Saturday, December 28, 2019

DrB's 2020 Giants Top 50 Prospects: #9 Alexander Canario


Alexander Canario OF.  DOB:  5/7/2000.  6'1", 165 lbs.

2017 R(DSL):  .294/.391/.464, 17 2B, 4 3B, 5 HR, 18 SB, 12.0 BB$, 14.6 K%, 274 PA.
2018 R(AZL):  .250/.357/403, 5 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 8 SB, 13.0 BB%, 24.5 K%, 208 PA.
2019: R(AZL):  .395/.435/.1.000, 3 2B, 3B, 7 HR, SB, 4.3 BB%, 19.6 K%, 46 PA.
2019:  Short Season:  .301/.365/.539, 17 2B, 3B, 9 HR, 8.2 BB%, 32.4 K%, 219 PA.

Alexander Canario first caught my eye in the boxscores of the DSL in 2017 at age 17 with a nice looking mix of power, plate discipline and speed.  The numbers took a dip in 2018 after a promotion to the AZL, but the transition from the DSL to the AZL is huge and he still showed the big 3 attributes in his batting line.  Eyewitness scouting reports raved about his bat speed.  The Giants inexplicably sent him back to Arizona to start 2019(maybe the new regime just didn't have time to fully analyze him?  Maybe there was something specific they wanted him to work on?).  He crushed the AZL the second time through and was quickly promoted to Salem-Keizer, another hitter-friendly environment but facing significantly older, more experienced competition.  He again put up impressive numbers, although the K rate ballooned.  

On video, Canario is a well proportioned, athletic looking kid.  I'm not great at analyzing swings.  I think I can see the crazy bat head speed, but he swing looks quite long.  I did see one swing where he impressively drove a low-away breaking ball to RF.  As he gets older, I expect him to become more of a power hitter and lose the base-stealing speed, something that may already be happening.  Time to challenge him with the Augusta Experience.  If there are problems with the swing, they will be exposed there.  If he keeps his head above water, it could springboard him into a much higher rated prospect status.

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