Lazaro Armenteros

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Athletics #28 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Armenteros landed the largest bonus of any A's international signing in 2016 at $3 million, but he has yet to translate his enticing tools into production as a professional. He struck out 227 times at high Class A Stockton in 2019, the most strikeouts of any player in the minor leagues, and was not invited to either the alternate training site or instructional league in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Armenteros has tantalizing plus raw power and speed. The issue is he rarely gets to that plus raw power. Armenteros' swing doesn't stay in the strike zone very long and he has struggled with pitch recognition, especially on breaking balls. He often swings wildly and is an easy out for pitchers who can land a breaking ball in the zone. Armenteros' speed does play when he gets on base and helps him play an average outfield, although he's limited to left field because of a below-average arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Armenteros has mostly confounded the A's so far as a professional. He's still just 21 years old and has a combination of tools they don't want to give up on.
• 
  Ranked Athletics #12 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The A's made a big splash when they signed Armenteros for $3 million out of Cuba in 2016, but he has yet to deliver on his potential. Armenteros struggled to get to his power at low Class A Beloit in his full-season debut, then struggled to make contact at all at high Class A Stockton in 2019.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Armenteros creates tremendous leverage in his swing and shows off at least plus raw power in batting practice. Armenteros rarely gets to that power in games, however, because he swings and misses at an alarming rate. His setup and swing path aren't conducive for contact, and his natural hitting instincts have a long way to go. Armenteros has plus speed and is improving his reads to become an average defender. His well below-average arm limits him to left field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Armenteros' youth and raw tools are enticing, but he needs to make dramatic improvements as a hitter for them to matter. He'll still be 20 on Opening Day and has time on his side.
• 
  Ranked Athletics #6 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Athletics were smitten by Armenteros when they scouted him at the 15U World Cup in 2015. They signed the 17-year-old Cuban outfielder a year later for $3 million, even knowing it would trigger penalties that would diminish their ability to sign international free agents during the 2017 and 2018 periods. Armenteros spent his first full season at low Class A Beloit in 2018, missing April while in extended spring training and most of June with a left quad strain.
  
  Scouting Report: Armenteros' double-plus raw power, selective batting eye and major league body attracted attention in the Midwest League. The A's expect his game power to improve as he learns to stop chasing breaking balls and continues to adapt to U.S. culture. He could develop plus power and an average hit tool thanks to an all-fields hitting approach and knack for hard contact. Armenteros runs well for his size and has strong baserunning instincts, but he is limited to left field by a below-average arm and a body type that projects to slow down as he matures.
  
  The Future: Armenteros must get to his power regularly to profile as a major league left fielder. He can begin addressing that at high Class A Stockton in 2019.
• 
  Ranked Athletics #9 prospect in 2018
  The A's invested heavily in the international market in 2016 and made Armenteros their marquee signing, getting the Cuban teenager for $3 million. He spent the bulk of his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2017 after only six games in the Dominican Summer League. As an 18-year-old in the AZL Armenteros more than held his own, with a .288 average, 17 extra-base hits and 10 stolen bases in 41 games. One member of the A's organization likened Armenteros' body to that of a young Andre Dawson. Armenteros probably will fill out his body in the next couple of years. He shows feel to hit and his above-average power is real and could grow as his body does. Defensively he already plays a corner, and is limited to left because his well below-average arm strength leaves a lot to be desired. He is still learning some of the cultural nuances of pro ball in the U.S. Armenteros will probably begin the 2018 season at low Class A Beloit. His idol is former A's and current Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. If Armenteros progresses the way Oakland officials believe he can, he could have a big league career worthy of his idol, offensively at least.
• 
  Ranked Athletics #11 prospect in 2017
  Armenteros, one of the best players in his age group at the time he left Cuba in the spring of 2015, signed for $3 million during the July 2 signing period. He played for Cuba's youth national team in August 2014 at the 15U World Cup, where he hit .462/.611/.962 with 10 walks and eight strikeouts in 36 plate appearances. Just 17, Armenteros has a strong, physical build with a combination of plus raw power and speed. One evaluator said Armenteros had the most gifted body of any 17-year-old he'd seen. But in brief looks in instructional league, Lazarito understandably looked raw and rusty. His swing had a tendency to get uphill, and he will have to develop an offensive approach. His arm, which was called plus prior to signing, was marked as just average by scouts who saw him in instructs, although that could be attributed to rust and poor mechanics. Armenteros is a long way off, but has at least average tools across the board. He is likely to start 2017 in extended spring training before starting his pro career in the Rookie-level Arizona League.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Midwest League #14 prospect in 2018
  Armenteros' first exposure to full season ball was a successful one. He missed most of June with a trip to the disabled list for a knee injury, but otherwise was healthy and productive. Armenteros' athleticism draws attention, and that translates into some quality tools such as power. Evaluators cited Armenteros' power as some of the best in the league, earning plus-plus raw power grades. His profile is clearly power over hit, but he has shown some developing plate discipline (although 10 hit-by-pitches helped his on-base percentage as well) that gives him a chance to be an average hitter as well. Armenteros is already limited to left field - he didn't play one game in center or right field all year. But his bat should be productive enough to make a corner-only profile work.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #14 prospect in 2017
  One of the most hyped teenaged prospects from Cuba in recent years, Armentaros signed with Oakland for $3 million during in 2016. Early reports showed him to be very raw and in need of plenty of reps, but scouts noticed him develop a much better feel for hitting during extended spring training and that progress carried over into the AZL. Armenteros' swings an explosive bat, with his strong hands generating very special, fluid bat speed. He runs more on his heels, but has shown plus run times and may be able to get even faster with better technique. Armenteros played mostly left field, but he struggles with reading balls off the bat and doesn't yet have the instincts for center field. His average arm is his weakest tool, but the organization is working with him on building arm strength. "He's a young kid and he's learning," Athletics manager Webster Garrison said. "It takes maturity and he makes his mistakes, but he's learning about them and he wants to get better."

