Drafted in the 7th round (186th overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 1995.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
Background: Liniak's steady progress continued in 1998 with a successful jump to Pawtucket after just a half-season at Trenton in 1997. He was invited to big league camp in spring training after Jeff Frye was injured. Strengths: Though his tools don't jump out at you, Liniak is a gamer who loves to play and will go the extra mile to get the most out of his ability. He's steady defensively and will be an above-average hitter. Weaknesses: The concern is whether Liniak will hit with enough power to stay at third, but he took a major leap forward in '98. His 17 homers were five more than his previous career total. He's still young, and his good contact should breed more power. The Future: Unless something shocking happens, Liniak will return to Pawtucket for another season, make a late-season major league debut and shoot for the big league job in 2000.
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