Drafted in the 2nd round (44th overall) by the Kansas City Royals in 2000 (signed for $800,000).
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With Xavier Nady as a teammate and the two best catchers in the country also from California, Tonis got lost in the shuffle a bit this spring. His stock has risen lately and he projects, at worst, as a solid second-rounder. He's a tough, intense player who swings the bat well and is a solid defender. He has a plus arm, good quickness behind the plate and can stop a running game. He was charged with only one passed ball all year.
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The Royals angled for their catcher of the future when they selected Tonis and Scott Walter out of college in the second and third rounds in 2000. They expected one of them to make it to Kansas City by 2003, but Tonis hasn't stayed healthy and Walter hasn't shown the defensive skills. Tonis had knee surgery after the 2001 season, a shoulder operation during spring training in 2002, then broke his jaw five games into an August rehab assignment that year. He missed about a month in 2003 with a strained left hand. Despite the injuries, Tonis still ranks as the system's best defensive catcher. He works well with pitchers, calls a solid game and owns good catch-and-throw skills. He threw out 34 percent of basestealers last year. Tonis' offense has suffered with all the down time. He has a slow bat and hasn't developed the 15-20 home run power the Royals expected. He doesn't recognize breaking balls well and hit just .219 against righthanders last year. He's even-tempered and works hard, but now looks more likely to be a backup rather than a regular in the majors. How Tonis fares this season in Triple-A will be pivotal in determining his future with the club.
Tonis rivals Devil Rays outfield prospect Josh Hamilton for the frequency of his hospital visits. Tonis had knee surgery after the 2001 season, forcing him to miss the Arizona Fall League. When he reported to spring training, his shoulder was so sore that he couldn't even throw the ball 90 feet. Shoulder surgery kept him out of action until August, when he headed to the Gulf Coast League to DH and get some at-bats. After homering in his first at-bat, Tonis was hit by a pitch that broke his jaw in his fifth game, ending his season. Tonis shows good power potential and could develop into a 15-20 home run catcher, but he never has hit for a high average because of poor plate discipline. He's a below-average runner. Defensively, he can catch and throw in the majors right now with his above-average arm and soft hands. He gunned down 39 percent of basestealers in 2001. Tonis also calls a good game. Look for him to start 2003 in Double-A. The selection of Ronny Paulino in the major league Rule 5 draft probably quiets any chance that Tonis would get a midseason promotion. If he can stay healthy, Tonis could be starting for Kansas City at some point in 2004.
The Royals never have been strong at catcher, with Ellie Rodriguez (1969) and Darrell Porter (1980) the only All-Star Game selections in the franchise's 33 seasons. They tried to bolster the position in 2000, when they took Tonis and Scott Walter with second- and third-round picks. He reached Double-A last year in his first full pro season despite a right knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery. He has lived up to his billing as an advanced defensive catcher. He threw out 39 percent of basestealers in 2001 and is athletic. He once played all nine positions in the same college game, when he was clocked at 90 mph from the mound. Tonis has some power and exhibits more patience than the rest of the Royals' better position prospects. He might never hit for much of an average. He has worked on shortening his swing but it still gets a bit long at times. Journeyman Brent Mayne is the best Kansas City has behind the plate right now, and he won't stand in Tonis' way when he's ready. That should be in 2003 after he gets another year of seasoning in the upper minors.
The Royals have been looking for a catcher since moving Mike Sweeney from behind the plate. Last year, they used a four-headed monster of Gregg Zaun, Jorge Fabregas, Brian Johnson and Hector Ortiz, and got the expected mediocre production. As a result, they spent their second- and third-round picks in June on catchers, choosing Tonis and Scott Walter out of California colleges. Tonis is better defensively than Walter and could catch up to him with the bat. Tonis is athletic for a catcher, to the point where he played all nine positions in a game for Cal last spring, during which his fastball was clocked at 90 mph. His strong arm enabled him to throw out 33 percent of basestealers after turning pro, and he's durable behind the plate. Offensively, his swing needs a couple of adjustments and he probably won't hit for a high average, but Kansas City sees him as a run producer capable of 15-25 homers a season. Tonis, the only 2000 draftee to play in Triple-A, is ticketed for Double-A this season.
Minor League Top Prospects
The Royals took Tonis in the second round of the 2000 draft because they felt he was advanced defensively and was promising offensively. He lived up to that assessment in the TL, where he hit better than he did in the high Class A Carolina League. "He definitely knows his way around home plate," Wichita pitching coach Steve Crawford said. "He presents a good target, has an excellent arm and calls a good game. He gives pitchers more confidence just by being back there." Tonis, whose throwing ability is already at a big league level, nabbed 38 percent of basestealers. He's athletic for his size, making him an unusually deft defender when it comes to bunts and foul pops. He'll need to shorten his swing to get on base consistently but his strength should continue to produce a substantial amount of extra-base hits.
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