Jordan Danks Stats & Scouting Report

AB	348
AVG	.224
OBP	.300
SLG	.322
HR	8

Full name Jordan Cooper Danks
Born 08/07/1986 in Austin, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Texas
Debut 06/07/2012
Drafted in the 7th round (210th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2008 (signed for $525,000).

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Jordan Danks might have been a first-round pick coming out of high school had he not told teams he was set on attending Texas. He was one of the best prep power hitters in the 2005 draft, having beaten Cameron Maybin in the home run derby at the 2004 AFLCA All-America Game, where Danks hit several balls completely out of the park. Three years later, his power potential remains largely unfulfilled. The Longhorns' Disch-Falk Field doesn't favor hitters, but it's not the sole culprit for Danks' meager total of 12 homers in three college seasons. His bat speed and feel for hitting are just fair, though he has improved at driving balls to the opposite field this spring. If Danks was delivering the power scouts expected, he'd be an easy first-round pick because he's both big (6-foot-5, 205 pounds) and the best college athlete in this draft class. He runs well and shows better instincts on the bases and in center field than he does at the plate. The White Sox drafted Danks in the 19th round three years ago and are looking for athletes, so they could reunite him with his older brother John, who's in their rotation.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The 2011 season was disappointing for Danks, whose older brother John has won 54 games in five seasons with the White Sox. While fellow Charlotte outfielder Alejandro de Aza and Dayan Viciedo got a chance to show what they could do in Chicago, Jordan spent his second full season in Triple-A. He did set career highs with 14 homers and 18 steals, landing a spot on the U.S. national team for the World Cup in Panama and Pan Am Games in Mexico. Nevertheless, the White Sox declined to add him to their 40-man roster after he finished the season with 51 strikeouts in 101 at-bats. Danks is the best defensive outfielder in the system but has yet to show that he can make a difference with the bat. He has made only incremental progress as a hitter and finished with 150-plus whiffs for the second straight year. He has trouble catching up to good velocity and too often cheats to do so, starting his swing early and chasing bad pitches. Though he has size and strength in his favor, he makes a lot of weak contact to the opposite field. Danks hasn't let his hitting issues derail his overall game. He's one of the top defensive center fielders in the minors, thanks to his plus speed and instincts and average arm. He also has become a proficient if not prolific basestealer. Danks' window to play in the big leagues is closing, and he probably faces another Triple-A assignment to begin 2012.
A rare over-slot signing for Chicago at $525,000 for a seventh-rounder, Danks moved quickly through the minors and briefly received consideration to make the 2010 big league club before the White Sox traded for Juan Pierre. Danks' younger brother John led Chicago with 15 wins last season, but Jordan won't join him at U.S. Cellular Field until he learns how to solve more advanced pitching. He has batted just .244/.322/.366 since getting promoted to Double-A in May 2009. Advancing him to Triple-A in 2010 looks like a dubious decision in retrospect. He struggled against breaking pitches throughout the year, making it hard to believe he had once been projected as a leadoff candidate. His used to spray the ball all over the field with occasional flashes of gap power, but now he mostly makes weak contact to the opposite field. He was projected as a big-time power hitter when he came out of high school but never has come close to delivering that kind of pop. Though he struggled at the plate, Danks continued to provide quality defense in center field and earned respect playing through a variety of minor injuries. He has plus speed and an average arm, allowing him to play all three outfield spots, though his quickness hasn't translated into big stolen-base numbers. Pierre is expected to return for one more year as the Sox' left fielder, leaving Danks to return to Charlotte.
John Danks turned down the White Sox's initial attempt to sign him to a multiyear contract last spring, but he may soon may have more motivation to stick around--the chance to play with his younger brother. Drafted by Chicago in the 19th round out of high school and then again in the seventh round out of Texas, Jordan signed for an aboveslot $525,000. He needed just 40 games as a pro to reach Double-A, where wrist and thumb ailments sabotaged his production. Danks is an excellent athlete and a hard-nosed player. He's a natural hitter with good bat speed, gap power, surprising bunting ability and above-average speed. He has the range and instincts to play center field, and he also has a solid-average arm. His swing is sound, but Danks is prone to slumps when he gets pull-happy or faces a steady diet of breaking balls. He can struggle with pitch recognition at times, and he never has hit for the power projected for him coming out of high school. The White Sox filled their immediate need for a center fielder with Alex Rios. But he and Danks could play right field, so it's easy to project them playing side by side, perhaps even in the second half of 2010. After leading the Arizona Fall League with 31 runs and ranking fifth with a .458 on-base percentage, Danks figures to start the season in Double-A but shouldn't stay there long.
The younger brother of White Sox lefty John, Danks was the first member of his family on the club's radar. Chicago drafted Jordan out of high school in 2005, 22 months before trading for John. Jordan's stock slid somewhat when he didn't show much power during his college career, but the White Sox had to give him an above-slot $525,000 bonus to sign him as a seventh-rounder. Danks is an excellent athlete with a big frame and keen instincts. He has good bat speed and gap power, and he should hit for average and have an on-base percentage worthy of the top of the order. He's a plus runner, which helps him on the bases and in center field, where he has the skills to develop into a Gold Glove fielder. He has excellent range and a plus arm. His work ethic is strong. Danks hit just 13 homers in three years at Texas. Some scouts believe his power will come once he adds strength to his lanky frame, while others think his swing mechanics and timing are lacking. He needs to improve his pitch recognition and cut down his swing when he's behind in the count. It's easy to see Danks as a big league center fielder even if he doesn't hit for power. It's his goal to play behind his older brother, and that could happen as early as the end of 2010. He'll open his first full pro season in high Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Danks had only 40 games of pro ball under his belt when he received a promotion to Birmingham in mid-May. He batted .308/.387/.442 in his first 29 games for the Barons before missing two weeks in June with a sprained wrist. His hitting tailed off afterward, and he missed another week and a half in August with a finger injury. A good athlete, Danks has a nice swing with good bat speed. He has a 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame, but he never has developed into a home run threat and his power still grades as below average. He works counts well enough to draw a fair number of walks, though he still needs to improve his ability to hit offspeed pitches. He's also a good bunter. Danks is an above-average runner with good instincts in center field and a solid-average arm. He isn't wiry but still has room to pack on more mass, which would help his power but also might affect his future defensive position. "He can play center field now," a NL scout said. "but I think with his body frame, he's going to grow to be a bigger guy, lose some speed and be a corner guy. But I like him."
Danks spent little time in the Carolina League, but one month was all the White Sox needed to see before promoting him to Double-A for good in May. Danks continued hitting well at Birmingham before wrist and finger injuries took a toll on his numbers. At the plate, Danks shows good bat speed and a solid swing. Despite his size, he has below-average power, though that could improve as he fills out his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame. He can be susceptible to offspeed pitches, but he does a good job working the count to get on base and is a good bunter. Danks' athleticism stands out on the bases and in the field. He's an above-average runner, though he could slow down as he matures physically. He gets good jumps and takes good routes to the ball in center field. He also shows a solid-average arm that will serve him well if he winds up in right field.