Drafted in the 20th round (595th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2002 (signed for $375,000).
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The Red Sox usually are trading prospects for veterans during the season, but their plunge out of contention last August led them to deal David Wells to the Padres for Kottaras. Since signing for $375,000 as a draft-and-follow in 2003, he has made steady progress toward the majors. A Canadian who played for the 2004 Greek Olympic team, Kottaras is much more advanced offensively than defensively at this point. He generates solid power with a quiet approach and simple swing, and he controls the strike zone well. He's more athletic and runs better than most catchers. While Kottaras has work to do on his catch-and-throw skills as well as his game-calling, Boston believes he just needs fine-tuning rather than a complete overhaul. He has enough arm strength and hands to get the job done, and he spent a lot of time in instructional league and the Arizona Fall League working with field coordinator Rob Leary on his defense. Kottaras projects as a lefthanded-hitting catcher who will provide offense and fringy to average defense. In order to become a regular, he'll have to add strength so he can hold up over a full season. The Red Sox re-signed Doug Mirabelli to back up Jason Varitek, a positive move for Kottaras' development. He'll be best served by getting regular at-bats in Triple-A for at least half a season.
After signing in May 2003 as a draft-and-follow for early fourth-round money ($375,000), Kottaras played a full season of pro ball for the first time in 2005. He played just 78 games in 2004 because he was a backup on the Greek Olympic team, going 3-for-12 in Athens. Kottaras profiles as an offense-oriented catcher. He displays natural hitting instincts and commands the strike zone. He generates easy line-drive power with a quiet setup and fluid swing, projecting to hit 15-20 home runs annually. He's athletic behind the plate and has plus arm strength. Kottaras has a tendency to get pull-happy, and needs to focus simply on centering the ball and letting his strength work for him naturally. His arm plays only average because of a slow glove-hand exchange and a long release. He's a bit small for a catcher, leaving some to wonder if he can handle the rigors of a full season. Kottaras' bat separates him from the rest of San Diego's catching prospects. He'll begin 2006 back in Double-A and is on schedule to be the starter at the big league level by the end of 2007.
Signed for fourth-round money ($375,000) as a draft-and-follow, Kottaras played just 78 games last year because he spent a month with the Greek Olympic team, for which he went 3-for-12 as a backup in Athens. A native Canadian, he played more fast-pitch softball than baseball as a youth. Kottaras has a natural swing with plenty of power, and he projects as a 20-homer hitter. His understanding of the strike zone is advanced for a player with such little experience. He's a hard worker and takes well to instruction. He is mobile behind the plate and is good at blocking balls in the dirt. Despite a solid arm, Kottaras is easy to run on because he has a long release. He also needs refinement in the other nuances of catching. He can get overly patient at the plate. Like most catchers, he's a slow runner, but he's not a baseclogger. Kottaras boosted his stock more than any player in the system last year. The Padres see him as similar to Jason Kendall but with more power and less speed. His progress will continue at high Class A Lake Elsinore in 2005.
The Padres bolstered their catching depth by drafting Colt Morton (third round) and Matt Lauderdale (ninth) in June, but their most significant acquisition was Kottaras in May. They signed him as a draft-and-follow from 2002, giving him a $375,000 bonus. A Canadian who played more fast-pitch softball than baseball while he was growing up, Kottaras spent most of July with the Greek national team. He was the starting catcher as Greece finished second at the European Championship, and he's a candidate to rejoin them for the Olympics. Though Kottaras is relatively inexperienced, his potential is obvious and draws him comparisons to Mike Lieberthal. He has a compact, fluid swing and the ball jumps off his bat. He exudes discipline at the plate, though he's sometimes too patient and falls behind in the count after letting hittable pitches go by. He's a below-average runner but above average for a catcher. Kottaras has solid arm strength and threw out 36 percent of basestealers in the Rookie-level Pioneer League. He needs work defensively but has potential as a receiver. The addition of former all-star Joe Ferguson as a roving catching instructor should help him. Kottaras could go to low Class A in 2004, but also could wind up in Eugene.
Minor League Top Prospects
Kottaras was the hero for the World team in the Futures Game, going 2-for-2 with a home run against Philip Hughes and a double off Homer Bailey--the game's two best pitching prospects. When the Red Sox sent David Wells to the Padres in August, they received Kottaras in return. Kottaras is very quiet in his approach, generating easy power from the left side of the plate with a compact, line-drive stroke. He benefits from his job as catcher by understanding the strike zone very well as a hitter. His bat will have to carry him. Kottaras has below-average receiving skills and tends to cheat with runners on base. He angles toward one side of the plate, and his footwork and setup suffer as a result. "He's an upright thrower who will show you plus arm strength during infield, but when it's game on, it speeds up on him big time," a NL scout said. "Pitchers just don't look comfortable throwing to him."
Kottaras established himself as the Padres' top catching prospect last year and did little to disappoint with Lake Elsinore. He maintained his profile as an above-average offensive player while improving behind the plate. Kottaras, a Canadian who caught for the 2004 Greek Olympic team, is capable of lacing line drives all over the field and draws plenty of walks. Expected to take a big step forward this year, his power remained average at best, but he maintained rare on-base ability for a catcher. He's extremely athletic behind the plate and has the potential to become an average defender, but he still needs to improve at blocking balls and other nuances of catching. His average arm strength is belied by a long release. His slight physical build left some questioning his ability to withstand the grind of a major league season.
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