Jeff Natale

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #30 prospect in 2007
  Natale played two sports at NCAA Division III Trinity (Conn.), where he never batted less than .412 in four years of baseball and scored 31 goals in three seasons as a hockey forward. He hit .368 in his pro debut and was Boston's 2006 minor league offensive player of the year after topping the system in hits (136), RBIs (87), walks (103), on-base percentage (.446) and OPS (.915). Natale has tremendous hand-eye coordination and plate discipline. Using a short stroke, he consistently gets the barrel to the ball and rarely swings at bad pitches. He works counts and has no fear of hitting with two strikes. He has good pop for his size, especially to left field, and the Red Sox think he could hit 15 homers annually in the majors. If there's a knock on his offensive game, it's that he could wait a little better on breaking balls. Despite his two-sport background, Natale is limited athletically. He's a below-average runner and looks rough at second base. His hands, range and footwork are subpar, and though he has worked hard on his defense, he faces a move to left field if he doesn't show significant improvement. If that happens, he likely would rate as no more than a reserve. Natale should earn a spot at Portland in 2007.