Drafted in the C round (50th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 1997.
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Background: Like Cuddyer and Restovich, LeCroy was a '97 draftee making his pro debut in '98. LeCroy was expected to move the fastest because of his college background, but he exceeded even the Twins expectations, finishing the year in Triple-A. Strengths: LeCroy's ticket is his offensive potential and particularly his power. He is exceptionally strong with short, muscular arms and a compact swing that can put the ball out of the park to all fields. He retains good looseness and athletic ability, though, and his arm strength is average to above average. Weaknesses: When LeCroy was drafted, most scouts thought he would quickly be moved to first base. But the Twins feel LeCroy made significant progress behind the plate this year, though he still needs work with his foot work and game-calling ability. The Future: The Twins plan on doing everything possible to give LeCroy a chance to catch in the major leagues. With his offensive potential, they feel that they just need a competent receiver who will be able to hit in the middle of the lineup.
Minor League Top Prospects
Exceptionally strong with short muscular arms and a compact swing, LeCroy had a .526 slugging percentage before getting promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake. He tied for fourth in the league in homers despite his promotion. However, the big question remains about his potential to catch on the big league level. "He's a hard guy to figure out," one manager said. "He's got excellent power. After that, I'm not real sure. We could steal bases on him, and you have to be able to throw some runners out in the big leagues." "I like his bat--his power," added another manager. "I'm not so sure about him behind the plate. He may have to DH or play first."
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