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Armenteros landed the largest bonus of any A's international signing in 2016 at $3 million, but he has yet to translate his enticing tools into production as a professional. He struck out 227 times at high Class A Stockton in 2019, the most strikeouts of any player in the minor leagues, and was not invited to either the alternate training site or instructional league in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Armenteros has tantalizing plus raw power and speed. The issue is he rarely gets to that plus raw power. Armenteros' swing doesn't stay in the strike zone very long and he has struggled with pitch recognition, especially on breaking balls. He often swings wildly and is an easy out for pitchers who can land a breaking ball in the zone. Armenteros' speed does play when he gets on base and helps him play an average outfield, although he's limited to left field because of a below-average arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Armenteros has mostly confounded the A's so far as a professional. He's still just 21 years old and has a combination of tools they don't want to give up on.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Armenteros landed the largest bonus of any A's international signing in 2016 at $3 million, but he has yet to translate his enticing tools into production as a professional. He struck out 227 times at high Class A Stockton in 2019, the most strikeouts of any player in the minor leagues, and was not invited to either the alternate training site or instructional league in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Armenteros has tantalizing plus raw power and speed. The issue is he rarely gets to that plus raw power. Armenteros' swing doesn't stay in the strike zone very long and he has struggled with pitch recognition, especially on breaking balls. He often swings wildly and is an easy out for pitchers who can land a breaking ball in the zone. Armenteros' speed does play when he gets on base and helps him play an average outfield, although he's limited to left field because of a below-average arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Armenteros has mostly confounded the A's so far as a professional. He's still just 21 years old and has a combination of tools they don't want to give up on.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The A’s made a big splash when they signed Armenteros for $3 million out of Cuba in 2016, but he has yet to deliver on his potential. Armenteros struggled to get to his power at low Class A Beloit in his full-season debut, then struggled to make contact at all at high Class A Stockton in 2019.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Armenteros creates tremendous leverage in his swing and shows off at least plus raw power in batting practice. Armenteros rarely gets to that power in games, however, because he swings and misses at an alarming rate. His setup and swing path aren’t conducive for contact, and his natural hitting instincts have a long way to go. Armenteros has plus speed and is improving his reads to become an average defender. His well below-average arm limits him to left field. BA GRADE 45 Risk: High BA GRADE 40 Risk: Medium BA GRADE 50 Risk: Extreme
  
  THE FUTURE: Armenteros’ youth and raw tools are enticing, but he needs to make dramatic improvements as a hitter for them to matter. He’ll still be 20 on Opening Day and has time on his side.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The A's made a big splash when they signed Armenteros for $3 million out of Cuba in 2016, but he has yet to deliver on his potential. Armenteros struggled to get to his power at low Class A Beloit in his full-season debut, then struggled to make contact at all at high Class A Stockton in 2019.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Armenteros creates tremendous leverage in his swing and shows off at least plus raw power in batting practice. Armenteros rarely gets to that power in games, however, because he swings and misses at an alarming rate. His setup and swing path aren't conducive for contact, and his natural hitting instincts have a long way to go. Armenteros has plus speed and is improving his reads to become an average defender. His well below-average arm limits him to left field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Armenteros' youth and raw tools are enticing, but he needs to make dramatic improvements as a hitter for them to matter. He'll still be 20 on Opening Day and has time on his side.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Signed out of Cuba in 2016, Armenteros boasts loud raw tools and a body that has been compared with Andre Dawson. Assigned to the Midwest League in May and on the disabled list for most of June, "Lazarito” still electrifies observers in short looks. His raw power grades as double-plus, and his advanced hitting approach should help him access it in games. He runs well but is limited to left field by a poor arm.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Athletics invested heavily in the international market in 2016 and made Armenteros their marquee signing, getting the Cuban teenager for $3 million. He spent the bulk of his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2017 after just six games in the Dominican Summer League. Scouting Report: As an 18-year-old in the AZL Armenteros more than held his own, with a .288 average, 17 extra-base hits and 10 stolen bases in 41 games. One member of the organization likened Armenteros' body to that of a young Andre Dawson. He probably will fill out his body in the next couple of years. He shows feel to hit and his above-average power is real and could grow as his body does. Defensively, he already plays an outfield corner, and is limited to left because his well below-average arm strength leaves a lot to be desired. He is still learning some of the cultural nuances of pro ball in the U.S. Armenteros will probably begin 2018 at low Class A Beloit. His idol is former A's outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. The Future: If Armenteros progresses the way Oakland officials believe he can, he could have a big league career worthy of his idol, offensively at least.