opinion when he exclaimed, "Other than Cordero and the third baseman on the other team (Nolan Arenado), nobody on the field really stands out as anything special."
Offense: With quick wrists and a high leg kick, Cordero packs some punch for a player without a ton of size. His swing with less than two strikes is fluid, yet aggressive and allows him to tap into the power he does have which is evident by his .469 slugging percentage. However, Cordero struck me as more of a line drive spray hitter in game action and my gut tells me his power may not translate fully at higher levels.
What impressed me most about Cordero's offensive approach was his ability to spread out and shorten up with two strikes in an effort to make contact. This adjustment speaks volumes of his baseball acumen and seeing a lesson in "Hitting 101" is a rarity at the level when so many hitters are content to just "grip it, and rip it" throughout an entire at bat.
Defense: It's rare to watch a player defensively in the South Atlantic League and not be able to identify an obvious weakness, especially amongst catchers. With the position having so many nuances to master, backstops often develop at a much slower rate than prospects at other positions. In Cordero however, his on-field leadership and defensive prowess showed through quickly. In only two games, Cordero accumulated more caught stealings than catchers should have in a week or more. In gunning down three runners at second base, one at third, and successfully executing the rare pick off at first base, Cordero had lightning quick footwork and a strong, accurate arm which I would rate at slightly above average. Also present were receiving and blocking skills, as well as the ability to manage a game even though he had very little experience catching the pitcher, or working with Sand Gnats defenders.
Speed: He's a catcher. What do you expect? Cordero will never steal bases, but his feet are an asset defensively and that's really all that matters.
If one needs a sleeper for a top-20 New York Mets prospect list, Albert Cordero is your guy. As a matter of fact, I'm shocked that I had never heard of Cordero spoken about in prospect circles prior to watching him in person. By the end of 2011, it would not surprise me if Cordero was regarded as the top catching prospect in the organization and appeared on many "inquire" lists of other major league organizations should the Mets new regime find a way to field a contending team in 2011. Look for him to surface on a big league roster sometime in 2013 with the possibility of being the type of catcher who doesn't "wow" on paper, but becomes both an on-field asset and fan favorite due to his all-around skill set and high baseball IQ.
