Yasmani Grandal

[Benihana]

Might as well start the official thread for the Reds' first round pick.

Feel free to post any and all information on Yasmani here.

[Vottomatic]

Will they keep him at catcher?

[JayBruce]

Originally Posted by Vottomatic

Will they keep him at catcher?

Put him in LF or 1B. We don't have many guys at those spots.

[Blitz Dorsey]

Yes, he is known most for his defense, so he is a catcher all the way.

[mdccclxix]

FWIW, I remember when the Reds took Yonder, Buckley really praised the recent Miami tradition of batters, mentioning Aubrey Huff and Ryan Braun. Seems that continues on.

[Benihana]

IF he signs, I think the plan is for him to remain at Catcher. However, if Mez can continue to rake, they will either have an extremely valuable trade chip or they can move Grandal to 3B. Hopefully he'll have enough stick to play there.

[Lockdwn11]

Originally Posted by Blitz Dorsey

Yes, he is known most for his defense, so he is a catcher all the way.

Everything I have seen says his Defense is avg. at best and that is his bat that will get him drafted.

[11larkin11]

I read a scouting report over on SoSH from when they drafted him out of HS, and it mentioned he was the best defensive catcher in the draft. Hart also mentioned on the telecast that his defense was "good, if not spectacular". So I'd like to see some other reports.

[Benihana]

Between Yasmani, Yonder, and Yorman, we could be the killer Ys in a few years.

[Vottomatic]

We sure love those Cubans.

[Scrap Irony]

Reds could have a Y the Last Man Standing Night at the ballpark.

Come dressed as your favorite obscure comic character.

Or perhaps Cuban Cigar Night.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by 11larkin11

I read a scouting report over on SoSH from when they drafted him out of HS, and it mentioned he was the best defensive catcher in the draft. Hart also mentioned on the telecast that his defense was "good, if not spectacular". So I'd like to see some other reports.

Scouting Report
Hitting ability: Strong and physical, Grandal has put up numbers this year, but his hitting overall does not grade out that well. He doesn't have great bat speed

Power: He has a good amount of raw power, though it's not quite plus.

Running speed: He is a well below average runner.

Base running: It's not a part of his game.

Arm strength: His pure grade would be just okay, and his release times aren't great, but he's fairly accurate.

Fielding: He's been strong defensively in the past but doesn't always move his feet well.

Range: He's not the most agile backstop; he's been seen doing better in the past.

Physical Description: Grandal is a big, strong, physical backstop, kind of like a Damon Berryhill type.

Medical Update: Healthy.

Strengths: Good raw power as a switch-hitter; has answered some questions about his bat with his numbers this season; has a solid reputation as a defender.

Weaknesses: Despite a good reputation, his individual defensive tools, other than his arm, don't grade out that well. Lack of bat speed has some concerned about hitting ability.

Summary: Grandal has been on radars since high school, when he opted for the University of Miami rather than the Red Sox. He's come through with his best offensive season at the right time, with consistent production at the plate moving him up Draft boards in a hurry. He's a switch-hitter with some pop, but some worry about his ability as an overall hitter. Defensively, he has a good reputation, but he does need work on things like his footwork. With college catchers always in high demand, Grandal's numbers this spring could very well result in him being the first catcher off the board in the first round

[dougdirt]

Grandal's defense is suspect IMO. Below average arm strength and he isn't the most accurate thrower either. That doesn't usually go well together.

[Scrap Irony]

Odd, doug. Every scouting report I've seen said he has an accurate arm. It's one of his best traits, according to mlb.com.

What scouting report are you referring to?

[Blitz Dorsey]

Anyone have his offensive stats from this year? TIA!