Jon Nelson
| AB | 2733 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .262 |
| OBP | .303 |
| SLG | .448 |
| HR | 101 |
- Full name Jonathan Reed Nelson
- Born 01/16/1980 in Provo, UT
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 235 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Dixie State
- Drafted in the 26th round (789th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2001.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Like Bobby Livingston, Nelson is a 2001 draft pick who signed late and had an impressive pro debut in the Northwest League last year. Nelson easily led the NWL in homers and RBIs as he continued to acclimate himself to the daily grind of baseball. He took two years off to serve a Mormon mission in South Florida, where he learned to speak Spanish well enough to serve as a translator for his Everett teammates. Nelson's raw power stands out in a system that isn't loaded with home run hitters. To make use of it at higher levels, he'll have to make much better contact after leading the NWL in strikeouts. If he doesn't find some plate discipline and stop chasing breaking balls, he'll be exploited by more advanced pitchers. Nelson played OK at first base after playing on the left side of the infield at Dixie State JC. Because he runs well and has a decent arm, he got a look in left field during instructional league. Nelson should split time between first and left in low Class A this year.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
Many league managers tend to treat the offensive numbers of AquaSox players with some skepticism. Everett Memorial Stadium has the shortest dimensions in the league and a reputation for being something of a launching pad. Perhaps Nelson had something to do with that reputation this year. He led the league in homers by a wide margin and showed a precious commodity: raw power. Nelson spent two years while on a Mormon mission in South Florida, learning to speak Spanish well enough to communicate with his Latin American teammates. The rust showed with a league-high 96 strikeouts, many coming when he chased breaking balls. The Mariners figure to be patient with a player with his kind of power, though. "He's a monster," Aldrete said. "He's a man. Some of his homers were hit so far, it was incredible."
