AB | 54 |
---|---|
AVG | .204 |
OBP | .338 |
SLG | .315 |
HR | 1 |
- Full name Sabin Joshep Ceballos
- Born 08/17/2002 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Oregon
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Drafted in the 3rd round (94th overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2023 (signed for $597,500).
View Draft Report
School: Oregon Source: 4YR
Commit/Drafted: Angels ’22 (14)
Age At Draft: 20.9
Ceballos showed terrific arm strength out of high school in the 2020 class, where he ranked as the No. 332 player in the class, but there were questions about his hitting ability. He played two years at San Jacinto (Texas) JC and he hit .341 with 17 home runs and 28 doubles, then transferred to Oregon for the 2023 season where he has continued to prove his offensive chops in the Pac-12. He slashed .333/.426/.643 with 18 home runs, 10 doubles and had a 14.1% strikeout rate and 13.3% walk rate. Ceballos is powerfully built at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and has above-average or plus raw power to the pull side. He hit a number of deep fly balls to left field at the 2023 MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field, and during the 2023 season managed a 90.6 mph average exit velocity and 105.7 90th percentile exit velocity. Ceballos was named to the 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Team for his work at third base with the Ducks, and he committed just four errors in 121 chances during the season. He has a no-doubt plus arm that plays well at the position, and he’s also caught in the past and could be a conversion candidate behind the plate in pro ball because of that. His bilingual speaking skills could further encourage teams to try him behind the dish, and while he’s a well below-average runner, that’s more of the norm than a problem for pro backstops.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade/Risk: 45/High.
Track Record: Ceballos was drafted twice. First, the Angels called his name in the 14th round of the 2022 draft when he was at San Jacinto JC in Texas. He transferred to Oregon instead and swatted 18 home runs. The Braves took him in the third round that year, then swapped him to San Francisco in the deal that moved Jorge Soler and Luke Jackson to Atlanta.
Scouting Report: The trade to the Giants meant Ceballos was reunited with his college home of PK Park, which houses both the Oregon Ducks and Eugene Emeralds. Perhaps buoyed by a return to friendlier confines, Ceballos’ power took a big leap forward. He slammed seven home runs in 32 games after the trade. His raw power is clear, and he produced exit velocities up to 114 mph. He did a solid job controlling the zone and produced overall and zone miss rates of just 22.1% and 16.3% respectively. Ceballos is not the rangiest defender at third base but he’s reliable on the routine plays and has the plus arm strength—perhaps a byproduct of his days as a catcher—required to stick at the position.
The Future: In order to maintain his value, Ceballos needs to stick at third base. He’s already big and physical, so he’ll have to maintain as much of his athleticism as possible as he moves up the ladder. If he does that, his power will be more than enough to profile at the position. He has the ceiling of a second-division regular. Double-A Richmond is his next stop.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Field: 45 | Arm: 60. -
BA Grade: 45/Extreme
Track Record: Ceballos has been a notable prospect since his prep days, when he stood out for his bigtime arm strength. He developed a reputation as a solid hitter in college, first in two years with San Jacinto (Texas) JC and then during the 2023 season with Oregon. He signed an under-slot, $597,500 deal with the Braves in the third round, then had a solid pro debut in 14 games split between rookie ball and Low-A, where he slashed .300/.440/.375 with one home run.
Scouting Report: Ceballos is a large and physical third baseman with impressive raw power that mostly played to the pull side in college, though his lone home run in pro ball was an opposite-field blast. Ceballos generates impressive bat speed and torque in his swing and has a steep, uphill path that should create plenty of fly balls, but could also lead to swing-and-miss issues--which became more of a problem after Ceballos moved to Low-A Augusta and struck out at a 31.4% clip. Ceballos doesn’t have great range at third base as a well below-average runner, but he has plus arm strength, makes the routine plays and was also named to the 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove team in college.
The Future: Ceballos has caught in the past and was a potential conversion candidate for some scouts, though the Braves view him as a third baseman.
Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 30 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60
Draft Prospects
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School: Oregon Source: 4YR
Commit/Drafted: Angels ’22 (14)
Age At Draft: 20.9
Ceballos showed terrific arm strength out of high school in the 2020 class, where he ranked as the No. 332 player in the class, but there were questions about his hitting ability. He played two years at San Jacinto (Texas) JC and he hit .341 with 17 home runs and 28 doubles, then transferred to Oregon for the 2023 season where he has continued to prove his offensive chops in the Pac-12. He slashed .333/.426/.643 with 18 home runs, 10 doubles and had a 14.1% strikeout rate and 13.3% walk rate. Ceballos is powerfully built at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and has above-average or plus raw power to the pull side. He hit a number of deep fly balls to left field at the 2023 MLB Draft Combine at Chase Field, and during the 2023 season managed a 90.6 mph average exit velocity and 105.7 90th percentile exit velocity. Ceballos was named to the 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Team for his work at third base with the Ducks, and he committed just four errors in 121 chances during the season. He has a no-doubt plus arm that plays well at the position, and he’s also caught in the past and could be a conversion candidate behind the plate in pro ball because of that. His bilingual speaking skills could further encourage teams to try him behind the dish, and while he’s a well below-average runner, that’s more of the norm than a problem for pro backstops. -
Ceballos has one of the better pure arms among the infielders in the 2020 class, and he threw a 99 mph across the infield last summer at Perfect Game’s National showcase. A big-bodied shortstop listed at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Ceballos currently has a light bat. While he does have some raw power in the tank, his hit tool is a long way off. Additionally, Ceballos is a below-average runner who likely doesn’t have the range to stick at shortstop at the next level. Because of those questions, some scouts were more intrigued with what he would look like on the mound. He did move to the rubber early this spring, where he remains a project but wasn’t seen frequently enough by scouts to get a full idea of what he can do on the bump. His arm talent is obvious and potentially enough for a team to take a shot on his upside, but that is much more difficult in a five-round draft. Ceballos is committed to San Jacinto (Texas) JC, where he will have an opportunity to have an impact as a two-way player.
Career Transactions
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- C Sabin Ceballos assigned to Oregon Ducks.