Jesus Aguilar

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #18 prospect in 2015
  Aguilar got to be winter-ball teammates with Bobby Abreu and Alex Gonzalez in the Venezuelan League following the 2013 season. The two long-time big leaguers helped him to mature his approach, and Aguilar took those lessons into the 2014 season.Aguilar remains the same hulking presence in the batter's box and has big-time righthanded power. He's at his best when he stays within himself and uses the whole field, which frees his hands and allows him to show his power to all parts of the park. His swing does get long at times and he'll start pulling off balls, though he shows good bat speed. A below-average runner and thrower, Aguilar handles himself well enough at first base to not be a defensive liability. With no clear path to everyday playing time in Cleveland, Aguilar may find himself back in Columbus in 2015. The Indians value having his righthanded power around, given how many of their best hitters are lefties.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #15 prospect in 2014
  Aguilar signed with the Indians at age 17 and took three years to get out of short-season ball, but he's made steady progress since 2011, when he broke out with 23 homers between two Class A levels. The Indians left him exposed to the Rule 5 draft after the 2012 season but didn't take that chance again and added him to the 40-man roster in 2013. Aguilar's future depends entirely on his bat. He has a hulking frame and well-above-average power, with the bat speed to handle velocity. He posted the lowest strikeout rate of his career in 2013 as he did a better job of getting into favorable counts and of staying back on offspeed pitches. Club officials also noted his ability to bear down with men on base. He led the Eastern League with 105 RBIs, hitting .229 with the bases empty versus .339 with runners in scoring position. Aguilar has good hands and is a better athlete than he looks, though unsurprisingly his speed still rates below-average, as does his throwing arm. He led EL first basemen with 14 errors. Aguilar sticks out as the best power bat the Indians have in the upper levels of the system. He'll have to overcome the tough profile of being a righthanded-hitting first baseman, so he'll need to put up big numbers at Triple-A Columbus in 2014.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #9 prospect in 2013
  Aguilar broke out in his fourth pro season, slamming 23 homers in Class A and performing well in the Arizona Fall League in 2011. He built upon that with a solid 2012 season that included a strong August showing in Double-A. The Indians left him off their 40-man roster, but teams passed on him in the Rule 5 draft. Aguilar's game is based around strength and power. He has plus raw pop and can drive the ball out of the park to all fields. He's not a rhythmic hitter, as he has an upper-body dominant swing and still needs work on his approach. He can get beat with good fastballs in on him, but if he learns to free up his hands, his power will show up more frequently in games. Some scouts think he needs to become better at recognizing breaking pitches, but he doesn't strike out excessively. Aguilar is a bottom-of-the-scale runner who lacks range and athleticism but has sure hands at first base. He did improve markedly at first base in 2012. Aguilar will head back to Akron to open the 2013 season. If he shows that his hitting approach will work at the upper levels, he could be in line for a shot at Cleveland's first-base job in 2014.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #25 prospect in 2012
  Aguilar didn't make much noise in his first three years in the system, but he took a step forward in 2011 when he hit 23 homers between two Class A stops. He continued to produce in the Arizona Fall League, batting .339/.458/.610, then went home to the Venezuelan League to play for Caracas. Aguilar has a massive physical frame, good strength and plus raw power. His best pop comes to center and left-center field, and he generates a lot of loft with his stroke. He relies more on a strength-based swing than bat speed and doesn't always get the bat head out front, but it has worked at the lower levels. He'll need to improve his plate discipline when he faces more advanced pitching. A bottom-of-the-scale runner, Aguilar is a limited athlete and defender at first base. He has an average arm and has made some progress with his footwork, hands and instincts. He's ready to give Double-A a try.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Aguilar broke out in his fourth pro season, slamming 23 homers in Class A and performing well in the Arizona Fall League in 2011. He built upon that with a solid 2012 season that included a strong August showing in Double-A. Scouting Report: Aguilar's game is based around strength and power. He has plus raw pop and can drive the ball out of the park to all fields. He's not a natural or rhythmic hitter, as he has an upper-body dominant swing and still needs work on his approach. He can get beat with good fastballs in on him, but if he learns to free up his hands, his power will show up more frequently in games. Some scouts think he needs to become better at recognizing breaking pitches, but he doesn't strike out excessively. Aguilar is a bottom-of-the-scale runner who lacks range and athleticism but has sure hands at first base. He did improve markedly at first base in 2012. The Future: Aguilar will head back to Akron to open the 2013 season. If he shows that his hitting approach will work at the upper levels, he could be in line for a shot at Cleveland's first-base job in 2014. Both the big league team and the farm system are thin at his position.