Chris Duffy Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

AB	713
AVG	.262
OBP	.323
SLG	.352
HR	6

Full name Christopher Ellis Duffy
Born 04/20/1980 in Brattleboro, VT
Profile Ht.: 5'9" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Arizona State
Debut 04/07/2005
Drafted in the 8th round (234th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2001.

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The switch-hitting Duffy had excellent speed, arm strength and defensive skills when he was recruited by Arizona State out of South Mountain (Ariz.) CC, but a knee injury slowed him at the start of the year and he struggled to regain his previous form.

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Duffy has continued to impress the Pirates since leading the short-season New York-Penn League in steals in his pro debut in 2001. He had a strong big league camp and hit .300 for the fourth time in five years in 2005. Installed as the Pirates' center fielder in mid-July, he hit .341 until his season ended in late August with a torn left hamstring. Duffy has outstanding speed that he uses to his advantage both on the bases and in the field. Though he never batted lefthanded until he got to Arizona State, he has hit consistently throughout the minors. He's an outstanding center fielder who covers both gaps and makes highlight-reel plays. He's also a good basestealer, though he was hesitant to run in the majors. Duffy strikes out a lot for a top-of-the-order hitter who relies on speed. His arm is below average, though he compensates by making accurate throws. The Pirates' center-field job will be Duffy's to lose in spring training. He's their best defensive center fielder since Andy Van Slyke, though his bat will determine his long-term future.
Duffy was an all-Pacific-10 Conference selection at Arizona State and hit .300 in each of his first two professional seasons. After slipping to .274 in Double-A in 2003, he repeated the level last year and finished among the Eastern League leaders in batting, runs, hits and stolen bases. He is an outstanding defensive center fielder who covers both gaps and has an above-average arm. Duffy hits for average and battles pitchers. He has good speed and has stolen 117 bases in his four pro seasons, but he strikes out far too much and walks far too little for a leadoff hitter, though he improved last season. He also needs to work on bunting and keeping the ball on the ground. A sprained wrist kept Duffy from playing in the Arizona Fall League, but the injury wasn't considered serious and he should be the leadoff hitter and center fielder in Triple-A this year. He's on the doorstep of the major leagues, and plate discipline will likely decide whether he becomes a starter or fourth outfielder.
The Pirates moved few players two levels in the farm system last season, but Duffy was an exception. He jumped to high Class A to begin 2002 after earning all-star honors in the short-season New York-Penn League in his pro debut. Following a slow start, Duffy shone in the Carolina League as he finished second in hits, third in runs and seven in batting. He's a scrapper and hustles all the time, routinely taking the extra base and diving for balls. He's an outstanding defensive center fielder with great instincts, above-average range and a decent arm. Duffy has a good line-drive stroke with power potential. He would be the prototypical leadoff hitter, except for one fundamental problem: He strikes out too much and rarely walks. Duffy needs to develop a better eye at the plate. If he does, he has the ability to be a .300 hitter in the majors. Duffy is moving fast and a major league debut sometime in 2004 isn't out of the question. His progress hinges on his ability to command the strike zone.
The Pirates leaned toward college players in last year's draft and grabbed Duffy in the eighth round from Arizona State. His leadoff skills are attractive in an organization that lacks table setters. He tied for the New York-Penn League in stolen bases, finished third in runs and walked as often as he struck out. Duffy has an advanced knowledge of hitting, making contact and showing a good eye. He also crowds the plate and dares pitchers to drill him--which they did 15 times in 64 games last summer. He has above-average speed and reads pickoff moves particularly well. Duffy's instincts in center field are outstanding and he tracks down balls in both gaps. He doesn't hit with much power and there's some fear he could be overmatched as he sees more advanced pitching. His arm is only ordinary but he makes up for it by hitting the cutoff man and throwing to the right base. Duffy could jump right to high Class A in 2002.

Minor League Top Prospects

Two of the Pirates' most glaring needs at the major league level are in center field and in the leadoff slot in the batting order. Duffy may be the answer to both dilemmas. He can run and has proven to be a consistent contact hitter. He's a capable basestealer, and his instincts make him a valuable defender. He gets good jumps and can run down fly balls hit to either gap. "He made the jump to this level from Rookie ball and hit a solid .300 with 500 at-bats," Mackanin said. "To me, he's a candidate to be an everyday center fielder in the major leagues." Whether he can handle the leadoff role is yet to be determined. Duffy has table-setting speed, but he'll need to get on base more via the walk.