Drafted in the 2nd round (46th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2000.
View Draft Report
Sardinha, a second-round pick out of high school, is so skilled defensively that scouts say he is already the equal of at least half the catchers in the big leagues. He has a middle-infielder's actions behind the plate and plays the position effortlessly--a mixed blessing because it has raised questions about his fire and passion. Sardinha's bat is a concern, even as he hit .403 with 13 homers in West Coast Conference games this year. He has trouble getting the bat head out front against top-notch pitching and projects as a .250-.260 hitter in the big leagues. In front of a throng of scouts at Loyola Marymount in April, he went 0-for-13 with nine strikeouts against a staff that features two premium draft picks.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
The first round of the 2000 draft was one of the worst in baseball history, as clubs worried more about signability than ability in a lean year for talent. Complicating matters, Scott Boras was advising most of the top college players available. His stable included Sardinha, who signed a $1.75 million major league contract with no bonus as a second-rounder. But fears that he wouldn't hit have proven well-founded, and there were no takers when the Reds removed him from their 40-man roster in 2003. Sardinha, whose brothers Bronson (Yankees) and Duke (Rockies) were active in the minors last year, still has excellent catch-and-throw skills. He's as good a receiver as Miguel Perez is, but his arm isn't quite in the same league. It's better than his 24 percent rate of catching basestealers last year would indicate, however. Sardinha is more advanced offensively than Perez, but his ceiling with the bat is low. While he has improved at using the whole field and letting his natural strength produce average power, Sardinha is among the minors' least choosy hitters. He had his best year at the plate in 2004, though that's not saying much. Sardinha's bat is that of a backup at best, and the Reds will keep in Triple-A as big league insurance.
Sardinha hit .256 in Double-A last year, raising his minor league average to .229--not what the Reds envisioned when they gave him a $1.75 million major league contract three years earlier. He began last year on the disabled list after tearing a ligament in his left knee during spring training, and he ended it by being removed from Cincinnati's 40-man roster for the second time. His development was accelerated by his big league deal, which meant he would have been out of options in 2004, and the Reds say he'll make more progress without that pressure. Sardinha made his second consecutive trip to the Arizona Fall League, where he worked on his hitting mechanics. He hasn't shown the ability to make adjustments at the plate and too often chases bad pitches. He hasn't been able to shake his bad habit of pulling off the ball because his hips and legs don't work in sync with his hands and upper body. He's a potential defensive stalwart with advanced receiving and throwing skills. The Reds have asked him to be more assertive in handling pitchers, a key ingredient to his future as a backup catcher. Sardinha likely will be the everyday catcher in Triple-A this year.
Sardinha signed a major league deal for $1.75 million that included no bonus, another concession to the Reds' budget machinations. He has two younger brothers in the minors: Bronson, one of the best hitters in the Yankees system; and Duke, a Rockies third baseman. Dane's .221 average in two years of pro ball underscores his biggest weakness, but the Reds remain confident he'll come on offensively. They were encouraged by his Arizona Fall League performance (.311-4-24), but that was only 101 at-bats. He did start to shake his aluminum- bat approach and learned to stay back and trust his hands and strength. He has a two-piece swing, where his upper and lower body don't quite work together. He needs to tone down his aggressiveness and develop more patience. Sardinha likely won't hit for much of an average, but the reason most scouts still consider him a prospect is his advanced catch-and-throw skills. He's adept at framing pitches, and he has soft hands and a quick transfer. He threw out 37 percent of basestealers last year. He's slated for a return to Double-A, where the Reds would love to see Sardinha carry over his AFL progress.
Sardinha signed a deal similar to David Espinosa's, getting no bonus but a six-year big league contract worth at least $1.75 million. In his pro debut at high Class A, he gave the Reds about what they expected. He sparkled defensively and continued to need help offensively. The Reds believe Sardinha could survive defensively in the majors right now. He gets rid of the ball quickly and with plenty on his throws, finishing second in the California League by nabbing 38 percent of basestealers in 2001. While his offense wasn't overwhelming, he does have power to the gaps. To avoid becoming branded as a defensive specialist, Sardinha must keep refining his offensive approach, particularly by getting himself in decent hitting position as he uncorks his swing. He also has to refine his strike zone. Quiet by nature, he needs to assume more of a take-charge attitude behind the plate. With Jason LaRue establishing himself in the majors, veteran Kelly Stinnett serving as his backup and Corky Miller becoming a factor, Sardinha should be allowed to progress at a comfortable pace. He'll move up to Double-A in 2002.
The knowledge that agent Scott Boras was "advising" Sardinha scared most teams off, though his skills prompted some to project him as an early first-round choice. But little intimidates Reds general manager Jim Bowden, who ordered his staff to take Sardinha in the second round. Signing Sardinha did prove to be a chore, but the Reds got it done with a six-year big league contract worth $1.75 million guaranteed that didn't include a signing bonus. The consensus in the organization is that Sardinha could catch and throw in the big leagues right now. His hands, release and arm strength are all considered assets. For a player with no professional experience, he exudes leadership that should help him work with pitchers. His speed and opposite-field power were encouraging in instructional league. Yet his next professional game will be his first, so he needs plenty of at-bats and innings behind the plate. As with many young catchers, Sardinha must continue to refine his footwork before he truly can be considered big league material. Some scouts have questioned his ability to hit since he struggled in the wood-bat Cape Cod League in the summer of 1999. Because catching has been the weakest position in the Reds organization for about a decade, and no holdover prospects are around to complement Jason LaRue, Sardinha could ascend rapidly to Cincinnati. He has been stamped as part of the 2003 group, though he could arrive sooner. Sardinha may debut at high Class A Mudville and reach Double-A by the end of the season.
Minor League Top Prospects
Every manager but one singled out Sardinha as the best defensive catcher in the league. As evidence, he twice picked off Strong and threw out 38 percent of basestealers, the second-best rate in the league. But scouts have questioned Sardinha's offense since he struggled with wood bats in the amateur Cape Cod League, and he didn't resolve any of those doubts this year. His lack of success at the plate wasn't aided by Mudville's Billy Herbert Field, a pitcher's park in a hitter's league, but he also didn't help himself with his atrocious plate discipline. He does have some power to the gaps.
Top 100 Rankings
Best Tools List
Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Southern League in 2002
Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the California League in 2001
Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Cincinnati Reds in 2001
Download our app
Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone