Prospect of the Day: Jaff Decker, OF, San Diego Padres

by John Sickels on May 11, 2011 8:00 AM EDT

A general view of Petco Park, future home of San Diego Padres outfield prospect Jaff Decker (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

Prospect of the Day: Jaff Decker

Jaff Decker, OF, San Diego Padres
One of the most potent bats in the upper minors this year belongs to San Diego Padres outfielder Jaff Decker. Although a mild recent slump has lowered his batting average slightly for Double-A San Antonio in the Texas League, he's already hit 10 homers and has drawn 25 walks, giving him an overall .292/.429/.664 line. His 1.092 OPS is a full 40 percent better than the current Texas League OPS, testimony to his dominance.

Drafted in the supplemental first round in 2008 from high school in Peoria, Arizona, Decker has excellent bat speed and a superb eye at the plate. Although he was overly pull-conscious at times last year in the California League, at his best he goes with the pitch and shows power to all fields. His combination of walks and power draws comparisons to players like Matt Stairs, Nick Swisher, or Pat Burrell, though he might hit for a higher average at times than those players have.
As good as the bat is, scouts point out that Decker lacks athleticism and has to work hard to stay in adequate physical condition. He didn't do that early in his career but has shown much greater attention to conditioning over the last year. He has a decent throwing arm, but while his lack of running speed will always limit his defense to no more than average, if he hits as expected, he'll find his way into the lineup even with a mediocre glove.
Decker should have a shot at a major league job in 2012, and could see the majors later this year under the right circumstances. I rated him at Number 30 on my pre-season Top 50 Hitting Prospect List in the 2011 Baseball Prospect Book.

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Jaff

I coached against Jaff in high school, in fact, his team knocked us out of the state playoffs.

Here are some of my thoughts on him:
He has a old man’s body. When the kid was 18 he was already fat and his hairline starting to recede. I’m not talking baby fat, I’m talking just a plain bad body type. The good news is he has “old man” strength in that frame.

The kid is more athletic than he’s given credit for. He was a pitcher/center fielder in high school. Yes, CENTER FIELD. He is slow, but he is very instinctive and gets good jumps on the ball. He has soft hands and will catch anything he does get too. He was also an ace pitcher reaching the low 90s with his fastball, so that arm will play in RF.

If you have Aubrey Huff/Pat Burrell types patrolling the OF in the NL West, I don’t see how Jaff couldn’t as well. Maybe once that body really goes to shit he’ll be a 1b/DH type, but for the next 5-6 years an OF corner will be manageable for him

by ScottAZ on May 11, 2011 10:27 AM EDT reply actions

excellent

excellent observations. Thanks!

by John Sickels on May 11, 2011 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions

I think that 18-year-old body

Has probably grown up and filled out (in the good sense…) a bit. I can see RF as a legitimate possibility for the guy.

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by Dan Strittmatter on May 13, 2011 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Fat guy comps

I know it’s popular to throw the Matt Stairs comp out there, but looking at his power/patience/pudge-propensity profile, I keep thinking of a mid-70s era Greg Luzinski.

by realitypolice on May 11, 2011 12:19 PM EDT reply actions

Jaff

Luzinski was a fat guy that all he could do was hit. He was so bad defensively that he wore a batting helmet on the field to keep balls from bouncing off his head. Decker won’t embarrass himself on defense. He may be slow, but is not nonathletic.

A young Matt Stairs is a better comp. Remember that stairs wasn’t the 5’9", 240 pound Buddha until the latter part of his career. At the beginning he was a stout 5’9", 200 pounds that was decent enough of an athlete to see emergency action in CF and even 2b

by ScottAZ on May 11, 2011 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions