Kevin Youkilis
| AB | 3749 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .281 |
| OBP | .382 |
| SLG | .478 |
| HR | 150 |
- Full name Kevin Edmund Youkilis
- Born 03/15/1979 in Cincinnati, OH
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Cincinnati
- Debut 05/15/2004
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Drafted in the 8th round (243rd overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 2001.
View Draft Report
Youkilis, a senior, gained the attention last summer in the Cape Cod League after not being drafted as a junior. He was one of the top hitters in Conference USA.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Youkilis already has exceeded expectations for an eighth-round senior sign. In 2003 alone, he played in the Futures Game, led the Eastern League in on-base percentage, finished third in the minors with an overall .441 OBP and reached base in 71 consecutive games. Youkilis is an onbase machine. His controlled, line-drive approach frustrates pitchers. An intensive workout regimen last offseason has helped make him into an average defender and a decent athlete. Despite Youkilis' plate discipline, he has yet to show much power. He drove the ball more often after adjusting his hands toward the end of his tenure at Double-A Portland, but reverted to his previous form once he slumped at Pawtucket. Pitchers exploited Youkilis' patience there, so he'll have to get more aggressive earlier in the count. He's a below-average runner. Often compared to Bill Mueller, Youkilis eventually will have to unseat the defending AL batting champion to win Boston's thirdbase job. He's ticketed for a return to Triple-A in 2004. -
Undrafted as a Cincinnati junior in 2000, Youkilis impressed scouts in the Cape Cod League that summer and went in the eighth round a year later. He has turned out to be more than just a senior sign, compiling a .457 on-base percentage and reaching Double-A in his first 11⁄2 seasons as a pro. Youkilis has an extraordinary eye at the plate and consistently produces hits and walks. Though he doesn't have a live body, he's more athletic than he looks. His feet, hands and work ethic will allow him to be a solid average third baseman. Though he started to lift pitches more frequently in Double-A, Youkilis may not hit more than 15-20 homers annually. While he moves better than expected, he's still not fast. His arm is more notable for its accuracy than its strength. Youkilis' on-base abilities fit Boston's approach more than all-star Shea Hillenbrand's do. Youkilis will spend the year in Triple-A, and may move to first base or left field in the majors unless Hillenbrand is traded. -
Undrafted as a junior in 2000, Youkilis started attracting scouts with an all-star summer in the Cape Cod League. He followed up by leading Conference USA with a .405 batting average last spring before the Red Sox drafted him in the eighth round. He has a tremendous understanding of the strike zone, as evidenced by his New York-Penn League-leading 70 walks (in just 59 games) and .512 on-base percentage. He generates gap power out of a Jeff Bagwell-like crouch. Youkilis isn't blessed with a lot of physical tools, but he's athletic for his size. He doesn't clog the bases and he gets the job done at third base. Youkilis' advanced approach could land him in high Class A in 2002, when the Red Sox will begin to find out if he's for real.
Minor League Top Prospects
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In a Red Sox organization that values plate discipline, Youkilis is the poster child for patience. He walked 86 times in 94 games at Portland, reached base in his final 62 games before a promotion to Triple-A and topped the EL with a .487 on-base percentage. Youkilis has worked hard to increase his agility and become an adequate third baseman. While he has no trouble reaching base, it remains to be seen whether he'll generate enough power for a corner infielder. He has shown doubles power but not home run pop, and Triple-A pitchers got him out by aggressively challenging him. -
You'd have a hard time tracking down a scout who graded Youkilis' tools as above-average. At the same time, it would be tough to find a manager who wouldn't want to write his name on a lineup card. "He has a bad body, but it's not fat," one manager said. "He's just a big, thick block. He's adequate at third. He lacks first-step quickness, but he makes all the plays." Youkilis' best assets are his uncanny patience at the plate and his ability to put the ball in play. After drawing 73 walks against 31 strikeouts in his 2001 debut, Youkilis finished fifth in the minors with a .436 on-base percentage between Sarasota and Double-A Trenton. He will have to make some adjustments, however. "He's a dead-pull hitter," Trembley said. "He doesn't miss a ball inside. He kills the third baseman and the coach because he lets bats fly so often because he cheats so much." -
Youkilis had one of the best bats, if not the best body, in the EL. His 6-foot-1, 220-pound build is anything but classic, but the 2001 eighth-round pick had a breakthrough season. Youkilis already had displayed one of the minors' best batting eyes at three previous stops in the Red Sox system. After joining Trenton, he started to show more of the power required from third basemen. He works hard, gets the job done at the hot corner and doesn't clog up the bases. "When you first look at him, you think his rear end is five yards wide," an AL scout said, "but if you get a closer look, you see he has an OK body. He has good bat speed and good lift on his swing. He's a typical Boston player and with that swing, he's made for that big wall at Fenway."
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the American League in 2010
- Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the American League in 2008
- Rated Best Hitter for Average in the Boston Red Sox in 2004
- Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the Eastern League in 2003
