Bryce Brentz Outfield

       
 













Brentz Video

Born: December 30, 1988
Knoxville, TN
Height: 6-1
Weight: 195
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 1st round, 2010
How Acquired: Minor league free agent (Jan. 2019)
College: Middle Tennessee St.
High School: South Doyle HS (TN)

Photo © Dave Letizi

SoxProspects.com Links

2011 Prospect Preview
The Ladder (4.20.11)
ESPN: HR-hitter Brentz finding groove (7.10.11)
Q&A with Bryce Brentz (7.12.11)
The Ladder - 7.27.11

2012 Prospect Preview
The Book - 4.16.12
Brentz working to approve approach in Port. (7.26.12)
Brentz, Hazelbaker thrown into the fire (9.10.12)
2013 Top 40 Season in Review
The Write-Up: Early Reports from Pawtucket (5.12.14)
2014 Top 40 Season in Review
Scouting Scratch: Brentz, Marrero, Coyle (6.23.15)
2015 Top 40 Season in Review

Scouting Scratch: Potential September Call-Ups (8.25.17)

Contract expired (Nov. 2019)

Physical Description: Mature, strong body. Filled out.

Hit: Plus bat speed with quick wrists. Pull hitter with uphill swing path. Made significant strides during the 2017 season after switching from a leg lift to a toe tap timing device. Toe tap allowed him to see the ball better and increase quality of his at-bats, and he started to make more contact. Now starts with his feet close together and quiet pre-pitch, which allows him to keep his lower half back. New mechanics have allowed him to stay back on breaking balls better and work the count. Approach is still on the aggressive side and will always have a fair amount of swing-and-miss, but potential fringe-average hitter now.

Power: Due to uphill swing path, ball jumps off his bat. Generates strong lift and post-contact extension with his swing. Plus raw power and plus potential game power. With improved mechanics, raw power translated in-game during 2017 season and could translate at the major league level if he carries over these improvements.

Arm: Makes throws on-line, with carry. Plus arm strength.

Field: Fringe-average range. Decent reads and routes. Prone to lapses in judgment that can lead him to misplay balls in the field. Reportedly worked out some on the side at first base in 2017, but never saw time at the position in game action.

Run: Below-average speed. Not a major part of his game. Steady on bases. Can score from second.

Career Notes: Unfortunately, is probably most well known to casual fans for accidentally shooting himself in the leg while cleaning a gun in early 2013, costing himself a non-roster invitation to camp. Has had tough luck with injuries in recent seasons, including knee meniscus surgery in July 2013 and a severe hamstring strain in 2014. In 2015, he underwent thumb surgery in June that ended his season. Had a 26-game hitting streak in 2011 that he extended in dramatic, last-inning fashion a number of times. Was not added to the 40-man roster in September 2017 to the surprise of some, but then was added to the roster after the end of the season to prevent him from becoming a minor league free agent. Was traded to Pittsburgh for cash considerations in February 2018 after the signing of JD Martinez.

Summation: Potential bat-first platoon outfielder. Ceiling of a second-division regular. Could thrive in a part-time role in which he avoids high-end right-handed pitchers and receives 400-450 at-bats. Won’t hit for a high average, but if he can make enough contact to hit .260 or so, could hit 15-20 home runs even in limited at-bats. Below-average defensive profile, limited to the corners or potentially first base.

 
   
