By Josh Boyd
December 2, 2002

Want More? Does 10 prospects per team only whet your appetite? How does 30 sound? If you want the more of in-depth information you're finding here on three times as many players, Baseball America's 2003 Prospect Handbook is for you.

1. Juan Rivera, of

Age: 24. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 195. Signed: Venezuela, 1996. Signed by: Raul Ortega.

Background: Rivera broke through as a prospect in 1998, nearly winning the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League’s triple crown with a .333-12-45 effort. He did little the following two seasons to enhance his profile, and repeated the high Class A Florida State League before re-emerging at Double-A Norwich in 2001. Rivera could be excused for being nervous when he was called up to take over the Yankees’ right-field job last June. On his way to his first game at Yankee Stadium, he got lost on the subway. Then he broke his right kneecap when he ran into a golf cart during pregame drills, which knocked him out for two months. He looked more like a veteran the second time around, finishing the season as a regular in left and right field. Manager Joe Torre gave him the starting nod in all four games against the Angels in the American League Division Series.

Strengths: While Rivera doesn’t employ a prototypical swing–his front foot bails a la Roberto Clemente–he crushes fastballs and manages to cover the outer half of the plate when he keeps his hands back. He has above-average raw power, but his power production has been average at best. Rivera’s defense may have been the deciding factor in his postseason starts. He has 65 arm strength on the 20-80 scouting scale. He makes good reads off the bat and takes good routes to the ball.

Weaknesses: Not a patient hitter, Rivera could produce more power with improved selectivity. Like many young hitters, he can be susceptible to offspeed stuff away but has shown a knack for making contact. Rivera has a thick lower half and is an average runner as a 24-year-old. As he continues to fill out, his speed will diminish.

The Future: As New York tries to dump Rondell White and Raul Mondesi, Rivera should take over a vacant corner-outfield job in the spring. The question remains whether Rivera will be a long-term answer for the Yankees, who are missing the .300-20-100 seasons Paul O’Neill gave them. His chances for playing time could be cut if New York can’t get rid of White and Mondesi or signs Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui.

2002 Club (Class)	AVG	OBP	SLG	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB
GCL Yankees (R)	.308	.438	.462	13	1	4	2	0	0	4	2	3	0
Columbus (AAA)	.325	.355	.502	265	40	86	21	1	8	47	13	39	5
New York	.265	.311	.361	83	9	22	5	0	1	6	6	10	1