Russell Branyan

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #1 prospect in 1999
  Background: It's been years since an Indians prospect has excited his bosses as much with his slugging exploits as Branyan. Nobody in recent memory, not even Jim Thome or Manny Ramirez, flashed the power Branyan has in his march up the minor league ladder. Over the last three years Branyan has hit 95 home runs, and that's despite missing half the 1998 season with a lingering and still nagging strained tendon in his right wrist. Over that same span he has averaged one home run every 11.3 at-bats. He hit 12 home runs in Double-A in the second half, then tried to make up for lost time in the Arizona Fall League but was sent home when the wrist flared up again. The condition might require minor arthroscopic surgery over the winter, but club officials are confident he'll be close to 100 percent by the start of training camp. Strengths: Wall-to-wall power. Light tower power. Over the wall and out onto the street power. Branyan may have the best raw power of any hitter in the minor leagues. He is also maturing as a hitter and improving his pitch identification ability. He is not giving away as many at-bats as he has in the past. The ball explodes off his bat, and he's learned he doesn't have to pull everything. With dangerous power to all parts of the ballpark, Branyan is taking more pitches the other way, with authority. Weaknesses: Branyan still strikes out way too much, in part because his approach at times appears to be merely trying to see how far he can hit each pitch. He has averaged one strikeout every 2.7 at bats as a pro. The tradeoff is his power, and club officials are willing to live with it. Branyan has shown an improved work ethic, and there is hope that it will translate into fewer strikeouts. Defensively he has made definite strides and has turned himself from a below average third baseman into an average one. It's not out of the question, however, that his big league future could be in left field. The Future: The wrist injury prevented Branyan from positioning himself to make a run at a big league job in training camp next spring. As it is, he will come to camp and try to prove that the injury is behind him. He will likely start the season at Buffalo, whom he played for in this year's Triple-A World Series. Club officials would like to see him get a full season at Triple-A, and that's very possible, because with Travis Fryman entrenched at third base on the big league club, there is no need to rush Branyan. But it's only a matter of time before Branyan's fence busting swing punches his ticket to the big leagues.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #11 prospect in 2000
  The Indians rolled the dice in July, and Branyan will determine if Cleveland's gamble will pay off. At the trading deadline, the Indians dealt outfielder Richie Sexson to the Brewers as part of a package for three pitchers. In the short term, Cleveland wanted to make a run at the American League's wild-card playoff berth. In the long run, especially if Manny Ramirez signs with another team this offseason, the Indians are counting on Branyan to replace Sexson's booming bat in the outfield or at DH. The key is whether or not Branyan can make enough contact to take advantage of his Ken Griffeyesque batting stroke. He fanned 69 times in his first 166 at-bats for Cleveland this season, but he also drilled 16 homers. Branyan also isn’t a one-dimensional slugger, as he draws walks, runs OK and has a strong arm. "He's a power hitter. He's going to strike out," Buffalo manager Joel Skinner said. "He's getting better with pitch recognition, and when he has a better idea of the strike zone that'll make a big difference."
• 
  Ranked International League #3 prospect in 1999
  When Branyan was at the plate this season, it was hit or miss--usually miss. But the managers believe Branyan, the Indians' No. 1 prospect before the season, still has major leaguer written all over him. "He's got the overall skills, and that's what you look for," Ingle said. "He's going to play up there a long time." In 395 at-bats for Buffalo, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Branyan struck out 190 times and hit 30 hime runs. Only a three-week stint in Cleveland in late July and early August prevented him from breaking the IL record for strikeouts in a season, 199 by Richmond's Dave Nicholson in 1968. A classic streak hitter, Branyan followed a 0-for-43 slump (with 27 strikeouts) with a 13-game hitting streak.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #82 prospect in 2000
• Ranked Baseball America's #29 prospect in 1999
• Ranked Baseball America's #26 prospect in 1998
• Ranked Baseball America's #87 prospect in 1997

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  The Indians rolled the dice in July, and Branyan will determine if Cleveland's gamble will pay off. At the trading deadline, the Indians dealt outfielder Richie Sexson to the Brewers as part of a package for three pitchers. In the short term, Cleveland wanted to make a run at the American League's wild-card playoff berth. In the long run, especially if Manny Ramirez signs with another team this offseason, the Indians are counting on Branyan to replace Sexson's booming bat in the outfield or at DH. The key is whether or not Branyan can make enough contact to take advantage of his Ken Griffeyesque batting stroke. He fanned 69 times in his first 166 at-bats for Cleveland this season, but he also drilled 16 homers. Branyan also isn’t a one-dimensional slugger, as he draws walks, runs OK and has a strong arm. "He's a power hitter. He's going to strike out," Buffalo manager Joel Skinner said. "He's getting better with pitch recognition, and when he has a better idea of the strike zone that'll make a big difference."