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Physical Description: Already
physically developed for his age. Was noticeably thicker during
the 2019 season, to the point that it limited his mobility and
quick-twitch athleticism, and looked even less athletic during
the 2020 Fall Instructional League. Declining athleticism has
become a significant problem. Lacks definition, needs to get
stronger.
Hit: Starts square and
utilizes a leg kick. Loose at the plate. Good bat angle. Average
bat speed. Bat will take some time to develop. Approach needs
work. Needs to improve pitch recognition. Will shorten up with
two strikes. Struggled against more advanced pitching in an
aggressive assignment to the New York-Penn League in 2019. Was
unable to catch up to velocity, especially up in the zone, and
was overly aggressive early in counts, leading to a lot of weak
contact. Potential below-average hit tool.
Power:
Will show fringe-average raw power in batting practice. Could
take some time to translate in game action. Power is primarily
to the pull side at present, but could develop all-fields power
in the future. Could stand to add some loft to his swing.
Run: Well-below-average speed. Will not be
a threat to steal bases, but could grab a few due to strong
baserunning instincts. Speed dropped a half grade in 2019 and
another grade in 2020. Will need to put work into taking care of
his body to prevent further decrease.
Field:
Soft hands, fluid actions in the field. Strong instincts for his
age. Reads the game well; rarely lets the ball play him. Plays
defense with some flair. Range decreased in 2019 as he lost some
of his athleticism, raising questions about whether he will
stick at shortstop long-term. Played only second base during
2020 Fall Instructional League. Potential to develop into an
above-average defender.
Arm: Plus arm
strength. Capable of making all the throws necessary from the
left side of the infield. Solid carry. |
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Career Notes: Had trouble staying healthy in
2018, missing six weeks with what the team called "general
soreness" (that may have been a strained left shoulder) after
being promoted stateside from the DSL, then pulling his
hamstring in his second game after returning, leading to a
second absence. Was one of the most impressive players at the
2018 Fall Instructional League. A very small minority of scouts
considered him the system's top prospect entering 2019, but he
struggled in an aggressive assignment to Lowell. Appeared to be
pressing later in the 2019 season, compounding his initial
struggles, and was replaced in the lineup by GCL call-ups during
the Spinners' playoff run. Also participated in the Fall
Instructional League in 2019 and 2020.
Summation:
Potential minor league depth infielder. Ceiling of a high-minors
organizational player. Wide gap between what he is now and what
he could be in the future, but decreased athleticism has
impacted projection. Best present tool is his arm. Strong
instincts for his age have allowed tools to play up in the past,
but tools played down as he struggled through a difficult 2019
season and again at Fall Instructs 2020. Entered 2019 as one of
the most intriguing prospects in the system, but his body
regressed and he really struggled at the plate. Odds of reaching
his ceiling are much lower now, but it is still possible he
could return to the form he showed in 2018 and quickly
re-establish himself as one of the top 20-25 prospects in the
system.
Links
Spring Training Video of Antoni Flores (3.22.19)
State of the System 2020: Middle Infielders (4.29.2020)
Scouting Report Update (5.13.2020)
Scouting Report Update (9.29.2020)
Scout Chatter (12.2.2020) |
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