James Darnell
| AB | 62 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .226 |
| OBP | .3 |
| SLG | .371 |
| HR | 2 |
- Full name James Thomas Darnell
- Born 01/19/1987 in Fresno, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School South Carolina
- Debut 08/09/2011
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Drafted in the 2nd round (69th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2008 (signed for $740,000).
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Teaming up with Havens and Smoak at South Carolina, Darnell was the third piece of one of the most potent infields in college baseball. The best athlete of the three, Darnell has potential to be a five-tool talent in the pros. At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Darnell is a physical specimen with a combination of athleticism and strength. Still somewhat raw as a baseball player, it is still to be determined which position he will play at the professional level. Darnell has an above-average arm but may not have the hands to stay at third base. His above-average footspeed may make him a better candidate for right field. At the plate, consistency is Darnell's red flag. He is known for going through hot-and-cold stretches. He has above-average raw power as he hit 19 home runs last year and has hit three home runs in a game multiple times this season. He has power to all fields but is known more as a pull hitter. Darnell also has shown ability to hit for average as he led the Gamecocks with a .331 batting average in 2007. Darnell's cold spells come when he goes through stretches of chasing breaking balls and changeups out of the zone.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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While 2008 draft picks such as second baseman Logan Forsythe (sandwich round), righthander Anthony Bass (fifth) and relievers Nick Vincent (18th) and Brad Brach (42nd) carved out playing time in San Diego, Darnell (second) spent the final four months of 2012 on the big league disabled list. He parlayed a huge half-season in Double-A in 2011 into a September callup that year, then returned to San Diego last May, only to leave his seventh game after injuring his shoulder while diving for a ball in left field. Darnell has had two surgeries in two years on his left shoulder, an arthroscopic procedure to stabilize a strain in 2011 and then another surgery last August to repair a partial dislocation. Despite his lost year, other clubs continue to ask about him because he offers righthanded power and enough athleticism to handle third base or the corner outfield. His strong, sometimes erratic arm probably plays best in the outfield. With strong hands, ample loft in his swing and a good hitting approach, Darnell's above-average power plays in games, though righties with good breaking stuff can give him trouble. It's a different story versus southpaws, against whom he has batted .367/.451/.590 with 14 homers and just 36 strikeouts in 359 plate appearances in the high minors. While he'll be 26 this season, Darnell still has time to carve out a role for a club looking for righty power. -
Darnell developed a cyst in his right hand during his Double-A debut in 2010, and the injury sapped his power and forced him out of action for five weeks at midseason. He redeemed himself in 2011 with a huge half-season with San Antonio. His 1.038 OPS ranked third in the Texas League at the time of his July 3 promotion to Tucson. Darnell completed his bounceback year with a September callup to San Diego, where he started 10 games at third base for an ailing Chase Headley and one in left field. His season ended with a dislocated left shoulder that required surgery to repair the capsule around the joint. Darnell's future value is tied to his bat, and he helped his cause by turning on more early-count fastballs last year. He connected for a career-high 24 homers across three levels, showing an enhanced ability to pull the ball. Some scouts think he's vulnerable to pitches away because he's too pull-conscious, though the strength in his hands translates to his swing and allows him to hit with authority to all fields. Darnell's glovework improved at third base, but he still projects as below-average defender there because he lacks flexibility, range and throwing accuracy. The Padres introduced him to left field in 2011 and he took to it immediately because of his sneaky athleticism. He's a below-average runner with average arm strength. Darnell will continue to play both third and left field in Triple-A to start 2012, and positional flexibility might be his ticket to the big leagues in an organization that has depth on the corners. -
Darnell didn't handle the jump to Double-A, at least at the outset. One season after ranking ninth in the minors with a .424 on-base percentage, he hit just .215 with little power in the first half of the season. He developed a cyst in his right hand, missed five weeks in May and June, and didn't recover his stroke until August, when he batted .349/.432/.547 with 13 extra-base hits and 23 RBIs. Darnell's simple swing and discerning batting eye should allow him to hit for average, while his strength and bat speed suggest at least average power. His work ethic is unquestioned, but San Antonio's pitcher-friendly ballpark muted his production. Reviews of his defense were less positive. Darnell led all TL third basemen with 24 errors, mostly of the throwing variety, and he struggled for the second straight season with footwork and accuracy. His arm is strong, but the majority of Darnell's miscues (31 of 54 in the past two years) have come on throws. He's an average runner who has shown little aptitude for stealing bases. While he might not stick at third base, Darnell has at least average tools across the board and could settle in right field. The Padres would like to see him unleash more aggression when he gets ahead in the count as he faces Triple-A pitchers in 2011. -
He's more athletic than the typical Padres college draft pick, but that's not to say Darnell is all projection and no production. Through 142 pro games, he has batted .319/.428/.542 with nearly as many walks as strikeouts. He ranked ninth in the minors with a .424 on-base percentage last season. Darnell controls the strike zone and shows a natural feel for hitting. He generates plus power thanks to natural strength and bat speed. Working with roving hitting instructor Tony Muser, he has learned to put more backspin and loft on the ball by bracing his right hand under the bat head at the point of contact. He's an average runner but not a basestealing threat. His arm is strong enough for third base. Some observers think Darnell's hands and feet will play at third, but others aren't convinced. He made 30 errors in 117 games in 2009, with 17 miscues coming on throws. He struggles with accuracy when he doesn't get his feet set and throws on the run. He checked out of instructional league early with lingering back soreness. Darnell has enough bat to play anywhere on the diamond, and he may one day receive an audition at second base because of the Padres' crowded third-base and corner-outfield situations. He's ready to tackle Double-A in 2010. -
