Nobody seems to know much about Roberto Baldoquin, but the Angels paid an exorbitant sum to secure his services. Let’s hope they know what they are doing. We’re assuming they do, so Baldoquin checks in at #3 on our countdown based entirely on how much the Angels paid him.
Roberto Baldoquin
In 10 words or less: High upside Cuban, comes complete with flashy scouting video!
Position: SS Born: 1994
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 5’11” Weight: 176
Last Year Rank: unranked
2014 Season Stats
No stats available, so here is a video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEcodo2xoCQ
OFFENSE
Contact – ?. Does anyone really know what his contact ability is like based off a batting practice video? All I can really say is that I love his path to the ball and how long his bat stays in the zone, but I have no idea about his pitch recognition or if it translates to the game. We know he hit .279 in Cuba as a 19 year old (which is the equivalent of A+/AA).
Power – B. This is really just a rough estimate. He has a powerful frame (clearly) and looks like he has a powerful line drive swing. Reports indicate it’s a doubles type of power and the scouting video seems to support that notion. He really seems to be able to drive the ball to CF and the other way.
Speed – C. This is seen as his lowest tool, which should say a lot about his discipline and contact ability. He’s seen as an average runner and that’s about all.
Discipline – ?. I really have no idea. There’s some concern as to his ability to judge pitches and take a walk, but this really wouldn’t be too different from other Latin American prospects. We do know that Baldoquin had a .372 OBP as a 19 year old and was seen as having a very advanced approach at the plate. I guess we’ll see if it translates.
DEFENSE
Arm – B. Just by watching the video, it seems clear as day Baldoquin has a good enough arm to play shortstop. I wouldn’t call it a plus arm like Aybar, let alone a rifle. But he has enough arm strength to stay at short. He has a very quick glove-to-hand transition and an accurate arm.
Fielding – ?. He makes a lot of really beautiful, impressive plays on the scouting video, but that’s just it, it’s a scouting a video, meant to make him look good. I don’t doubt that he’s good however. It’s hard to fake what he’s doing.
Range – C. There’s some concern over his lateral movement and some scouts believe he may end up at second base. Not many shortstops have Aybar’s range, glove or arm, and Baldoquin doesn’t either. But it seems perfectly clear that right now, he has everything it takes to be a good MLB shortstop.
OVERALL
Performance – ?. Someone give this kid a high-5. Not only did he manage to leave an oppressive dictatorship, but he signed a contract at age 20 that guarantees that if he’s even remotely smart with his money, both he and his family will be taken care of for a very long time. Numbers? The .279/.372 from last year prior to defection seem good. What we do know is that he was one of the best players in the world among 16 year olds and under. At age 16/17 he started playing professionally in Cuba, but played second fiddle to the older and more advanced Alexander Guerrero (currently of the Dodgers). He was never able to break into the lineup on a full time basis, but it seems her numbers were never really that great until his finally earned a starting spot at 3B as a 19 year old and even then the numbers are limited but good. The Angels not only believe in his ability to play ball at the highest level, they also came away from his workouts very impressed with who he is off the field.
Projection – A/B/C. Your guess is as good as mine. It seems like he has the physical capacity, intelligence and refinement to become a really, REALLY good baseball player. But at the same time, if he was that good why were the Angels able to get him for $8 million while other elite prospects are going for five times that high? I know the Angels acted aggressively and signed him before many other teams had a chance to let his market develop, but you have to think there was at least some competition (apparently there may have been from the Phillies)
Grade as a Prospect – B. Sure, he may be amazing, but none of us really know yet. What we do know is that he’s a middle infielder that’s absolutely stacked, comes with a reportedly advanced approach to hitting and is a good person off the field that got $8 million guaranteed before playing his first game in the U.S..
Estimated Time of Arrival – 2017. Baldoquin should probably arrive just as Aybar’s contract comes to an end. It will be quite difficult to see Aybar go. I love his passion for the game and his defensive ability and he’s one of my personal favorites. But who knows, I may grow to love Baldoquin even more. According to well-circulated plans, Baldoquin should start of next season at Inland Empire or AA Arkansas. It’s possible he may even be ready by the end of the season. But it’s more likely he’ll spend a year in either A+/AA and another at AA/AAA. So he should be ready to roll around age 22/23. Pretty good.
2014 in Review*
Roberto Baldoquin definitely played baseball in 2014. He just did in Cuba, so we don’t actually know what he did. I’m sure there is a way to find out, but I think it might violate embargo laws and I’m not about to go committing treason just to have more info in a prospect profile.
The most important thing Roberto did was get himself out of Cuba so that the Angels could sign him to a record international bonus (which has since been surpassed). In so doing, they blew past their international bonus pool, meaning that next season they will be severely restricted on the international market. Those must have been some impressive workouts that the Halos got to witness.
That’s really all we know about him though. He’s a mystery. Heck, his Baseball-Reference page doesn’t even have a birthdate, just a birth year. That’s how little info there is on this kid.
Looking Ahead*
When Roberto Baldoquin first signed, there wasn’t even certainty over which position he would play. The Halos have since cleared that up and will be using him at shortstop and seem quite confident that he will not only stick there, but be a defensive asset. For all intents and purposes, Baldoquin is their shortstop of the future. He’ll be starting the season with the Inland Empire 66ers, so that should put his timetable to reach the majors at the 2017 season, just in time to take over for Erick Aybar whose contract expires after the 2016 season.
This is a very concrete plan for the Angels, which seems risky for such an unproven asset, but the feel confident in it because they insist that Baldoquin is polished and possesses a very high floor. That usually insinuates that the ceiling isn’t all that high, so Baldoquin may not be a superstar in the making despite what his price tag suggests. However, if they feel confident that they can get a guaranteed average to above average first division starter at shortstop, that is well worth the money.
*As we do every year, the scouting reports and grades are provided by Scotty Allen while Garrett Wilson provides the 2014 in Review and Looking Ahead sections.
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