Kennys Vargas (adopt-a-prospect)

 

Born: Aug. 1, 1990, Canovanas, Puerto Rico

High School: Luis Hernaiz Veronne HS, Canovanas, P.R.

Ht.: 6-5 Wt.: 215 (allegedly)

Bats: B Throws: R

Acquired: Undrafted Free Agent

 

 

First of all, Kennys Vargas is a big dude. In this photo, the “little guy” on the right is Miguel Sano, and there aren’t too many people who can make Sano look small. I’m not sure where the listed weight of 215 came from, but I’m not buying it. (Maybe it was his birth weight.)

 

 

Vargas’ status as a prospect is solely due to his ability to hit for power. Entering his age 22 season, he has yet to play more than 44 games in a year, so it’s difficult to gauge exactly what he will be. His defense is suspect at first and he has served a 50 game suspension for violating the substance abuse policy (for taking an unapproved weight loss supplement.)

 

But in the limited time we have seen him, he has put up some pretty impressive numbers. Time isn’t on his side and 2013 will likely be a sink-or-swim year for him. He will need to show that he can put up the big numbers over a full season and can’t afford many more missteps if he is to remain a prospect.

 

Prospect rankings:

Seth Stohs: #12

BA: #29

Gleeman: #30

TwinkieTown: Not ranked

 

Stats coming into the year:

 

[TABLE=width: 91%]

Year

Team

League

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BB

SO

SB

CS

AVG

OBP

SLG

OPS

2009

TWI

GCL

35

109

12

28

7

[/TD]

3

18

17

34

2

.257

.369

.404

.773

2010

TWI

GCL

39

142

24

46

15

1

3

26

13

40

1

.324

.388

.507

.895

2011

ELZ

APP

44

174

27

56

11

6

33

15

50

.322

.377

.489

.865

2012

BEL

MID

41

154

22

49

10

1

11

36

28

41

[TD]

.318

.419

.610

1.030

[/TABLE]

Thanks for the report, I always think of Kenny as a sleeperwith great potential

Vargas got off to a slow start. After 11 games, he had an ugly .188/.250/.375/.625 line. On April 17th, after 3 straight 0-4 games, he wasn't in the starting lineup for the first time this year. He entered the game as a pinch-hitter and singled, which was the start of a 9-game hitting streak.

 

He hasn't had any huge games yet - two hits is the most he has had in one game - but it appears that, after a short adjustment to A+, he is putting up number that are in line with what he has done the past few years. The big thing he needs to do this year is to put up the same kind of numbers over a full season. Barring injury, he will reach his career high for games played later this month. (Game 44 is May 21st.) (Small sample size caveats apply to anything he has done this season, and really to his whole career.)

 

He has been around long enough to start collecting nicknames: Baby Papi, Little Papi, and Big Spoon are three that Seth mentioned. He does look a lot like David Ortiz, although I would think seeing him step into the right-hand batters box would diminish that a bit.

 

 

 

Through Apr 16

[TABLE=width: 65%]

Team

AVG

OBP

SLG

OPS

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BB

SO

FTM

.188

.250

.375

.625

11

48

4

9

3

[/TD]

[TD]2

6

3

12

[/TABLE]

 

Apr 17 - May 2

[TABLE=width: 65%]

Team

AVG

OBP

SLG

OPS

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BB

SO

FTM

.333

.384

.583

.967

14

96

7

16

7

1

4

15

7

22

[/TABLE]

He hasn't had any huge games yet - two hits is the most he has had in one game...

 

Now he has. 4-4 with 2 doubles tonight.

Vargas continues to recover from the slow start.

[TABLE=width: 87]

Dates

AVG

OBP

SLG

OPS

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

BB

SO

SB

CS

3-11 May

.323

.436

.581

1.017

9

31

6

10

2

0

2

7

7

9

[/TD]

Season

.276

.350

.504

.854

34

127

17

35

9

1

6

22

14

31

[TD]

[/TABLE]

I'm done using this thread. All future updates will be at the new one I started in the correct location:

 

http://twinsdaily.com/adopt-prospect-2013/6776-kennys-vargas.html#post115693