Dayan Viciedo Scouting Report (2009)
Dayan Viciedo's 2009 season disappointed many as his .280/.317/.391 line in AA as a 20-year old was not quite up to par for an international signing who received an 8-figure signing bonus. In fairness to Viciedo, his season was solid if one peels away the prospect hype and considers age vs. level. With many solid prospects being in full-season A at Viciedo's age, I ran the equivalency calculator to project what Viciedo would have done at the appropriate level. The results? A .352/.402/.493 line which would completely change the current prospect conversation about him.</p>
Physique & Athleticism: In uniform, Viciedo looked a bit bloated as his thick upper body gave way to thinner limbs. He is quite strong and will always have a wide body, but his weight is likely to be an issue his entire career; or at least until he is able to redistribute it proportionally through a good weight program.
When not on offense, his baseball movements were slow as if his extra weight was getting in the way. At the plate, it did not seem as if his girth impeded his swing.
Offense: With truly elite bat speed, Viciedo simply does not need all of the extra muscle and movement currently incorporated into his swing mechanics. Like so many international prospects, the extra movement negatively effects timing and the ability to repeat his swing. Early in the count, he flailed wildly at any pitch near the strike zone pulling off badly. Conversely, he had a fantastic two-strike approach in which he shortened his swing to make hard contact and hammered two lasers for singles back up the middle. His approach was enough to drive most hitting coaches crazy, but his offensive ability is still tantalizing. He is the type of hitter whose power could really take off if he just trusted his hands and worked on being short and compact through the strike zone on every swing.
Defense: Viciedo was able to handle balls hit directly at him, but he stabbed at balls with his glove showing hard hands. His lateral movement was non-existent, and his arm action looked labored. Since the 2009 season ended, news about Viciedo having some minor arm problems have surfaced. At the big league level, he is likely to settle in as a 1B/DH.
Speed: Stolen bases will never be a part of Viciedo's game. He is likely to become a liability on the base paths.
As with many big money international prospects, Viciedo just was not able to live up to the hype surrounding his signing. It was unfair to expect so much from him, but Viciedo certainly did not do himself any favors by playing the season out of shape. In 2010, he may once again find himself in Birmingham as he works on the finer parts of his game. The offensive ceiling is still there, but he is going to have to adopt a more professional approach to reach it.
Physique & Athleticism: In uniform, Viciedo looked a bit bloated as his thick upper body gave way to thinner limbs. He is quite strong and will always have a wide body, but his weight is likely to be an issue his entire career; or at least until he is able to redistribute it proportionally through a good weight program.
When not on offense, his baseball movements were slow as if his extra weight was getting in the way. At the plate, it did not seem as if his girth impeded his swing.
Offense: With truly elite bat speed, Viciedo simply does not need all of the extra muscle and movement currently incorporated into his swing mechanics. Like so many international prospects, the extra movement negatively effects timing and the ability to repeat his swing. Early in the count, he flailed wildly at any pitch near the strike zone pulling off badly. Conversely, he had a fantastic two-strike approach in which he shortened his swing to make hard contact and hammered two lasers for singles back up the middle. His approach was enough to drive most hitting coaches crazy, but his offensive ability is still tantalizing. He is the type of hitter whose power could really take off if he just trusted his hands and worked on being short and compact through the strike zone on every swing.
Defense: Viciedo was able to handle balls hit directly at him, but he stabbed at balls with his glove showing hard hands. His lateral movement was non-existent, and his arm action looked labored. Since the 2009 season ended, news about Viciedo having some minor arm problems have surfaced. At the big league level, he is likely to settle in as a 1B/DH.
Speed: Stolen bases will never be a part of Viciedo's game. He is likely to become a liability on the base paths.
As with many big money international prospects, Viciedo just was not able to live up to the hype surrounding his signing. It was unfair to expect so much from him, but Viciedo certainly did not do himself any favors by playing the season out of shape. In 2010, he may once again find himself in Birmingham as he works on the finer parts of his game. The offensive ceiling is still there, but he is going to have to adopt a more professional approach to reach it.
