Delta Cleary
| AB | 2669 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .248 |
| OBP | .318 |
| SLG | .333 |
| HR | 27 |
- Full name Delta Earl Cleary Jr.
- Born 08/14/1989 in Jonesboro, AR
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: S / Throws: R
- School Louisiana State - Eunice
-
Drafted in the 37th round (1,127th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2008 (signed for $250,000).
View Draft Report
Outfielder Delta Cleary was the best athlete in Arkansas when he came out of high school in 2007, starring as a quarterback for Jonesboro High's football team and an explosive dunker on the Hurricane's 6-A state championship basketball team in addition to his baseball exploits. Cleary was so raw, however, that no team bothered to draft him. A cousin of Miami Heat star Shawn Marion, he helped Louisiana State-Eunice win its second Division II Junior College World Series in the last three years. A 6-foot-3, 175-pound switch-hitter, he has plus speed that he puts to good use on the bases and in center field. His bat and his power are still developing. Some scouts wonder how much he'll hit with wood bats, while others praise him for improving his stroke this spring.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Cleary is the kind of raw athlete who Rockies scouting director Bill Schmidt looks for in the late rounds of the draft. He was a quarterback on his high school football team and a guard on the basketball team that won the Arkansas Class 6-A state title his junior year. Since signing for $250,000 as a 37th-rounder in 2008, Cleary often has been referred to as a poor man's Dexter Fowler, a testament to his exciting potential. The cousin of NBA forward Shawn Marion, Cleary has above-average speed and some raw power. A switch-hitter, he must continue to work on his lefthanded swing and his strength, because he too often gets overpowered by hard-throwing righthanders. He also has to tighten his strike zone and avoid getting overly anxious at the plate. He's still learning how to tap into his power and may be better off concentrating on putting the ball on the ground and getting on base to maximize his speed. Clearly can steal bases and cover a lot of ground in center tfield. He has a decent arm that should get stronger with more baseball repetitions. Cleary will spend 2010 in high Class A. -
A quarterback on his high school football team in Jonesboro, Ark., and a guard who averaged 13 points per game for the Arkansas Class 6-A state championship basketball team, Cleary is a pure athlete. He had opportunities to play basketball and football at the Division I level but opted to play baseball, going the junior college route. After hitting .411 and helping Louisiana State-Eunice win its second Division II national juco title his freshman year, Cleary signed with the Rockies, who were so impressed with his solid summer effort they gave him a $250,000 bonus. The cousin of Miami Heat forward Shawn Marion, Cleary shows power potential to all fields but does get caught off-balance on his front foot when he gets too anxious. He is a plus runner but can get bogged down getting out of the box by a big swing. Cleary's athleticism is most apparent when he is in center field. He gets good breaks on balls, covers plenty of ground and has a slightly above-average arm. As he focuses on baseball and refines his game, Cleary has the ability to become an impact center fielder. He could put up big numbers in 2009 at low Class A Asheville.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
Like Gordon, Cleary is still raw but blessed with phenomenal athleticism. A cousin of NBA star Shawn Marion, he was a three-sport star at his Arkansas high school, quarterbacking the football team and helping the basketball team win the 6-A state championship. This spring he was part of a Louisiana State-Eunice team that captured its second Division II Junior College World Series title in the last three years. Cleary has plus power to all fields and good hand-eye coordination, but he's still raw at the plate. He still gets caught out on his front foot at times, leaving him off balance. He has average speed out of the box and plus speed underway, covers plenty of ground in center field and has a slightly above-average arm. "You could tell that he's an athlete," Great Falls manager Chris Cron said. "It's just really good to see an athlete like that playing our sport."
