- Full name Chris Haas
- Born
- Profile Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Cardinals are woefully thin at a couple of positions, and first base is one of them. They'll give Haas the opportunity to become the heir apparent to Mark McGwire this season, as he has proven that he isn't suited to play third. Haas is a former member of the organization's Top 10 Prospects list, but he hasn't been able to hit Triple-A pitching in the last couple of seasons and his stock has dropped. He has light-tower power--and that's his only tool. He's willing to take a walk and has cut down on his strikeouts, but again that won't mean much until he can do it at Triple-A. He has great makeup and won't ever stop working to get better. But St. Louis finally had to give up on making him a third baseman. He just didn't have the tools for the position, as he's a below-average runner. So he'll be at first base for good now, and the organization hopes settling him there will allow his bat to take off again. He'll go back to Memphis, and the organization considers this a make-or-break year. -
Background: Haas finally started looking like a supplemental first-round pick in the last two seasons and has become the organization's best power prospect after Drew. He hit .252-6-20 in the Arizona Fall League, among the league's leaders in home runs. Strengths: Haas keeps getting bigger and stronger and will go as far as his power takes him. His is not a subtle game. He still strikes out a lot but has become more selective as he continues to learn his hitting zone. Weaknesses: The Cardinals tried Haas at catcher after he signed, but that didn't work. He's played mostly at third since then, where he has a good arm but limited range. He can't play in the outfield because he's a below-average runner. First base looks like his ultimate home. The Future: Haas played first in the AFL and looked good there, so he could move as soon as this season. The Cardinals plan to keep him in Triple-A all year.