Christian Yelich, OF Miami Marlins
12/05/1991
Height: 6’4″ Weight: 189
Christian Yelich was the 23rd pick in the 1st round of the 2010 draft. He signed for out of character over-slot money with the Florida Marlins to get him to turn down a strong commitment to the University of Miami. The $1.7 million was higher than the MLB suggested $1.26 million, speaking volumes to what the normally cheap Marlins thought of the Thousand Oaks, California native. Yelich made it into 12 games last year, 6 with the Rookie Level Marlins of the Gulf Coast League and 6 with the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers of the South Atlantic League. He hit .362/.400/.486/ in 47 at bats, which left it clear to Marlins’ fans that they couldn’t wait to see what 2011 would bring from Yelich.
Fast forward to 2011. Yelich would take over right where he left of with the Greensboro Grasshoppers. Hitting .312/.388/.484 with 15 Home runs, 32 Doubles, a Triple, 77 RBI, 73 RUNS, and 32 Stolen Bases in 37 attempts. The only downside, if you want to call it that for a 19 year old playing at Single-A, was his 102/55 K/BB ratio. I can’t say this is out of line, and there’s nothing to suggest as he matures that this won’t improve as well.
With his performance throughout High School, The 2008 and 2009 Perfect Game Wood Bat Championships, and his 2010 debut, it was easy for us to put him in our 2011 top 100 list at the beginning of the year:
97. Christian Yelich 1B FLA - Another 2010 HS draftee, Yelich is a textbook lefty with sweet swing mechanics and a nice feel for the strikezone. He’ll develop average power in time and has a projectable frame. He’ll need to time to learn the OF and with a below average arm he’s likely slated for LF as a pro especially if Gaby Sanchez is still in Miami.
The Bat
We can’t wait for Yelich to be promoted to the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads of the Florida State League, which should happen in 2012. We will be able to take our own video and break down his approach even better. As I mentioned above I’d like to see the K/BB rate to improve, and it will, but we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that it was better than the league average in the SAL, against older pitchers. Scouting reports suggest that he has advanced pitch recognition. He has fairly quick hands and fantastic hand-eye coordination. He does a solid job of waiting on off speed and breaking pitches, as well as adjusting his had position on hard stuff busting him inside. This leads me to believe he should be able to maintain a good batting average and keep getting on base as he advances within the Marlins’ system. He isn’t exactly a speed burner, but has great hustle in legging out doubles and great eye for reading the pitcher as evident with being 33 for 38 in stolen base attempts.
The Glove
Although he played 1B and 3B in high school, the Marlins prefer him in the outfield. Even though he has a lack of experience in the outfield, he takes nice routes and gets great angles on balls hit behind him and into gap in left center. In centerfield, his lanky build looks a bit awkward, but his surprising athleticism allows his glove to play and he could handle an everyday job there if the Marlins decide to move Logan Morrison back to 1B in the event that Gaby Sanchez leaves Miami.
Our Instinct
Christian Yelich is not labeled a 5 tool player due to, as Tom Belmont said in his ranking of Yelich, his arm strength. Yelich has been impressive in improving his mechanics, but his arm strength is still just below average. His slow release has all but assured that he won’t be back in the infield again. While he does a nice job of using his legs and body to add some power to his arm, if he doesn’t build up some more muscle, he will be limited to being a left fielder. That’s not all bad, and having said that he’s a very well rounded prospect and his sweet swing has drawn comparisons to John Olerud, which I think is fair. I think his floor is simular to Mark Kotsay, which isn’t horrible either. With his advanced approach at the plate, he may very well force his way into the Marlins lineup within 2 years.
Check back soon as we profile many more Top MLB Prospects and also get our baseball geek on and take a look at some of the later draft picks from the 2011 draft that we think could be big names on the prospect radars in the near future. While you’re here, take a look at our recent article in our top 10 series: Kansas City Royals Top 10 Prospects List and be a step ahead of the game. Thanks for checking Baseball Instinct. We’re working hard to bring you the best of the minor leagues and make the site the best experience it can be. So don’t hesitate to tell us what you would like to read about. Email us now at mailbag@baseballinstinct.com.
