Kevin Hooper

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Miami Marlins #15 prospect in 2003
  While clubs scramble to find the next David Eckstein, the Marlins believe they already have theirs in Hooper. Like Eckstein, Hooper beats opponents as much with his brain and heart as with his body. He looks immature, both facially and physically, but then so does Eckstein. Both have excellent speed and soft hands, but Hooper has a much better arm than Eckstein and may have better range as well. Like Eckstein, Hooper is willing to take pitches and fights off those he can't handle. He won't get plunked quite as often, but Hooper will give himself up to advance runners and is forever dropping flares into short right field for singles. His 31-game hitting streak at Calgary was the second-longest in the minors last year. Routinely clocked at 4.08 seconds from home to first, Hooper needs to improve his basestealing instincts to take full advantage of his speed. After seeing more time at second base in Double-A, he convinced the new regime he could handle the everyday grind at shortstop. With incumbent Alex Gonzalez returning from shoulder surgery and veterans Andy Fox and Mike Mordecai around as well, Hooper appears to be blocked in his path to the majors. He could break in through a utility role.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #29 prospect in 2002
  In a system filled with tools guys and power arms, Hooper stands out for makeup. He draws comparisons to Anaheim's David Eckstein for his grit, intelligence, speed and instincts. Others see a young Casey Candaele. As with both of those gamers, you underestimate Hooper at your own risk. His body is undefined and unimpressive, yet he's an exceptionally fast runner who has a good feel for stealing bases. At the plate he's weak and gets jammed frequently, but he leads the system in flares to all fields. "Second serves," his supporters call them. Hooper has a good grasp of the strike zone and knows how to work counts. What makes him intriguing are his plus arm strength and range, both of which are good enough for the left side of the infield. While he played second base last year, he could make the move to a utility role, including some center field, in preparation for the majors.