Jesus Guzman

I knew nothing of him until he started playing like this, so there could be any number of reasons why he’s raking at Double-A, probably a combination of a few different ones. Hot start, easy level for him, maturing as a player, etc.

It’s cliche, but only time will tell with him – and a probable promotion to Sacramento soon.

Jesus Guzman was an old farmhand for the Mariners, made the jump from the VSL to the Cal League one year when the starting third baseman had a season ending injury and hit well enough to justify staying up there. They had him in the Texas League for a couple of years after that, but he never came close to duplicating his performance in the Cal League the first time around, so they sent him back to the Cal League and he slugged .606 at home playing half his games in Mavericks Stadium.

He’s a bit more valuable now that they moved him off third (he was playing second for the Mavs too), I think his arm didn’t quite play well enough when he was there, but don’t mistake him for a shortstop who outgrew his position, he was a third baseman coming up the whole way save for last season. Decent eye at the plate for a former VSL product, and last year may have been the start of a power surge for him as he’d never hit double digits before and ended up with twenty-five. Otherwise, he’ll get you some doubles too, and that was his forte coming up.

He’ll turn 24 this season, so he’s not some special prospect or anything, but he could turn out to be a decent player if you consider that his career arc has been a little odd.