Braves NRI In-Depth: Andrelton Simmons

by cbwilk on Feb 15, 2012 11:00 AM EST in Braves Prospect Reviews

Andrelton Simmons could be one of the best defensive shortstops in the Major Leagues right now.

Despite being drafted by the Braves in the second round of the 2010 draft as a pitcher, Andrelton Simmons had a nice debut season with Rookie level Danville as a shortstop, hitting .276 with a .695 OPS, 11 doubles, 26 RBI, and 18 stolen bases. He followed that up with an excellent 2011 with High A Lynchburg,, winning the Carolina League batting title by hitting .311, and adding a .759 OPS, 35 doubles, 52 RBI, and 26 stolen bases. That season opened some eyes around baseball, as he was named the 65th best prospect in the game by MLB.com.

Simmons' calling card is his phenomenal defense. Wiry and quick, makes good reads and is athletic enough to make plays most other shortstops couldn't dream of attempting. His arm is capable of producing 95mph fastballs off the mound, and he uses it to make lightning fast, accurate throws over to first. He could play defense in the Major Leagues right now and already be one of the best defenders in the game.

He showed himself more than capable with the bat with Lynchburg, though there are concerns for him offensively. He's a pure contact hitter, and while that leads to a low strikeout rate, fanning in 7.5% of his plate appearances, it also leads to a poor walk rate, as he earned a free pass in just 5% of his trips to the plate. He also doesn't offer much in the way of slugging, with just 26% of his hits going for extra bases. Jack Wilson, similar glove-first player, has hit 26% of his career at bats for extra bases, and the epitome of glove first players, Omar Vizquel, has only seen 21% of his hits go for extra bases, while striking out in 9% of his plate appearances and walking in 8.6%. It's easy to envision Simmons being the kind of player Vizquel has been over his career, and if he could come close to providing the .272/.337/.353/.690 slash line the 11 time Gold Glove winner has in his career, Simmons would be an excellent Major Leaguer.

Still relatively new to the game at 22 years old, Simmons' big goal in Spring Training is just to gain experience by spending time with veterans such as Wilson, absorbing all the information and knowledge he possibly can. He'll go to Mississippi to start 2012, looking to refine his game and prove he deserves a shot at the Majors in 2013.

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Comments

Okay … I got a semi chub just reading about his defense.

- ChillyMutt

by ChillyMutt on Feb 15, 2012 11:49 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

Been my favorite prospect for years

LOVED his defense, and was so glad he won the batting title. Kid could be special and our SS for the next decade.

"What up? We're three cool guys looking for other cool guys who wanna hang out in our party mansion. Nothing sexual. Dudes in good shape encouraged. If you're fat, you should be able to find humor in the little things." Again, NOTHING SEXUAL

"I'd rather jerk off a tiger in a phone booth than draft Cam"
-Mel Kiper, Jr.

you guys are like a bunch of pirahnas
by chop goes da weazel on Mar 31, 2011 12:32 PM PDT

by MikeTrain on Feb 15, 2012 12:50 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Nice to see your giving his offensive game a little more credit than you did previously

Considering he posted a second half slash line .319/.363/.436 (including 31% of his hits going for extra bases from July 1 onward) when approximately a year before that run he still hadn’t hit above the juco level, I’m still hopeful there is even more upside in the bat. Like you said though, if he can just hit at an Omar Vizquel level he’s a very valuable player.

by nixa37 on Feb 15, 2012 1:07 PM EST reply actions

I still think he’s going to struggle a lot with the bat this year. I’ve just realized there’s no point in me saying it anymore, because until it happens I’ll just have people jumping down my throat telling me I’m wrong.

I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on Feb 15, 2012 1:24 PM EST up reply actions

Nah, I agree

He still has a lot of adjustments to make with the bat. And being relatively new to the game, the science of hitting is going to be slower, so he should probably still have a long learning curve when it comes to adjusting. I figure he needs another full season of development.

Braves will be fine. I'm not worried.

by Bronn on Sep 18, 2011 4:26 PM EDT

by Bronn on Feb 15, 2012 2:58 PM EST up reply actions

AA is the generally the litmus test...

of whether a guy stays in pro ball or goes home, right?

"If you're looking around...then we're looking around" - Coach Paul Johnson

by TBuzz on Feb 15, 2012 3:40 PM EST up reply actions

AA is where it starts getting really hard. You’re playing with and against guys who might have been playing for a decade professionally, some of the guys have been in the Majors before. Yeah, there are all kinds of young up and comers too, which is why the level isn’t as hard at AAA, but there are tons of pros who don’t even really think they have a shot at getting to or back to the Bigs, they just want to hang on and keep playing. One of the ways I’ve always looked at A ball, and it’s not true of everyone, but there it seems like the guys never realize they might not make it. Getting cut never seems like a possibility. In AA, those guys know it’s a reality, most of them won’t make it, most of them won’t be playing in a year or two. AA is tough for a lot of reasons on the field, but it’s also a real mental grind for the guys.

I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Four-C-B-Wilkins/dp/1449578454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257720610&sr=1-1
www.dropoutproductions.com

by cbwilk on Feb 15, 2012 4:09 PM EST up reply actions

I’m hoping that with proper diet and weight-lifting, he fills out (as distinguished from bulks up) to the tune of 12 or 16 lbs, and starts hitting with more authority. Given his age and frame (6’2" 170), this shouldn’t be difficult.

by fandave on Feb 15, 2012 1:32 PM EST up reply actions

The Braves did not have him play in instructional league instead focusing entirely on his building strength – should be interesting to see the impact. His glove and arm strength are phenomenal. He should be a staple for years to come.

by bravesfaninchitown on Feb 15, 2012 1:39 PM EST up reply actions