Top Prospect
Alert
The San Francisco Giants' number one draft
pick in 1998, this 20-year-old was limited in 1999 to being a DH for the
first half of the season due to to shoulder surgery that he had in 1998.
Still, Torcato did very well in his first full season at Class-A
Bakersfield as one of the youngest players in the California League (.291,
4 HR, 58 RBI, 25 2B, 50 R, 30 BB, 67 SO, and 2 SB in 422 AB).
At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, this lefty has a very nice stroke (possibly
the best this system has seen since Will Clark) and I would say that you
should see some of the doubles develop into more home runs in the near
future. I think 25 home runs per season would be very possible by the time
he is a regular in the majors. He needs to watch the strikeout numbers,
but for his age and the level he was in, I think it could have almost been
expected.
In the field, he doesn't have a very strong arm, more like on the
average side for a third baseman. When you factor in the shoulder injury
that he had, you have to wonder if he will eventually move to another
position. His range would also grade out about average.
Torcato has gotten off to a hot start at Single-A San Jose to open 2000
(.444 in 6 games) and I think you can expect more of the same as the
season goes along. He's primed to have his breakout year.
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