Colin Curtis
| AB | 59 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .186 |
| OBP | .25 |
| SLG | .288 |
| HR | 1 |
- Full name Colin Benedict Curtis
- Born 02/01/1985 in Issaquah, WA
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Arizona State
- Debut 06/21/2010
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Drafted in the 4th round (134th overall) by the New York Yankees in 2006 (signed for $450,000).
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Scouts root for Curtis, who survived a 1999 bout with testicular cancer to become an impact high school football player. He was an instant starter on the baseball team at Arizona State as a freshman and played an important role in the Sun Devils' 2005 College World Series team, going 8-for-11 in Omaha. Yet Curtis' tools have either leveled off or gone backward as his body has grown. Once considered a fast-twitch athlete, he now elicits comments such as "stiff" and "slow" from scouts and Pac-10 coaches. A smart, aggressive baserunner and efficient basestealer, he's now an average runner rather than plus. His bat also has slowed down, so his larger size hasn't resulted in more power. He hasn't driven the ball consistently, and overall his modest juinor year (.332) has reminded scouts of the draft-itis that hampered former teammate Jeff Larish. Like Larish, he was making a late charge with his performance and is a Scott Boras client, both making it tough to tell where he'll be drafted. Curtis hit .323 in the Cape Cod League last summer, and a team that saw him good last summer could still pop him in the first five rounds.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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One Yankees official laments that the organization misses out on players such as Dustin Pedroia because they don't profile. While Pedroia's tools didn't scream "big leaguer," it's apparent now that scouts underestimated him. Curtis, Pedroia's teammate at Arizona State, has a somewhat similar resume, though scouts liked Curtis more as an amateur because of his well-rounded tools. However, he doesn't profile well either. Curtis played primarily left field in 2007 and is a better defensive fit there with his average speed, range and arm, but he lacks corner-outfield power. His bat would play better in center field, though he's just an adequate defender there. New York rates him as a plus hitter and pro scouts like his approach, but he wasn't ready for Double-A last season. A cancer survivor who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1999, Curtis has tremendous makeup that makes the Yankees confident he'll make the adjustments needed when he repeats Double-A in 2008. He looks like a fourth outfielder. -
A three-year starter at Arizona State, Curtis helped led the Sun Devils to the 2005 College World Series and won a New York-Penn League championship in his first taste of pro ball. Curtis was the Yankees' highest-drafted position player in 2006 and had a solid debut after signing for an above-slot $450,000 bonus. New York buys into his offensive ability, thanks to his short, quick swing, and offense may have to be his calling card. Area scouts in Arizona considered him less athletic as a junior than he was as a freshman. All his tools play average, and his body leaves little room for projection. While he's a smart, aggressive baserunner and efficient basestealer, his speed is just average. He has some strength in his swing, which seems to work better with wood than with metal. Curtis played center field in Staten Island and his bat would fit best there. He'll have to maximize his average range, running smart routes and improving his instincts, to stay there. No one doubts his makeup, as Curtis was diagnosed with testicular cancer at age 15 and beat the disease. If the Yankees decide to keep Austin Jackson in low Class A, Curtis could get on the fast track and jump to high Class A.
