Nolan Arenado

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #1 prospect in 2013
  Arenado earned an invitation to his first big league spring training last year after leading the minors with 122 RBIs in 2011 at high Class A Modesto and then winning MVP honors in the Arizona Fall League. He went 5-for-26 in 12 Cactus League games, including just three hits in his final 19 at-bats as he tried too hard to make a good impression. It turned out to be a prelude to Arenado's most challenging season since he turned down an Arizona State commitment to sign for $625,000 as the 59th overall pick in the 2009 draft. Having gotten a whiff of the major leagues last spring and hearing from people outside the organization that he might be in the big leagues as early as June, he spent too much time wondering when he might get called up. He watched other players in the Double-A Texas League get promoted, including Tulsa teammate Josh Rutledge in mid-July. During a midseason conference call with Rockies' season-ticket holders, GM Dan O'Dowd said that Arenado's "maturity level still hasn't caught up with his ability level," which sent the player into another funk. He went .165/.252/.272 in July, but snapped out of it and hit .358/.375/.569 in August. A high school teammate of Yankees catcher Austin Romine, Arenado has a knack for making steady contact and getting the barrel of his bat to the ball. His swing gets long through the ball, so his finish looks unorthodox, but he has great hand speed. He has been difficult to strike out throughout his career, with just 181 whiffs in 414 pro games. He derives his power more from bat speed than muscle at this point, and as he gets stronger he should be capable of hitting 20 homers annually. Arenado entered pro ball with an opposite-field stroke but has learned to turn on inside pitches, sometimes to a fault because he strays from hitting to the center of the field. Nevertheless, he should always be able to hit for high averages. After the 2010 season, the Rockies expected Arenado to move to first base because he was such a defensive liability at the hot corner, with minimal range and no feel for the position. But he got in better shape, worked hard on his first-step quickness and has blossomed into a quality third baseman. He lacks speed but compensates by reading and reacting to balls instinctively. He has a strong arm, throws accurately from various angles and has become adept at charging balls and fielding them barehanded. He can get caught flat-footed at times but still gets to balls that a lot of other third basemen don't. Arenado has terrific feel for the game in all phases, even on the bases despite his below-average speed. Maximizing his agility, an area of emphasis this offseason, may make him a half-step quicker. He's generally a hard worker but the Rockies want to see him improve his focus with more consistent effort. Arenado will start 2013 at Triple-A Colorado Springs and should reach Colorado during the season. Former first-round pick Chris Nelson played well at the hot corner for the Rockies last year, but Arrenado has a much higher ceiling offensively and defensively. The final step of his development will be to take a more mature approach when dealing with failure.
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #2 prospect in 2012
  After missing the first six weeks in 2010 with a groin injury, Arenado broke out in 2011, leading the minors with 122 RBIs and flourishing in the Arizona Fall League. He won AFL MVP honors after batting .388 and leading the league in hits (47), doubles (12) and extra-base hits (18). He also improved on defense, ending talk that his range and first-step quickness would prompt a move from third to first base. Arenado has exceptional hand-eye coordination and very quick, strong hands. He entered pro ball with an advanced twostrike approach and has learned to turn on pitches when he gets the opportunity. His swing has a flat path, but he gets good extension and has shown an increased ability to hit balls with backspin, which should lead to solid or better power. He controls the strike zone well and is starting to draw more walks. Arenado dropped 20 pounds last offseason, resulting in average range at third base despite his lack of quick feet. He has soft hands and plenty of arm strength, with plus accuracy and a quick release from any angle. He's a well below-average runner. Arenado has the work ethic to maintain his defensive skills. He's competitive but can show his youth by getting emotional at times. A potential No. 3 hitter, Arenado should open 2012 in Double-A, with a second-half promotion to the big leagues a possibility. He could be ready for a regular role in Colorado by 2013.
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #3 prospect in 2011
  The Rockies drafted Arenado 56th overall and signed him for $625,000 because of his bat. He hit .529 as a high school senior and then .300 in his pro debut, when he was the second-youngest everyday player in the Rookie-level Pioneer League. He got off to a slow start in 2010 because of a groin injury, reporting to Asheville on May 21, but still batted .308 and finished second in the South Atlantic League with 41 doubles. Arenado is strong and makes consistent, hard contact, so he should have above-average power. His inside-out stroke serves him well in two-strike situations, though there's some stiffness in his swing. He has a situational approach that allows him to turn on fastballs thrown on the inner portion of the plate. A middle-of-the-lineup hitter, he admits he has to draw more walks. A shortstop in high school, Arenado has moved to third base as a pro and has a strong, accurate arm. He needs to work on his first-step quickness to develop better range, and he could end up at first base. He's not athletic and has below-average speed. Arenado will move up to high Class A to open the 2011 season, but if he hits he could earn a second-half promotion. He'll stay at third base for now, but he profiles as the eventual heir to Todd Helton at first base.
