Abraham Almonte

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Seattle Mariners #17 prospect in 2014
  Acquired from the Yankees for reliever Shawn Kelley on the eve of spring training 2013, Almonte benefitted from the change in scenery. He made his major league debut on Aug. 30 and started 18 times over the season's final month. Managers voted Almonte as the Double-A Eastern League's fastest baserunner in 2012, and he swiped 20 bases in 27 attempts at Triple-A Tacoma in 2013. The switch-hitter plays with energy, hits for solid average and shows some pop from the left side, and with 11 home runs in 2013 he more than doubled his previous single-season high. Almonte can be too aggressive both at the plate and in the field, where he generally runs good routes in center field and has a strong arm. His best tool is 60 speed, and he's an excellent, if inefficient, basestealer. Almonte will have a chance to win a bench job with the Mariners this spring, but he has the look of a late-bloomer who could work his way into a part-regular role.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #30 prospect in 2009
  Almonte has tantalized the Yankees with his talent and athleticism, and he continues to add strength to his game. But a second-half swoon in low Class A, where he hit just .191 after the all-star break, has tempered enthusiasm for him. Almonte has added 35 pounds since signing yet remains an athletic, middle-of-the-diamond player. He runs well and has a strong arm, and with time he should become an average or better defender in center field. He's still a bit raw in all phases of the game, especially at the plate. Almonte switch-hits and has a good cut from both sides, giving him potential for both gap power and a speed-based, line-drive game. The key adjustment he must make is better pitch recognition. While he's patient and has a short stroke, he expands his strike zone too easily and swings at pitchers' pitches. Almonte saw a lot of fastballs in the first half of the season and showed the bat speed to catch up--he was a South Atlantic League midseason all-star--then failed to adjust to a steady diet of offspeed stuff in the second half. He also must add polish to bring his plus speed to bear more consistently on the basepaths. Almonte will repeat low Class A to address those issues.