Kirk Nieuwenhuis

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked New York Mets #7 prospect in 2012
  A torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder rendered Nieuwenhuis unable to swing a bat after June 9, so he had season-ending surgery in July to remedy the issue. Prior to the injury, the former NAIA standout had enhanced his power production and walk rate in Triple-A, where he had posted career highs in on-base percentage (.403) and slugging (.505). It was an easy decision for the Mets to place him on their 40-man roster following the season. Nieuwenhuis has no carrying tool, but he also has no glaring weakness. He rips line drives to all fields and possesses solid bat speed, but his elevated strikeout rate and trouble with lefthanders limit his offensive potential. Nieuwenhuis might top out near .275 with 12-15 homers at his best, though his strong batting eye ought to translate to a good OBP. He makes all the routine plays in center field, though fringe-average speed probably limits him to a corner long term, particularly in spacious Citi Field. He has the average arm strength to handle all three spots. Nieuwenhuis may lack the range to play center every day and the power to hold down a corner spot in the big leagues, but he profiles as a near-perfect fourth outfielder.
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  Ranked New York Mets #5 prospect in 2011
  Nieuwenhuis starred as a running back in high school but opted to pursue baseball in college, leading Azusa Pacific (Calif.) to consecutive NAIA World Series and ranking as the summer Alaska League's top prospect following his sophomore year. He led the high Class A Florida State League in four categories, including extra-base hits (56) and slugging (.467), during his full-season debut in 2009. He continued to hit for power last season in Double-A, leading the Eastern League with 53 extra-base hits at the time of his August promotion to Triple-A. Nieuwenhuis' all-out approach helps sell observers on his allaround ability, which breaks down as five average to a tick below-average tools. He shows an all-fields approach that could spell a .270 average in the big leagues. He has the bat speed to hit for power, but his line-drive stroke is geared more for doubles and a ceiling of 12-15 homers. His range and instincts in center field grade as average, as does his arm, but his speed is merely fringe-average. As an athletic, lefthanded hitter with a dollop of power and speed, Nieuwenhuis could be an ideal reserve who can cover all three outfield spots and produce at the plate. He'll begin 2011 in Triple-A and make his big league debut at some point during the season.
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  Ranked New York Mets #13 prospect in 2010
  The top NAIA prospect in the 2008 draft, Nieuwenhuis signed as a third-round pick after leading Azusa Pacific (Calif.) to consecutive NAIA World Series. He matched former big leaguers Paul Moskau and Jeff Robinson as the highest-drafted players in school history. Nieuwenhuis had a strong first full pro season, leading the Florida State League in runs (91), doubles (35), extra-base hits (56) and slugging (.467) and finishing the year in Double-A when World Cup assignments left Binghamton shorthanded. Early in the year, he pounded fastballs but needed to improve at recognizing breaking balls and laying off pitches in the dirt. He made quality adjustments and displayed solid opposite-field power. He's a potential 20-20 player with his strength and slightly above-average speed, though some scouts worry about his ability to make consistent contact. Nieuwenhuis once rushed for 267 yards in a snowstorm in a Colorado Class 2-A football championship game, and he takes that mentality and a Kirk Gibson-type into the outfield. He has no fear of the wall and has a slightly above-average arm. He played center field in 2009 but lacks classic range for the position, so he'll probably wind up in right. He'll return to Double-A to begin 2010 and could push for a September callup.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Eastern League #19 prospect in 2010
  Playing center field and primarily hitting leadoff, Nieuwenhuis was Binghamton's best player until his August promotion to Triple-A. Big and physical, he profiles better on an outfield corner and batting in the middle of a lineup. Nieuwenhuis has strength, runs a tick above average, owns a solid arm and swings the bat with authority. He hangs in well against lefthanders and learned to go deeper in counts while batting leadoff, though he still could use better patience. There are some concerns that he's a tweener who's not a true center fielder and lacks enough power to be a regular on the corner, but one scouts compared him to a lefthanded-hitting Aaron Rowand for his skills and all-out style. "He was one of the better bats in the league," Komminsk said. "He was solid in all phases, and I thought he could handle center field pretty well."
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  Ranked Florida State League #13 prospect in 2009
  As a tall, rangy center fielder with power, Kirk Nieuwenhuis had FSL managers reaching back in their memory banks for a comparison. One skipper compared him to Dale Murphy because of his size and his tendency to dive for balls all over center field, though that projection definitely is on the high end. When the season began, Nieuwenhuis was a high-ball, opposite-field hitter. Pitchers found they could bust him inside with fastballs, but he worked on shortening his swing and creating a better hand path, which made him much tougher to contend with. He started to pull the ball more often and batted .446 with six homers in his final 15 games in the FSL. He led the league in runs (91), doubles (35), extra-base hits (56) and slugging (.467). While Nieuwenhuis did make some nice adjustments, there still are concerns that he swings and misses too much. Despite his size, he's a tick above-average runner who's even faster underway. Though he played center field in 2009, his lack of overwhelming speed eventually will force him to right field, where his strong, accurate arm will fit well.

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: A torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder rendered Nieuwenhuis unable to swing a bat after June 9, so he had season-ending surgery in July to remedy the issue. Prior to the injury, the former NAIA standout had enhanced his power production and walk rate in Triple-A, where he had posted career highs in on-base percentage (.403) and slugging (.505) as Buffalo's primary No. 3 hitter. Scouting Report: Nieuwenhuis has no carrying tool, but he also has no glaring weakness. He rips line drives to all fields and possesses solid bat speed, but his elevated strikeout rate and trouble with lefthanders limit his offensive potential. Nieuwenhuis might top out near .275 with 12-15 homers at his best, though his strong batting eye ought to translate to a good OBP. He makes all the routine plays in center field, though fringe-average speed probably limits him to a corner long term, particularly in spacious Citi Field. He has the average arm strength to handle all three spots. The Future: Nieuwenhuis may lack the range to play center every day and the power to hold down a corner spot in the big leagues, but he profiles as a near-perfect fourth outfielder. He may need time to recover from his shoulder surgery before picking up where he left off with Buffalo.