Baseball Prospectus | | Eyewitness Scouting Report


	Javier Lopez Born: 09/13/1994 (Age: 19)
	Bats: Right	Throws: Right
	Height: 6' 3"	Weight: 180
	Primary Position: SS

Skinny build; wiry top with mildly thicker bottom half; room for growth into frame; could put on another 10 lbs of muscle and still stick at SS.

Evaluator	Tucker Blair
Report Date	07/12/2014
Dates Seen	7/9/2014 - 7/11/2014
Affiliate	Batavia Muckdogs (Short Season, Marlins)

MLB ETA	Risk Factor	OFP	Video
2018	High	40	Yes

Tool	Future Grade	Report
Hit	35	Wide stance; heavy lean on back leg; launched load off back foot; becomes unbalanced at times; plus bat speed; hands will drift and become noisy; dropped his back shoulder often during the entire series; induced popups and did not allow for consistent contact; shows below-average ability to recognize spin; better with depth than tilt on secondary pitches; currently a FB hitter that will jump quickly on any mistake FB in the zone.
Power	45	Average raw power; mostly 5 o'clock at this time; plus bat speed and expressed load are largest factors for power; power is largely dependent on the hit tool; likely never plays to average in-game.
Baserunning/Speed	50	4.24 home to first; good second gear and really grinds for every step; likely loses a step once he grows more into his frame; currently an above-average runner; not a weapon on the base paths.
Glove	50	Displays above-average range; footwork is below-average; becomes choppy and does not set up for throws; backhands plays where he had time to set up feet; footwork around the base is average at best; shows mild instincts in field but makes up for any lack of instincts with hustle; lost focus and made a poor error where the ball bounced right over his shoulder in which should have been an easy out.
Arm	60	Plus arm with hard throws from the SS hole and off pivots turning double-plays; weapon that is capable of making throws from anywhere at SS; would work at any other position as well.

Lopez is an intriguing prospect that I have now seen in consecutive years. I also saw him earlier this season with Greensboro. Last season, I largely viewed Lopez as a potential breakout player who needed more repetitions. After sitting on a series this season, I see the same player except for slight mechanical changes in the swing. He does not have nearly the amount of noise as last season, although it is still a noisy swing in general.

Overall, I do like the raw tools that Lopez displays. He can stick at SS, which will slightly boost his value in the long-run. The bat has too much noise, and it's hard for him to consistently piece together good AB because there are so many moving parts. He swings the bat well in BP, but loses a lot of this in-game. I doubt Lopez will ever be able to piece it all together, but there is a small chance he can be enough for a solid utility option down the road.