TEAM: Boston Red Sox
AGE: 27
POSITION: OF
BATS: Right
THROWS: Right
HEIGHT: 6-foot
WEIGHT: 210 lbs.
ACQUIRED: The Boston Red Sox chose Brentz as a supplemental first round pick in the 2010 First Year Player Draft out of Middle Tennessee State University.
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STRENGTHS
Bryce Brentz is a strong outfielder with a well-proportioned frame. He gets his power from a strong upper-body and strong legs.
His most prominent and probably his best tool is his raw power that is assisted by above-average bat speed. He has a short path to the ball and gets good loft with extension from a mighty, and at times exaggerated, swing.
While he has moderated his aggressive approach a bit recently, he puts all his strength from his legs to his arms in his swing mechanics. He doesn’t leave anything in the batter’s box, taking advantage of his greatest asset — his raw strength and power.
A former pitcher, Brentz has a strong and accurate arm. He has enough arm strength and carry to play both corner outfield positions if called upon.
Once deemed to be only average on defense, he has played himself into becoming a better defensive outfielder. He can make all the plays and will likely be able to hold his own with the Green Monster in Fenway Park.
WEAKNESSES
Earlier in his career, Brentz had amassed high strikeout rates in the Red Sox minor league system. Breaking balls and off-speed pitches gave him problems. Like all players in development, time and repetition has led to improvement hitting secondary pitches. It remains to be seen if he can keep that up against major league-quality sliders, cutters and curveballs.
Part of Brentz’s issues with breaking balls in the past came from his aggressive approach at the plate. Hacking away with his entire might, he had more swing-and-miss in his approach than he does today. He looks much more confidant, and is making better contact in his recent promotion to the parent Red Sox.
With career platoon splits that favor him by a great deal against left-handed pitching, as is the case with his improvement in most phases of his offensive game, his splits appear to be improving as well. Regardless, hitting right-handed pitchers may continue to be a challenge. It may be a matter of degree. Improvement? Yes. Hitting righties with confidence and capable consistently? We just have to wait and see how he performs at the big league level against the highest quality pitching in the game.
(Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire)
NARRATIVE
Brentz pitched and played the outfield for Middle Tennessee State University. He was good enough to be named to the 2009 All-American team as a sophomore. He was a .348 hitter with a .636 slugging percentage in his junior year leading up to his supplemental first-round selection in the draft.
Brentz has had some health-related issues along the way in his development. For example, in February 2013, Brentz shot himself in his left leg while cleaning his handgun. The accident cost him some time in spring training and set him back a bit.
He has also had surgery for a torn meniscus and has missed development time with hamstring injuries. His 2015 season was cut short due to thumb surgery in June. He is healthy now and is playing as part of the Red Sox 25-man roster.
Because of his raw power and his ability to hit towering home runs at times, Brentz was always seen as a top Red Sox prospect.
He made his big league debut on September 17, 2014 playing at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. He got a hit and scored a run in a pinch-hitting role. For some time a big part of the Red Sox prospect conversation, his injuries and setbacks cost him some of his prospect panache and reduced his press clippings a bit. However, it appears he is still an important component of the Red Sox organizational depth.
An injury to Red Sox outfielder Chris Young has provided Brentz the opportunity to get some time on the team’s current big league roster. Fully healthy and showing improvement in lots of areas due to maturation and repetition, he could open some eyes if he flashes pop in his bat.
THE FUTURE FOR BRENTZ
I scouted the less-mature and at times overly-aggressive Brentz in the 2012 Arizona Fall League. At the time, he was a very highly-rated prospect with a reputation for having big power that earned him a first-round draft selection.
Playing for the Surprise Saguaros, Brentz hit .297 that autumn and got my attention. He hit the ball hard but also struck out 19 times in his 71 plate appearances. He did walk six times, showing some restraint and a bit of patience at the plate.
Brentz now has an opportunity to put injuries behind him, show his new-and-improved offensive approach at the plate and prove that he belongs as a member of the Red Sox 25-man roster. But the Red Sox have other very good outfield options available. Brentz is not going to supplant Brock Holt, Mookie Betts, or Jackie Bradley, Jr. as a starter. He may, however, be able to stick with the club even after the return of Chris Young. That remains to be seen. If he hits, and especially if he hits with power, his role will be more secure.
CONCLUSIONS
A former pitcher with a high-80s to low-90s fastball, Brentz provides a nice power option coming off the bench for Boston strictly as an outfielder. He can also provide some good defensive help, if needed and if called upon.
Clearly, however, my projections include him only as a utility outfielder at this particular moment in time, capable of playing both corners. Some improvement in his route running and reading balls off the bat would help his viability as a right fielder. His best and most advanced position is in left field.
Outfield prospect Andrew Benintendi waits in the wings for his turn to call on the Red Sox big league door. When that happens, the Boston outfield will get even deeper and perhaps put a current player in jeopardy of losing either his starting or utility role. The time is now for Brentz to show if he belongs.
BRENTZ IN A PHRASE: Improving in all facets of his game
SCOUTING GRADE FOR BRENTZ: 45 – a utility outfielder
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The post Pleskoff Scouting Report: Bryce Brentz appeared first on Todays Knuckleball.