Scouting Report
Size/Build
There’s no questioning that Guerrero’s built like a tank, especially in his lower-half. Michael Strahan used to call his younger build “BOB”, which meant “booty on back”, and in scouting circles, a “high butt (usually a different term used, but we’ll keep it PG here!)” is a very desired trait in a player looking to generate power.
There’s no doubt that Vladdy would fit that description as he is built thick through his legs, but never “fat” anywhere in his frame, with any seeming fat on his frame in uniform revealed to be quite fit the moment he unbuttons his uniform. He just has a very unique body frame to put a uniform over without leading to looking “fat”.
He stands 6’1″ and is listed at 200 pounds. That listed weight is probably as much as 25-40 pounds light at this point, but he has surprising foot quickness for a man of his size.
Hitting
Contact (80) – In the video posted here, you see him on the first pitch of the video miss on a pitch. Needless to say, to truly see him miss on a pitch is a rare, rare thing. He did strike out at times in 2018, but much of that was due to disagreements with the umpire regarding the zone when you watch closer. He rarely ever got fooled by a pitch. Not only did he rarely get fooled, but when he put the bat to the ball, he put the best of the bat on the ball in such an incredibly consistent way that I’ve never seen it.
In fact, going back to find that level of consistent ability to put the barrel to the ball, I had to go back to Tony Gwynn. Tony did it very differently, but both had the ability to put the best of the bat to every ball they contact.
Power (70) – This is where a Gwynn comparison disappears in a real hurry. Vladdy’s hands are seemingly always perfectly leveraging the ball when he strikes the ball. I will say that in pure raw power, this could also be an 80, but Vlad does seek contact over seeking home runs, and that leads to him often driving a good pitch in the at-bat instead of unleashing on the best pitch of the at-bat to drive.
Eye (80) – For his raw strength, this is where Vlad is truly, truly special. Finding another player with his ability to hit the ball with power that also has the control of the strike zone that he does at such a young age as well as the ability to consistently put that heart of the bat onto the ball is a combination that is really not something to compare in recent memory in the game, not even with his father.
Base Running/Fielding
Speed (45) – Because of his name, many had visions of Vlad Junior being an exceptional athlete as well, but while he has impressive foot quickness for his size, his top-end speed at best is average, which could make any potential move into the outfield a challenge, but don’t be surprised if his quickness and incredible game instincts allows him to steal double-digit bags quite a few times in his career.
Defense (45) – At third base, Vlad’s no butcher, but he’s still average-at-best defensively. His offense will certainly cover that, but it is entirely likely that he will end up moving across the diamond or even to an outfield corner to utilize his arm. His quick feet and soft hands could be a big asset at first base.
Arm (60) – There is no doubt that Vlad has a plus arm in pure arm strength. While his footwork is quick, he can sometimes struggle with getting his feet out of position to support his throws, and his accuracy suffers from the hot corner. This could end up being a potential asset if he can handle an outfield spot.