Orlando Calixte

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #29 prospect in 2017
  A long-time Royals prospect who ranked among that organization's Top 30 Prospects in five different seasons, Calixte came to the Giants as a minor league free agent after the 2016 season and was added to the 40-man roster to shield him from the Rule 5 draft. He may end up filling a utility role in San Francisco. Calixte is a fringe-average defender at shortstop, but he is playable there and he has experience at every other position other than first base and catcher. His best positions are second base and third base, where he has above-average range and an above-average arm. With average speed, he also is capable in the outfield. At the plate, Calixte's above-average bat speed gives him average power potential and he is a good baserunner. He is prone to chase pitches out of the zone too often, limiting his potential to hit for average.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #13 prospect in 2015
  Calixte can be a frustrating prospect for scouts to watch and evaluate. His tools are always better than the results, but that's now been the case for five seasons. Calixte has his virtues. For example, he has excellent bat speed that produces fringe-average power. At shortstop he should be a tick above-average defender with quick hands and smooth actions and average range. His above-average arm allows him to make plays in the hole, but he struggles going to his left. Calixte needs to improve his accuracy after he committed 16 throwing errors at Double-A Northwest Arkansas on his way to leading the Texas League with 26 miscues. He focused on shortstop in 2014, but he's played second and third base adequately in the past. At the plate, the righty-hitting Calixte's swing is too big and he is too pull-happy, largely because he doesn't appear to recognize spin quickly enough. With Raul A. Mondesi coming up behind him in the system and Christian Colon ahead of him as the Royals' presumptive utility infielder, Calixte will head to Triple-A Omaha knowing he's got plenty of competition. He has the tools to be an everyday regular with more refinement, but without a better approach, even a utility job is out of reach.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #14 prospect in 2014
  Calixte hasn't met a fastball he can't hit. Signed for $1 million in 2010, he has proven he can turn around velocity and he has more power than most middle infielders. But while he can hit anything straight, Calixte has yet to prove he can lay off breaking balls in or out of the strike zone. His aggressiveness has proven to be his undoing, as it limits the projection of his hit tool and keeps him from fully unleashing his average power. Defensively, Calixte was more reliable in 2013 and he showed his versatility by playing some second and third base. He looked reasonably comfortable at both, with an above-average arm and plus range. He has average range at shortstop with fluid actions and is an average runner. With Raul A. Mondesi breathing down his neck, Calixte could wind up as a super-sub with enough pop to play anywhere in the infield as well as the outfield corners. At the least, his versatility and track record versus lefthanders (.296/.368/.543 over the past two seasons) could make him a quality reserve. Calixte will return to Double-A Northwest Arkansas to try to learn to temper his aggressiveness.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #7 prospect in 2013
  Known as Paul Carlixte before teams discovered that he and his brother had swapped identities, Calixte signed with the Royals in 2010 after they had scouted him for more than three years. The questions about his identity didn't cost him much, as he still signed for $1 million. After he struggled in an aggressive assignment to low Class A in 2011, he showed better feel at the plate and thrived after a midseason promotion to high Class A in 2012. Calixte has more power and hitting ability than the average shortstop prospect. Wilmington's tough hitting environment kept his home run numbers down after his promotion, but Calixte has average power to go with a solid bat. He has yet to show the patience to draw walks, as he's aggressive early and late in the count. With good range, excellent hands and a strong arm, he is a solid to plus defender at shortstop. He played some third base in the Arizona Fall League, but shortstop is his long-term home. Calixte's impressive second half in Wilmington gives him a chance to play in Double-A at age 21. Kansas City has several legitimate shortstop prospects, and he's the closest to the big leagues.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #20 prospect in 2012
