Prospect Report - Day 9

NUMBER 2: Billy Butler - OF/DH

Billy Butler is a 6-2, 225 lb outfielder drafted out of high school in the first round of the '04 draft. He was originally drafted as a third baseman and has since been moved to the outfield due to a lack of defensive skill at the hot corner. Most of you reading this already know all there is to know about this guy...but I'll go ahead and sum it all up anyway.

Butler - only 20 years old - is one of the best hitting prospects in all of baseball. Last season with AA Wichita, he hit .331 with an OBP of .388, SLG of .499 - he also had 15 homers and 96 RBI. His average was good enough to with the Texas League batting title and he was also named MVP of the Futures Game - a pretty good season. His home run total did dip last season, but there really are no questions about this guy's bat - he can flat out hit the ball...and he can do so with power. I think the lower home run output was a fluke, and see him eventually as a 30+ home run hitter in the big leagues. Regardless of his home run totals....Butler should produce at an above average level for a long time. To best sum it up - Baseball America has a report on Butler that states the following:

"With excellent bat speed, balance and a cerebral approach, Butler has no real weakness as a hitter."

Pretty impressive.

His only real weakness as a ballplayer is his defense. His defense at 3B was horrible, and he's apparently not a whole lot better in the OF. He has supposedly improved, but will he improve enough to be an everyday corner outfielder? It doesn't seem likely, if you listen to critics, but only time will tell. I recently listened to a radio interview with Butler, and I like his approach to the game and his confidence. I wouldn't put it past him to make it as an outfielder, but won't be disappointed if he turns out to be a DH.

PROJECTION:

What's not to like? Butler will be a middle-of-the-order hitter for the Royals, maybe as soon as this season. He'll likely start off in AAA Omaha...but with an impressive Spring Training, he could break camp with KC. I see him coming up later in the season, after getting a little more seasoning in the outfield. He should be an EXTREMELY solid hitter for KC, probably batting somewhere between 3rd and 5th in the order.