Quan Cosby Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Quan Cosby
Born

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

One of the most gifted athletes in the minors, Cosby gave up football and track to sign for $850,000 as a 2001 sixth-round pick. A Texas football recruit, he accounted for 48 touchdowns as a high school senior playing quarterback, cornerback and kick returner. He also won Texas 2-A state championships in the 100 meters (10.46 seconds) and 200 meters (21.31). Though the Angels knew Cosby's development would take time, he made impressive progress during his first two pro seasons. A shoulder injury prevented him from building upon that success last year. He played through the pain but missed most of July. Cosby's best tool is legitimate 80 speed on the 20-80 scouting scale. A switch-hitter, he keeps the ball on the ground to make best use of his wheels. He's fairly patient at the plate, but needs better strike-zone judgment and pitch recognition so he can make better contact and give up fewer at-bats. His approach negates any power potential that he has. Defensively, Cosby covers lots of ground in center field but has a below-average arm. He has worked hard to get better. The Angels expect Cosby to require about 2,500 at-bats in the minors before he's ready. He'll return to low Class A to start 2004.
Cosby is one of the top all-around athletes in baseball. He was the first player in Texas prep football history to earn all-state honors at three positions (quarterback, defensive back and kick returner) in consecutive seasons. He amassed 6,177 yards of offense between his junior and senior seasons and scored 48 touchdowns in leading Mart High to the state 2-A title as a senior. He also won 2-A championships in the 100 meters (10.46 seconds) and 200 meters (21.31), and managed to find time to hit close to .500 and steal 81 bases in 82 attempts. He also can bench-press 370 pounds. Both of his brothers, including twin Quincy, were also standouts on the gridiron for Mart. Quan turned down an opportunity to play wide receiver at the University of Texas to sign a baseball-only deal worth $850,000. Cosby has blown away scouts and pleasantly surprised the Angels with the progress he has made since signing. He was untested as an amateur, and most scouts saw more raw tools than baseball skills. Yet he showed a good idea at the plate last year by reaching base at a .404 clip. He has made impressive strides in reading and recognizing pitches, though he still needs to make more consistent contact. Angels scouts rave about Cosby's aptitude and intelligence as much as his tools. He has pull-power potential batting righthanded, while he looks to be more of a line-drive hitter from the left. He also has improved in center field, where he has outstanding range. His arm strength is below-average but is getting better and could be average as he loosens his arm. With Cosby's ability to get on base and his top-of-the-line speed, the Angels envision him as a top-of-the-order threat, though they realize he is a long way from the majors.
Cosby was the fastest prospect in the 2001 draft. He won Texas state 2-A championships in the 100 meters (10.46 second) and 200 meters (21.31) and was even more accomplished on the gridiron. He led Mart High to a football title as a senior, scoring 48 touchdowns between quarterback, defensive back and kick returner. One of the nation's top football recruits, he turned down a scholarship from Texas--where he would have joined Dodgers 12th-rounder Cedrick Benson--to sign for $850,000 as a sixth-round pick. He has a lot of work to do on the diamond, but unlike Benson he's committed to baseball full-time. The Angels project Cosby as a prototype leadoff hitter, and many scouts compare his explosive speed to Deion Sanders'. Cosby is a slap hitter from the left side but flashed some power from the right side with four homers in the final week of instructional league. He still has to develop a solid approach at the plate and learn to use his speed to get on base, then steal once he gets there. Cosby is a chiseled athlete who's starting to loosen up and get into baseball shape. His arm has improved more than a full grade since the spring. He's the best pure athlete the Angels have, but Cosby will be a long-term project.

Minor League Top Prospects

Cosby, an all-state football and track star as a Texas high schooler, has plenty of athleticism and is working to refine his impressive raw tools. He plays hard and works harder. "He's like a sponge taking it all in," Kotchman said. "We had to back him off on his early work because we were afraid he'd wear down." With speed that scouts compare to Deion Sanders', Cosby can go get balls in center field and made his share of over-the-head catches on the dead run. He's also learning to steal bases, tying for second in the league with 22. He has made great strides at the plate, learning to go the other way, slap the ball on the ground and use his speed. Cosby's plate discipline and pitch recognition improved. After a slow start, Cosby batted .374 over his final 37 games to finish at .302.