Drafted in the 2nd round (55th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2003 (signed for $620,000).
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C Todd Jennings is expected to be taken in the first 10 rounds. Jennings is so athletic and versatile that he has seen extensive time at second base, third base and the outfield, in addition to behind the plate. He has above-average arm strength He has not had a productive year at bat but came on late after he was moved to the leadoff position in the batting order.
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The Giants had no depth at catcher two years ago and hoped Jennings would fill the void. They're not giving up on him by any means, but they consider 2004 a wasted year. Sent to high Class A to start the season, he hurt his right shoulder, which sapped his arm strength, eroded his confidence and eventually robbed him of his ability to drive the ball. Jennings became his own worst critic and didn't show his past form until he went to short-season Salem-Keizer. Wiry strong, he has more pop than he has shown as a pro. More athletic than most catchers, he also played second and third base and the outfield at Long Beach State. He has a solid arm, getting the ball to second base in roughly 2.0 seconds. Jennings has to prove he's healthy and can handle the daily grind of catching in Class A this year, and he may see some time at other positions as well. Adding strength and regaining his confidence are his biggest needs.
Jennings reminds some Giants officials of Craig Biggio, both with his facial resemblance and the positions he has played, though he doesn't have Biggio's offensive upside or power. The Giants plan to keep him at catcher, which Jennings first played as a freshman at Long Beach State. Jennings also played some second and third base as well as outfield for the 49ers. He produced a solid debut in the short-season Northwest League but missed instructional league after suffering a concussion in a plate collision during the playoffs. Wiry strong and athletic, Jennings has a strong arm and led the NWL by throwing out 39 percent of basestealers. He has to prove he can hold up under the daily grind of catching a full season while also showing more pop and on-base ability than he did at Salem-Keizer. Jennings is a line-drive hitter who tends to get too pull-conscious, but the Giants also feel his power was somewhat masked by cavernous Blair Field in college. He may skip a level and begin his first full pro season in high Class A.
Minor League Top Prospects
A terrific athlete who played some third base at Long Beach State, Jennings is agile behind the plate and was the league's best defensive catcher. He has a plus arm, can catch and throw with anyone, works well with pitchers and is efficient in blocking balls. He's also an intelligent and polished player. "He's definitely one of the better catchers I've seen in this league the last three years, if not the best," Boise manager Steve McFarland said. At the plate, Jennings is a tough out. He puts the ball in play with a compact, line-drive swing, and should become a better average hitter than a power producer. Jennings has some quickness in his lower half and gets the "runs well for a catcher" tag because he can steal a base when needed.
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