While the A's don't scout Latin America as heavily as other teams, they are excited about a pair of Venezuelan outfielders. Javier Herrera has been turning heads in the United States for three years, while Alvarado made his U.S. debut in 2005 as one of the top power hitters in the Arizona League. He might have won the AZL home run crown had a strained quadriceps not slowed him down in August. Alvarado is still raw, but his tools grade as at least average across the board. Long and lean, he has some juice in his bat, good pitch recognition and enough speed to swipe a few bases. He has a tendency to overswing and get pull-conscious. His arm is above average but his outfield instincts are poor, which may limit him to left field. His performance this spring will determine if he is ready to open the year in low Class A.
Minor League Top Prospects
Alvarado was the best hitter in a strong A's lineup. His average dipped below .300 only after he hurt his quadriceps, an injury that caused him to hit .239 in August and to miss all but one game in the final week. He stays inside the ball well and has juice in his bat. He can put a charge in the ball to all fields, has a nice blend of power and speed and has good on-base skills. Alvarado takes good routes and covers a lot of ground in right field, but needs to get better jumps on balls. He has a solid arm with good strength and carry on his throws.
Download our app
Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone