Article: Five-Tool Talents?

[Seth Stohs]

We hear the term "five tools" a lot, but few true five-tool talents exist in baseball. Byron Buxton certainly fits that category at this time. Nick Gordon is in that category. By the time those players get to the big leagues, will they still be considered five-tool guys, or four… maybe three? That is to be determined, of course. Today, I’m going to write about three young players who impressed me with their athleticism and talent. They aren’t household names, but who knows, maybe one or more of them will take a step forward in 2015.TYREE DAVIS

 

Though he played shortstop through his career at Centennial High School in Compton, California, Tyree Davis moved to centerfield during his professional debut in 2014. Davis was the Twins 37^th round pick in 2014.

 

His high school team had serious potential and talent. According to Davis, one of his teammates “finished with a .600 batting average last year and stole 40 to 50 bases” and didn’t get drafted.

 

Standing 6-2 and 185 pounds, Davis’s best tools are “my speed and defense are very strong right now.”

 

He was clocked at 4.27 seconds from home to first a year ago. He is a switch hitter with a good approach at the plate and a smooth swing from both sides of the plate. In batting practice, he hit line drive after line drive from gap to gap, but he also has potential to add some power.

 

His brother, Johnny Davis, is a minor leaguer in the Milwaukee Brewers farm system. In 2014, he played for the Wisconsin TimberRattlers in the Midwest League.

 

 

 

Davis is young, and he is a raw athlete, learning more each day about the game of baseball. After signing in 2014, he played in the Gulf Coast League and hit just .087/.210/.146 with two doubles and two triples.

 

Regarding his hopes for the 2015 season, the 19-year-old said, “This season I just want to show people that I can play better than I have in the past. Basically I want to make more contact than what I’ve recently made.”

 

He will likely spend another summer with the Gulf Coast League Twins.

 

ROBERTO GONZALEZ

 

The Twins used their first-round pick in 2014 on Orlando’s Olympia High School shortstop Nick Gordon. They did not draft another high school player until the 15^th round when then took another hitter from Orlando, outfielder Roberto Gonzalez from University High School.

 

The two prep stars played against each other. When I talked to Gordon at Twins Fest, he said that Gonzalez was “a really great athlete.” When I asked if Gonzalez could be a five-tool talent, Gordon didn’t hesitate at all. He said, “Oh yeah! Oh yeah!”

 

Like Davis and Gordon, Gonzalez has family ties in baseball. His cousin, on his father’s side, was Cardinals’ outfielder Oscar Tavares. Gonzalez was able to attend a few of Tavares’s games last year with the Cardinals, including some playoff games. He said that when he started hearing rumors about Tavares’s car accident, he called Oscar but got no answer. The family was devastated, and you can see that it is something that still affects Gonzalez.

 

Gonzalez began his career with the GCL Twins. In just 13 games, he hit .233/.313/.302 (.615) with three doubles. He also stole four bases. Unfortunately, on a headfirst slide into second base, the shortstop landed on the back of his leg. His kneecap detached and had to be reconnected surgically with an OCD Repair.

 

This spring, the just-turned-20-year-old is excited about spring training. Like Davis, he is likely to return to the GCL Twins after extended spring training.

 

At 6-0 and about 200 pounds, Gonzalez runs well, though he’ll continue to gain speed as he gets further removed from his surgery. He has a strong left-handed swing and could develop more power in time. Whether he’ll hit for average will likely depend on whether he can develop a quicker swing. Defensively, he’s got good range and a very, very strong arm. In high school, he was clocked as high as 94 mph.

 

As with Davis, Twins fans will need to be patient with Gonzalez. He has the tools that we all hope can become skills in time.

 

EDGAR CORCINO

 

The third possible five-tool athletic player is a little bit older than Davis and Gonzalez. Edgar Corcino is already 22-years-old. He was a 26^th round draft pick in 2009 out of Puerto Rico by the Detroit Tigers. After spending three seasons in the Gulf Coast League, Corcino played all over for the Tigers in 2012. He played mostly for West Michigan (Midwest League) and Lakeland (Florida State League), but also got time in AAA Toledo. He didn’t hit much (.198/.271/.329) that year and was released.

 

He has spent the last two seasons playing for Rockford of the independent Frontier League – the league from which the Twins have also signed RHP DJ Johnson and LHP Jose Velez in the last nine months. In 186 games over two seasons, he hit .294/.355/.452 (.807) with 30 doubles, 12 triples and 19 home runs. He also stole 19 bases.

 

Watching him in minor league spring training, you can see his extreme athleticism. He was primarily playing left field, though he could certainly play center field too. In the past, he has played most of the infield positions as well. He is a switch-hitter with a good swing from each side. Though he is more of a speed guy, he’s got good strength and can definitely hit for extra base power. Speaking of the speed, from my observations, he was one of the fastest players in the system.

 

In the offseason, he worked out in the same group as his good friend, JO Berrios. The Twins pitching prospect said that Corcino is a “very good athlete, very fast and strong. He works really, really hard.” Berrios continued, “He is an even better person than baseball player.”

 

Corcino will likely need to make the Cedar Rapids roster to stick around, but with his work ethic and athleticism, it’s worth taking the chance.

 

 

Tyree Davis, Roberto Gonzalez and Edgar Corcino were three great athletes I saw at Twins minor league spring training. Each has tremendous talent and athleticism, but they will need a lot of time and patience. That said, athleticism is a good place to start. Hopefully over time their great tools will become great baseball skills.

 

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[USNMCPO]

Fun to follow these guys as they progress.

[Willihammer]

Any idea what level of MLB competition the Frontier League is closest to? Maybe, Low A?

[ashbury]

 

Any idea what level of MLB competition the Frontier League is closest to? Maybe, Low A?

A more homogenized Low-A without any of the highly drafted prospects, maybe.

[Thrylos]

Great profiles, but I don't think that any of the players mentioned here are true 5 tool talents, and that includes Buxton and Gordon.  I just don't think that Buxton will hit 25 or more HRs in a season, and, in addition to that, I have more ?s about Gordon.  

 

5 tools is kind of a utopia.  I can think of one single Hall of Famer the last 30 years who was a 5 tool player (Rickey Henderson)  and his power was there for only his peak 3-4 seasons.  Buxton profiles more like a good Tim Raines (with a clean nose) and 1 HR in 255 PAs for Nick Gordon...

 

 

[Willihammer]

 

A more homogenized Low-A without any of the highly drafted prospects, maybe.

Maybe the AAA of A- then?

[Shane Wahl]

Interesting. More reason to think that the system might remain deep for 2016.

 

[Seth Stohs]

5 tools - to me:

 

Hit - Could hit .290+ in the big leagues

Hit for Power - could hit 20+ home runs or 35+ doubles in the big leagues.

Speed - Could steal lots of bases, but this one is more than numbers.

Defense - Could play very average or better defense in the big leagues

Arm - Has an average or better arm.

 

For me, it's just being able to be average in all five toolsor better.

 

I'll agree that there are few that qualify as true 5-tool. 4 would be great!

[travis.aune]

I agree that there are few 5 tool players and it is something that is overblown because if you are a 4 tool player you have a chance to be very good.  Seth I had a question for you about Roberto Gonzalez.  In the picture you posted he is wearing number 18 which also happens to be the number that Oscar Tavares was wearing for the Cardinals last year.  So my question is that on purpose or just a coincidence?  Great article like usual and will be fun to follow these guys.

[Rosterman]

I seem to remember that Aaron Hicks was considered a 5 tool prospect, and even Terry Ryan telling us that Joe Benson was close to being a 5 tooler (4 1/2 perhaps).

 

Five tool guys. Dave Winfield comes immediately to mind. Ken Griffey Jr. is another.

 

I think the Twins do see Buxton adding power as he ages.  But when you look at Hicks, and think of Benson, being better than average in a multitude of areas doesn't always pay off as mucha s maybe being above average in one or two, or exceptional in maybe just one.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I agree that there are few 5 tool players and it is something that is overblown because if you are a 4 tool player you have a chance to be very good.  Seth I had a question for you about Roberto Gonzalez.  In the picture you posted he is wearing number 18 which also happens to be the number that Oscar Tavares was wearing for the Cardinals last year.  So my question is that on purpose or just a coincidence?  Great article like usual and will be fun to follow these guys.

 

I didn't ask, but my sense is that it isn't just coincidental.

[Seth Stohs]

 

I seem to remember that Aaron Hicks was considered a 5 tool prospect, and even Terry Ryan telling us that Joe Benson was close to being a 5 tooler (4 1/2 perhaps).

 

Five tool guys. Dave Winfield comes immediately to mind. Ken Griffey Jr. is another.

 

I think the Twins do see Buxton adding power as he ages.  But when you look at Hicks, and think of Benson, being better than average in a multitude of areas doesn't always pay off as mucha s maybe being above average in one or two, or exceptional in maybe just one.

 

Hicks and Benson were five-tool prospects, but there aren't many prospects period that get to the big leagues much less have success and get there with all five tools. Baseball is pretty hard. 

[HitInAPinch]

I got curious about who started the "5 tool talent" thing.  From Sporting News:

 

"Branch Rickey first coined the term "Five Tool" Player (The five tools are hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills/speed, throwing, and fielding) in his book "The American Diamond." At the time, Rickey could name only two true "Five Tool" players — Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, both center fielders at the time."

 

 

[ashbury]

 

Hicks and Benson were five-tool prospects, but there aren't many prospects period that get to the big leagues much less have success and get there with all five tools. Baseball is pretty hard. 

And one particular tool, hit, is a lot more decisive than the other four. You shake the baseball tree and about 9 gloves fall out before you see a bat.

[gunnarthor]

Nice article.  How much did Davis sign for?  Hopefully the team can get lucky with a few of these guys. 

[Seth Stohs]

 

Nice article.  How much did Davis sign for?  Hopefully the team can get lucky with a few of these guys. 

 

I don't know, didn't ask, but I don't think it was much. Just guessing, probably low 5-digits.