Edinson Rincon

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked San Diego Padres #19 prospect in 2012
  The Padres regard Rincon as a paradigm for their Latin American prospects because he manages the strike zone better than many players his age, foreign or domestic. He cracked 13 home runs in low Class A in 2010 but did so while hitting a meager .250 in 511 at-bats. Promoted to high Class A last year, he batted .336/.391/.509 with eight homers through the end of June, but a broken hamate bone in his left hand scuttled his second half. San Diego believes Rincon has at least average potential as a hitter. His strong swing features loft and produces consistent hard contact but also opens a hole in the upper regions of his strike zone. When he connects, he hits the ball as far as any Padres farmhand. Rincon is a third baseman in name only and faces a shift to an outfield corner or first base. A bottom-of-the-scale runner, he has stiff actions and slow feet at the hot corner. He committed 18 errors in just 39 games at third last year, good for an .835 fielding average. Rincon's arm is strong but erratic. He'll head back to Lake Elsinore in 2012, partially in deference to Double-A third baseman Jedd Gyorko, and still has time on his side at age 21. San Diego added him to its 40-man roster in November.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #16 prospect in 2011
  Making his full-season debut at Fort Wayne last season, Rincon started slowly before finding his stroke at midseason and batting .302/.359/.462 with six homers in June and July. Rincon's season represented a step back from his breakout campaign in 2009, when he ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Northwest League. Nearly all his value lies in his bat. Rincon squares up all types of pitches and shows enough bat speed for scouts to slap average grades on his potential to hit for average and power. He stays back well on offspeed stuff and earns high marks for his plate discipline. Rincon drives the ball well to right-center field, but when he went against his natural swing and tried to pull the ball for power, he fell into the habit of upper-cutting the ball. Despite plus arm strength, Rincon has a slow release and his defensive actions are rough at the hot corner. He's a bottom-of-the- scale runner who gets caught in-between on hops frequently, and he led Midwest League third basemen with 36 errors in just 106 games. Rincon faces a probable shift to the corner outfield or first base down the line, so further offensive improvement is imperative. He'll head to high Class A in 2011.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #9 prospect in 2010
  Rincon signed at age 16 with little fanfare, but he has separated himself from the Padres' other international players not only with his rapid development but also by quickly learning English. He recovered from knee surgery in April 2008 to make his U.S. debut that summer before ranking as the No. 2 prospect in the short-season Northwest League in 2009. The Padres hold Rincon up as a model for their other Latin prospects to follow. He controls the strike zone and works deep counts. He maintains balance at the plate and hits breaking balls. Scouts project him to hit for high averages as he moves up, and his raw strength should translate into average power. His arm strength is his best defensive asset. He draws raves for his aptitude and toughness. Rincon is anything but fluid at third base, with hard hands and feet that don't work well in terms of timing hops. He made 22 errors in 44 games and spent about a third of his time at DH. His slinging arm action results in too many throwing errors. He's a below-average runner and figures to slow down more as he matures. Though Rincon may not be long for the infield, his bat will keep him in San Diego's plans. He should make the jump to full-season ball in 2010.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Northwest League #2 prospect in 2009
  Unlike many teenagers, Rincon has a mature approach at the plate. His quick swing and strength allowed him to hit .300/.415/.468 with 18 doubles and seven homers for Eugene. His discerning eye enabled him to draw 46 walks, the third-highest total in the league. One scout said Rincon's performance wasn't a fluke and projected hit to consistently hit .300 with average power in the big leagues. He has good pitch recognition and hits breaking balls. Even though he's built like a catcher and weighs about 25-30 pounds more than his listed weight, he has decent speed and was perfect in five steal attempts. Rincon's agility in the field is an issue, however. Though he has an above-average arm, he lacks the first-step quickness and mobility needed to stay at the hot corner. He made 22 errors in 44 games there this summer, and his future position likely will be left field.

• December, 2010 Scouting Report
  Making his full-season debut at Fort Wayne last season, Rincon started slowly before finding his stroke at midseason and batting .302/.359/.462 with six homers in June and July. Rincon's season represented a step back from his breakout campaign in 2009, when he ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Northwest League. Nearly all his value lies in his bat. Rincon squares up all types of pitches and shows enough bat speed for scouts to slap average grades on his potential to hit for average and power. He stays back well on offspeed stuff and earns high marks for his plate discipline. Rincon drives the ball well to right-center field, but when he went against his natural swing and tried to pull the ball for power, he fell into the habit of upper-cutting the ball. Despite plus arm strength, Rincon has a slow release and his defensive actions are rough at the hot corner. He's a bottom-of-the- scale runner who gets caught in-between on hops frequently, and he led Midwest League third basemen with 36 errors in just 106 games. Rincon faces a probable shift to the corner outfield or first base down the line, so further offensive improvement is imperative. He'll head to high Class A in 2011.