  Hitting Stats                                          
  year team lg level org age g ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb bb so sb cs avg obp slg ops
  2008 Middle Tenn. St. NCAA Coll --- 19 55 210 49 69 14 2 18 69 141 24 47 13 3 0.329 0.404 0.671 1.075
  2009 Middle Tenn. St. NCAA Coll --- 20 60 230 79 107 19 2 28 73 214 31 32 7 4 0.465 0.541 0.930 1.471
  2010 Middle Tenn. St. NCAA Coll --- 21 43 184 51 64 8 0 15 49 117 29 41 4 2 0.348 0.440 0.636 1.076
  2010 Lowell NYPL A Bos 21 69 262 28 52 14 4 5 39 89 21 76 5 4 0.198 0.259 0.340 0.598
  2011 Greenville SAL A Bos 22 40 170 43 61 10 3 11 36 110 14 35 2 2 0.359 0.414 0.647 1.061
  2011 Salem Car A Bos 22 75 288 48 79 15 1 19 58 153 26 80 1 1 0.274 0.336 0.531 0.868
  2012 Portland East AA Bos 23 122 456 62 135 30 1 17 76 218 40 130 7 5 0.296 0.355 0.478 0.833
  2012 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 23 5 17 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 6 0 0 0.118 0.167 0.118 0.284
  2012 Surprise AFL Fall Bos 23 17 64 10 19 1 1 2 11 26 6 19 2 0 0.297 0.366 0.438 0.804
  2013 GCL Red Sox GCL Rk Bos 24 6 17 3 4 2 0 2 8 12 1 4 0 0 0.235 0.316 0.706 1.022
  2013 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 24 82 326 36 86 16 1 17 56 155 20 86 1 0 0.264 0.312 0.475 0.788
  2013 Escogido DWL Wint --- 24 19 57 4 6 2 0 1 8 11 6 21 1 1 0.105 0.190 0.193 0.383
  2014 GCL Red Sox GCL Rk Bos 25 7 18 1 1 1 0 0 0 2 3 5 0 0 0.056 0.190 0.111 0.302
  2014 Lowell NYPL A Bos 25 2 8 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 0.125 0.200 0.125 0.325
  2014 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 25 63 230 42 56 11 2 12 53 107 32 58 0 1 0.243 0.341 0.465 0.806
  2014 Boston AL MLB Bos 25 9 26 5 8 2 0 0 2 10 0 9 0 0 0.308 0.308 0.385 0.692
  2015 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 26 59 220 28 51 9 0 8 26 84 24 74 0 0 0.232 0.308 0.382 0.690
  2015 Caguas LBPRC Wint --- 26 8 27 7 7 1 0 1 2 11 4 5 0 0 0.259 0.375 0.407 0.782
  2016 Portland East AA Bos 27 12 40 5 8 2 0 1 3 13 7 14 1 0 0.200 0.333 0.325 0.658
  2016 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 27 54 204 16 51 17 1 4 21 82 8 52 2 0 0.250 0.278 0.402 0.680
  2016 Boston AL MLB Bos 27 25 61 8 17 3 0 1 7 23 3 17 0 0 0.279 0.313 0.377 0.689
  2017 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 28 120 450 75  122 21 1 31 85 238 42 109 1 1 0.271 0.334 0.529 0.863
  2017 Hermosillo LMP Wint --- 27 25 92 16 19 3 0 7 23 43 19 25 1 0 0.207 0.342 0.467 0.810
  2018 GCL Mets GCL Rk NYM 28 2 5 1 0 0 1 2 4 19 67 1 0 0.200 0.200 0.800 1.000
  2018 Las Vegas PCL AAA NYM 28 55 193 39 51 16 0 15 47 112 19 67 1 0 0.264 0.332 0.580 0.912
  2018 Hermosillo LMP Wint --- 28 8 32 2 6 0 0 0 5 6 4 9 0 0 0.188 0.278 0.188 0.465
  2019 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 29 95 310 47 67 17 0 18 50 138 39 122 0 2 0.216 0.314 0.445 0.759
   
  Additional Player Info  
Pronunciation: ---
First Pro Contract:
June 14, 2010 by Danny Watkins
Signing Bonus: $889,200
MiLB Debut: June 18, 2010 (Lowell)
Added to 40-man: November 1, 2017 (Bos)
MLB Debut:
September 17, 2014 (BOS)
     
  Awards
2009 NCAA All-American First Team
Red Sox ML Offensive Player of the Month (April 2011)
South Atlantic League Player of the Week (May 9-15, 2011)
2011 South Atlantic League All-Star
Red Sox ML Offensive Player of the Month (Aug/Sept. 2011)
2011 Carolina League Year-End All-Star
2011 Red Sox ML Offensive Player of the Year
Eastern League Player of the Week (May 28 - June 3, 2012)
2012 Eastern League All-Star
Eastern League Player of the Week (August 20-26, 2012)
Red Sox ML Offensive Player of the Month (Aug/Sept 2012)
2012 Arizona Fall League Top Prospect Team
Red Sox Minor League Hitter of the Month (June 2017)
International League Player of the Week (June 12-18, 2017)
International League Player of the Week (June 26-July 2, 2017)
International League Home Run Derby Champ (2017)
International League Season-End All-Star (2017)
SoxProspects.com Awards
SoxProspects.com Player of the Week (May 9-15, 2011)
SoxProspects.com Player of the Month (May 2011)
SoxProspects.com Player of the Week (June 27 - July 3, 2011)
2011 SoxProspects.com All-Star - OF
2012 SoxProspects.com Pre-Season All-Star
SoxProspects.com Player of the Week (May 14-20, 2012)
SoxProspects.com Player of the Week (August 20-26, 2012)
2012 SoxProspects.com All-Star - OF
2013 SoxProspects.com Pre-Season All-Star
2013 SoxProspects.com All-Star - OF
2014 SoxProspects.com Pre-Season All-Star
SoxProspects.com Player of the Week (May 22-28, 2017)
SoxProspects.com Player of the Week (June 12-18, 2017)
SoxProspects.com Player of the Week (June 26-July 2, 2017)
SoxProspects.com Player of the Month (June 2017)
2017 SoxProspects.com Comeback Player of the Year
2017 SoxProspects.com All-Star
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
     
 
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