Lance Berkman Stats & Scouting Report

AB	6491
AVG	.293
OBP	.406
SLG	.537
HR	366

Full name William Lance Berkman
Born 02/10/1976 in Waco, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: S / Throws: L
School Rice
Debut 07/16/1999
Drafted in the 1st round (16th overall) by the Houston Astros in 1997 (signed for $1,000,000).

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Berkman can flat hit. He toned his body before the season and it has paid huge dividends. He has hit balls harder and farther and improved his agility in the field and on the bases. He should avoid extended slumps because he's got near perfect balance and hitting mechanics from both sides of the plate. He also recognizes pitches extremely well. By winning the Cape Cod League batting title last summer, he has demonstrated an ability to hit with wood, though he hit only one home run.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Background: After not being drafted out of high school, Berkman rose to prominence at Rice, where he led the NCAA with 41 home runs and 134 RBIs as a junior before joining his hometown organization. He has dominated minor league pitching the same way he dominated college pitching. Barely a year after signing, Berkman was promoted to Triple-A and in his third game at New Orleans, he hit three home runs. He turned the same trick again in the clinching game of the inaugural Triple-A World Series, a series in which he was the MVP. Strengths: Berkman has shown just about every offensive skill you would want to find in a run producer. He is a switch-hitter with well above-average raw power from both sides of the plate. His swing is still quick and compact, enabling him to make consistent contact and maintain a high batting average. Berkman's patience at the plate is extraordinary for a young hitter and in his first full year he finished fifth in the minor leagues with 97 walks. Defensively, Berkman's conversion to left field from first base has been successful. He gets good jumps on fly balls, has an average left-field arm and is surprisingly sure-handed. Weaknesses: Berkman is a much stronger hitter from the left side, where he is more patient and benefits from having more at-bats. He played with a sore right ankle throughout much of 1998, which made him more of a front-foot hitter from the right side and took away his power. While Berkman is mobile in the outfield and a good straight-ahead runner, he's primarily a station-to-station runner on the basepaths. The Future: The master plan is for Berkman to take over in left field, with Moises Alou moving to right. When this will happen depends on Derek Bell's status. Bell enjoyed the best year of his career last season but this is the last year of his contract. Even if any trade rumors involving Bell are unfounded, it would not be a surprise if Berkman's production didn't surpass Bell's and give the already high-powered Astros offense another potent weapon.

Top 100 Rankings

Career Transactions

DH Lance Berkman elected free agency.
Texas Rangers activated DH Lance Berkman from the 15-day disabled list.
Texas Rangers sent DH Lance Berkman on a rehab assignment to Frisco RoughRiders.
Texas Rangers sent DH Lance Berkman on a rehab assignment to Round Rock Express.
Texas Rangers placed DH Lance Berkman on the 15-day disabled list. Left hip inflammation.
Texas Rangers signed free agent DH Lance Berkman.
1B Lance Berkman elected free agency.
St. Louis Cardinals activated 1B Lance Berkman.
St. Louis Cardinals activated 1B Lance Berkman from the 15-day disabled list.
sent 1B Lance Berkman on a rehab assignment to Memphis Redbirds.
St. Louis Cardinals placed 1B Lance Berkman on the 15-day disabled list. Right knee inflammation.
St. Louis Cardinals activated 1B Lance Berkman from the 15-day disabled list.
St. Louis Cardinals placed 1B Lance Berkman on the 15-day disabled list. right knee injury
St. Louis Cardinals activated 1B Lance Berkman from the 15-day disabled list.
St. Louis Cardinals placed 1B Lance Berkman on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 19, 2012. left calf strain
St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent 1B Lance Berkman.
1B Lance Berkman elected free agency.
New York Yankees activated 1B Lance Berkman from the 15-day disabled list.
sent 1B Lance Berkman on a rehab assignment to Trenton Thunder.
New York Yankees placed 1B Lance Berkman on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to August 16, 2010. Sprained right ankle
Houston Astros traded cash and 1B Lance Berkman to New York Yankees for Jimmy Paredes and RHP Mark Melancon.
Lance Berkman roster status changed by Houston Astros.
sent 1B Lance Berkman on a rehab assignment to Round Rock Express.
Houston Astros placed 1B Lance Berkman on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 26, 2010. Cranky left knee.
Houston Astros activated 1B Lance Berkman from the 15-day disabled list.
Houston Astros placed 1B Lance Berkman on the 15-day disabled list. Strained left calf muscle