  When the Royals first started scouting Calixte when he was a 15-year-old in 2007, they were able to get a good feel for his power potential and his likelihood of sticking at shortstop. What they couldn't get was a clear idea of who exactly he was. He has to wait nearly two years after he turned 16 to sign because he had swapped identities with his brother. Once MLB determined he was Orlando Calixte (and not Paul Carlixte or Orlando Caxito) and cleared him to sign, Kansas City was happy to land him for $1 million. Calixte impressed the Royals enough last spring that they sent him to low Class A for his U.S. debut. He often looked over his head, especially when pitchers figured out there were few pitches he wouldn't swing at. But he also showed excellent bat speed, and has the strength to eventually have more power than a typical shortstop. Calixte eventually may outgrow the position, but he has sure hands and a solid arm. The question is whether he'll lose a step off his slightly above-average speed and have enough range once he matures physically. He'll head back to Kane County in 2012 to try to gain some confidence.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #24 prospect in 2011
  Calixte was a mystery man for much of the past two years. He was considered one of the better prospects in the 2008 international crop and was expected to sign a seven-figure deal before questions about his name and age cropped up. He apparently had swapped identities with his brother. The Royals, who had been watching him for three years, stepped in and worked out a deal in 2010. It took several months for his identity questions to be worked out, as Paul Carlixte turned out to be Orlando Caxito and then Orlando Calixte. At one point MLB asked the Royals to pull Calixte from the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League until the matter was resolved. With some time and a $1 million bonus, the Royals added their second high-ceiling Latin shortstop signing of the summer when Calixte officially signed in August. Calixte has more hitting and power potential than Humberto Arteaga, but he's also two years older as he starts out his career. Calixte is only an average runner, though he moves pretty well once under way and should be able to stick at shortstop. He has quick actions, good hands and feet and a plus arm. Calixte has his visa and made it to the United States for instructional league. He'll make his U.S. debut in Rookie ball, either at Idaho Falls or in the Arizona League, this summer.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Texas League #18 prospect in 2013
  Three years after signing for $1 million and after splitting the 2012 season at two Class A levels, Calixte made Northwest Arkansas? Opening Day roster. However, he was sort of a forgotten man at times, given that the Naturals were 20 games below .500 in the season?s first half. Calixte isn?t quite as rail thin as Royals big league shortstop Alcides Escobar, and scouts who like him give him a chance to reach average grades in terms of hitting and power, owing to his bat speed and occasional carry. Unfortunately, his swing gets long and he still chases too many pitches, robbing him of quality at-bats and scuttling his on-base percentage. On defense is where Calixte shines. His hands and strong throws across the diamond, coupled with his outstanding range, make him a plus defender and natural shortstop.
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  Ranked Carolina League #10 prospect in 2012
  Calixte can be equal parts electrifying and frustrating. He has tremendous bat speed and more power potential than most infielders, but he's also a free swinger who struggles to recognize offspeed offerings. He can make highlight-reel plays at shortstop but also mishandles routine ones. Though he batted leadoff for Wilmington, Calixte is hardly a traditional tablesetter and is more reminiscent of Alfonso Soriano in that role. His long swing and attempts to pull everything led to an inconsistent season at the plate, though he did hit .316/.357/.496 in the final month to help the Blue Rocks make the playoffs. He has average speed who's not much of a threat to steal. Calixte has a strong arm and average range at shortstop but lacks consistency. He made 46 errors in 123 games between two Class A stops. He has improved his defensive mechanics since last season and fields the ball in a better position to make a throw.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Known as Paul Carlixte before teams discovered that he and his brother had swapped identities, Calixte signed with the Royals in 2010 after they had scouted him for more than three years. The questions about his identity didn't cost him much, as he still signed for $1 million. After he struggled in an aggressive assignment to low Class A in 2011, he showed better feel at the plate and thrived after a midseason promotion to high Class A in 2012. Scouting Report: Calixte has more power and hitting ability than the average shortstop prospect. Wilmington's tough hitting environment kept his home run numbers down after his promotion, but Calixte has average power to go with a solid bat. He has yet to show the patience to draw walks, as he's aggressive early and late in the count. With good range, excellent hands and a strong arm, he is a solid to plus defender at shortstop. He played some third base in the Arizona Fall League, but shortstop is his long-term home. The Future: Calixte's impressive second half in Wilmington gives him a chance to play in Double-A at age 21. Kansas City has several legitimate shortstop prospects, and he's the closest to the big leagues.