The Dodgers last year traded "a pair of minor leaguers" for third baseman Casey Blake, which uninformed pundits hailed as a good acquisition for L.A. One of those "minor leaguers" will wind up being the gem of the deal, though (and at a fraction of the price).
Catcher Carlos Santana, the centerpiece of that swap, has become one of the top prospects in the minors in the 13 months since the deal (although he was very highly-regarded at the time, too). Santana, a converted 3B/OF, is an athletic backstop with thunder in his bat and uncanny plate discipline. Coming off a .326/.431/.568 season last year (spent in High A), Baseball America ranked him as the Tribe's #1 prospect and the 26th overall prospect in the game.
The 23-year-old Dominican Republic native is in the midst of another successful season: He has elevated his game and solved Double-A in 2009. Through 117 games with Akron, he is hitting .285/.410/.522 with 20 homers and 81 walks. A switch-hitter, Santana has been better from the right side (1.042 OPS), but he's above-average either way (.874 OPS batting left). He's raised his numbers after the all-star break, showing his ability to make adjustments at a new level. Since he has showed last year's breakout was no fluke and that he can master upper levels, I ran Santana all the way up to #5 on my midseason prospect list.
Santana has some rough edges to polish up, mainly with his receiving skills, but he still should be ready for a September call-up and an expanded role with Cleveland in 2010. He'll be the long-term replacement for Victor Martinez (the player whom he most resembles), giving the Indians average defense and incredible offensive production for a catcher. He's a future All Star and has massive upside. Santana is one of the most exciting prospects in the minors, giving credence to thoughts that the Blake deal was a heist for the Indians.
Carlos Santana
*Photo courtesy of www.indiansprospectinsider.com
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