Though he was just the third South Carolina player drafted in June, Darnell offers more athleticism and potential five-tool talent than first-rounders Justin Smoak and Reese Havens. He wowed observers in the Northwest League after signing at the Aug. 15 deadline for $740,000. Darnell generates plus power to all fields with a strong lower half. He consistently has hit for average in college and pro ball. Offering surprising agility for his size, he's a plus runner who has average range and a strong throwing arm at third base. He receives uniformly high marks for his makeup and aptitude, as he worked diligently in instructional league to stay through the ball and add arc to his swing because his homers tend to be of the line-drive variety. Though he recognizes pitches well, Darnell struggles to stay back on offspeed pitches because he rotates early in his wing. While he has flashes of brilliance at the hot corner, his footwork needs refinement, his hands aren't the softest and his arm is erratic at times. He has the tools to play right field if he has to move. Darnell is a classic Padres pick--a high-character college player who controls the strike zone. With his athleticism and power, though, the potential is there for him to develop into a second-round steal. Darnell could begin his first full season in high Class A.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Darnell struggled through his Double-A debut in 2010, battling a cyst in his right hand that kept him out of action for a month. He was much more comfortable this season, piling up a 1.038 OPS in 76 games before getting promoted to Triple-A and eventually making his major league debut in September. Injuries hit again when he dislocated his left shoulder with the Padres, though he should be fine for spring training after having surgery. Darnell has strength in his swing and added more leverage this year, totaling 25 homers between his three stops. He has a knack for hitting balls the other way and has improved his ability to pull them for power. In fact, some scouts thought he got too pull-conscious and became vulnerable to pitches on the outer half. Defense remains Darnell's biggest question mark. A below-average runner limited to the infield and outfield corners, he has worked hard at third base but remains stiff there. He had an average arm before hurting his shoulder and seems destined for left field. -
Darnell had the first struggles of his young pro career this season, getting off to a slow start in his Double-A debut before a bruise on his right hand kept him out for a month starting in early May. He performed much better when he came back, batting .349/.432/.547 in August. At his best, Darnell's simple swing allows him to hit for average and powe. He has good strength and bat speed, and he gets high marks for his makeup as well. He lost his plate discipline against Double-A pitching, though he improved as the season went on and did maintain his power stroke. He pushed fellow Padres prospect Logan Forsythe to second base at San Antonio this season, but Darnell still has work to do to become a major league third baseman. He made 24 errors in 95 games at third for the Missions, struggling with his footwork and the accuracy of his throws, though his arm is plenty strong enough. He's an average runner with decent range for the hot corner. -
Darnell is a typical Padres draft pick, a bat-first player with a history of success in college. He has hit at all three of his stops in pro ball since signing last August, batting a combined .319/.428/.542 while walking nearly as much as he has struck out. Darnell has plenty of strength and bat speed. He has a line-drive stroke with occasional loft, though he hinders his power potential by diving into balls, hitting off his front foot and imparting too much topspin. All of those flaws are correctable, and he does a good job of managing the strike zone. His defense at third base drew mixed reviews. He has enough arm for the position but lacks accuracy on his throws and made 19 errors in 66 games. He has average speed, but his hands are hard and his footwork hinders his range. -
Darnell dominated the low Class A Midwest League at Fort Wayne and was promoted to Lake Elsinore in the second half. He maintained his production in a better hitting environment but against tougher competition. Darnell's calling card is his quick bat. He's patient at the plate and takes advantage when he's ahead in the count, thanks to his plus raw power. While Darnell has some arm strength, he lacks accuracy on his throws. He moves well for his size, but his footwork may force a move to the outfield. -
A month into the season, Eugene was in last place in its division. Darnell joined the Emeralds after signing near the mid-August deadline and nearly pushed them into the playoffs by batting .373/.462/.582 in the final 16 games. Darnell is a better athlete than most third basemen and has borderline five-tool ability. Though he has plus power to all fields, he gets too pull-conscious, which affects his consistency at the plate. He also tends to chase offspeed pitches out of the zone, though that wasn't much of an issue during his pro debut. An above-average runner with a strong arm, Darnell has the raw tools to play a solid third base. His hands aren't the softest, but he made just one error in 36 chances in the NWL. He has the athleticism to play right field if he can't handle the hot corner.
Top 100 Rankings
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Athlete in the San Diego Padres in 2009
Scouting Reports
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Darnell developed a cyst in his right hand during his Double-A debut in 2010, and the injury sapped his power and forced him out of action for five weeks at midseason. He redeemed himself in 2011 with a huge half-season with San Antonio. His 1.038 OPS ranked third in the Texas League at the time of his July 3 promotion to Tucson. Darnell completed his bounceback year with a September callup to San Diego, where he started 10 games at third base for an ailing Chase Headley and one in left field. His season ended with a dislocated left shoulder that required surgery to repair the capsule around the joint. Darnell's future value is tied to his bat, and he helped his cause by turning on more early-count fastballs last year. He connected for a career-high 24 homers across three levels, showing an enhanced ability to pull the ball. Some scouts think he's vulnerable to pitches away because he's too pull-conscious, though the strength in his hands translates to his swing and allows him to hit with authority to all fields. Darnell's glovework improved at third base, but he still projects as below-average defender there because he lacks flexibility, range and throwing accuracy. The Padres introduced him to left field in 2011 and he took to it immediately because of his sneaky athleticism. He's a below-average runner with average arm strength. Darnell will continue to play both third and left field in Triple-A to start 2012, and positional flexibility might be his ticket to the big leagues in an organization that has depth on the corners.
