Brian Cole

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Mets #3 prospect in 2001
  If Cole were a couple of inches taller, he would have been a much higher draft pick after he was named Baseball America's Junior College Player of the Year in 1998. He and similarly diminutive Timoniel Perez are two of the most exciting prospects in the system. Cole has a combination similar to Alex Escobar in terms of his power, speed, aggressiveness at the plate and baserunning instincts. He's a plus defensive player and his arm--a notch below Escobar's--is at least average. Likely a future No. 2, 3 or 6 hitter in a major league lineup, Cole projects as more of an RBI threat than a speedster. He has a sweet swing and gets power Perez won't ever have, but Cole can be a little too pull-conscious. He also could stand to draw a few more walks. Cole's only cold spell last year came in his first few weeks in Double-A after a midseason promotion, but he adjusted and thrived, then finished strong in the Arizona Fall League. He's expected to try switch-hitting this spring, and that may carry over to Binghamton for the start of the minor league season.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Florida State League #4 prospect in 2000
  Cole was Baseball America's Junior College Player of the Year in 1998 at Navarro (Texas) JC, but he was mostly unheralded until this season because of his size. After spending a lot of time in the weight room, Cole turned his new muscle into an amazing FSL performance. Managers voted him the league's most exciting player at midseason, and their feelings didn't change after he was promoted to Double-A. His speed-power package and developing maturity at the plate make him an intriguing leadoff prospect, and he’s becoming an outstanding defender in center field as well. "As the season progressed he became more selective," Vero Beach manager John Shoemaker said. "Dave Engle has helped him develop into a potential leadoff hitter in the big leagues."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #64 prospect in 2001

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  Cole was Baseball America's Junior College Player of the Year in 1998 at Navarro (Texas) JC, but he was mostly unheralded until this season because of his size. After spending a lot of time in the weight room, Cole turned his new muscle into an amazing FSL performance. Managers voted him the league's most exciting player at midseason, and their feelings didn't change after he was promoted to Double-A. His speed-power package and developing maturity at the plate make him an intriguing leadoff prospect, and he’s becoming an outstanding defender in center field as well. "As the season progressed he became more selective," Vero Beach manager John Shoemaker said. "Dave Engle has helped him develop into a potential leadoff hitter in the big leagues."