Future Redbirds

I carefully considered singling out Jarrett Hoffpauir as a possible sleeper last season. He was pretty much an unknown middling middle infielder, hitting just .249/.337/.359 for AA Springfield last season. What made me even consider him was his good 11.8% walk rate, a 9% strikeout rate. With that sort of plate discipline it seemed like with an adjustment or two away from being somebody. Of course, now he is considered a somebody.

Getting an early jump on the 2008 sleepers, I give you obscure 23 year old switch-hitter Dan Nelson.

Nelson and Hoffpauir share some similarities. They both were selected in the 2004 draft, both are smallish and obscure infielders with little pop but a knack for taking ball four. A couple of big things jump out at me regarding Nelson. Despite hitting a .262 average, there are reasons to believe in Nelson. Check this out:

22% of his balls in play are line drives.
He sports a 15.1% walk rate, or 80 walks in 529 plate appearances.

One place where Nelson differs is he strikes out about twice as much. But with that solid line drive stroke his batting average should come up, and with his patience you know he will get on base one way or another. He also has swiped 18 bags, showing he has some speed. He’s got another year to prove himself or be exposed to the rule V draft, and I’m thinking he just might. He went 5 for 5 with a double last night.