Infield Solutions – Padres Could Trade with Cubs

Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Javier Baez

Baez’s Basics:

Position – SS

Bats R, Throws R

2015 Opening Day Age – 22

Size – 6’0” 190lbs.

Javier Baez split his time between shortstop and second base in his 52 major league last year primarily due to Starlin Castro.  He is a very good fielder at short.  Baez’s range factor per nine innings was 4.73 where the NL average at shortstop was 4.30.  Basically, that means he was able to get to a noticeable amount of more balls than the average player at the position.  Because he has only average speed, this stat indicates that he has good instincts and reads the ball well.  His speed has some arguing for moving him over to third, but at the moment, he seems competent enough.

Baez is projected to be better than Alcantara both in getting on base and the power game.  His 2013 and 2014 minor league slashlines were: .282/.341/.578/.920 and .260/.323/.510/.833 from high-A ball to AAA.  Baez’s .169/.227/.324/.551 while on the Cubs looks like he was a member of the Padres in June.  But, it tells us that when he made his move to the majors he walked at a decent rate and, when he actually got a hit, it had some power behind it, like Alcantara.