• 
  Ranked Colorado Rockies #10 prospect in 2010
  Arenado hit safely in 27 of 28 games as a high school senior last spring, batting .529 overall and earning most outstanding hitter honors at the National Classic tournament in April. After signing him for $625,000 as a second-round pick, the Rockies moved him from shortstop to third base. Their lack of a complex league team necessitated sending him to the Pioneer League, where he hit .300 despite being the second-youngest regular in the circuit. Arenado has the impact bat teams want from a corner infielder. He has a balanced approach, advanced plate discipline and excellent hand-eye coordination, so he should hit for average. His bat speed and strength should give him at least average power in the future, and he already drives balls into the gaps. He has good reactions and first-step quickness at the hot corner, along with soft hands and a strong arm. Some scouts think he could be an impact catcher if given the chance. He has strong leadership skills and work ethic. He's a below-average runner, though Arenado moves well enough for his size and has good instincts on the bases. He doesn't have a lot of range and will have to continue to work on his defense at his new position. The Rockies usually avoid rushing high school players, but they're excited about Arenado's bat. He could open 2010 in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Texas League #8 prospect in 2012
  The minor league RBI leader (122) and Arizona Fall League MVP in 2011, Arenado was having a solid encore at Tulsa when Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd said at the end of June that the player's "maturity level still hasn't caught up with his ability level." Arenado then went out and batted .165 in July, though he bounced back to hit .366 the rest of the way. Managers and scouts didn't express big concerns with Arenado's maturity. Some said he has inconsistent at-bats or sometimes plays with low energy, but most like the way he carries himself and see a confident, competitive player. All the physical tools are certainly there. Arenado can take the ball to all fields and hits hard line drives to the alleys, though he won't have more than average power. He's a strong, confident defender who has worked to improve and shows good reactions and hands at third base. He has a strong arm and below-average speed.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #6 prospect in 2011
  Arenado, the league MVP, homered in the championship game to help his Rafters team capture the AFL crown, topping off a fall season in which he hit .388/.423/.636 with a league leading 47 hits and 12 doubles. He's still only 20 and has yet to reach Double-A, making Arenado's progress one of the biggest stories in the AFL this year. He made consistent contact, striking out only 14 times in 121 at-bats, and showed a knack for driving in runs. Most impressive was his development in the field, as he now projects to be a quality defender at third base thanks to improved conditioning during the last offseason.
• 
  Ranked California League #6 prospect in 2011
  After missing the first six weeks of last year with a groin injury, Arenado led the Cal League (and the minors) with 122 RBIs in his true first full pro season. He has the makings of a run producer, using a selectively aggressive approach and superb hand-eye coordination to make consistent contact. He stays inside the ball well with a compact swing and drives the ball to gaps. After drawing just 19 walks last season, Arenado nearly evened his K-BB ratio this year. While he remains a well below-average runner, he dropped nearly 20 pounds in the offseason and showed improved range at third base. Some still question whether he can stay at the hot corner in the long term, but veteran Modesto manager Jerry Weinstein doesn't. "He is as good a young defensive player as I have seen in my years in the game," Weinstein said. "Not only does he make the average play all the time, he can make the special play every night if given the opportunity to do so."
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #2 prospect in 2010
  After finishing in last place in the season's first half, Asheville made a strong run at the playoffs before falling short on the final weekend. Arenado, who joined the Tourists from extended spring training on May 21, was a major reason for the turnaround. He batted .379 with six homers in the final month. Despite his late start, Arenado finished second in the league with 41 doubles, and scouts believe many of those doubles will clear the fence as he adds loft to his swing. He displays solid hand-eye coordination and makes consistent hard contact. He has a well above-average arm at third base, but his speed, range and lateral movement are below average. "When Jared Clark went down, Arenado was our big bat and teams pitched around him," Asheville manager Joe Mikulik said. "He showed great patience, and he's an excellent two-strike hitter who lays off the tough pitches. With his approach, he's going to put up some numbers."
• 
  Ranked Pioneer League #8 prospect in 2009
  The Rockies' absence of a complex league team didn't deter Arenado, their second-round pick from turning in a solid pro debut. He showed a mature, balanced approach from the right side and walked as often as he struck out. His bat speed and raw strength suggest potential plus home run power down the road, but for now he's a doubles hitter. Arenado shifted from prep shortstop to pro third baseman, a better fit for his heavy feet and limited range. He has soft hands and plus arm strength, and league observers trusted that he'd work to make himself an average overall defender, noting his take-charge attitude on the infield. "You know he wants the ball hit to him, and that's an intangible you can't teach," Casper manager Tony Diaz said. "He's going to achieve every ounce of potential given to him."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #52 prospect in 2013
• Ranked Baseball America's #42 prospect in 2012
• Ranked Baseball America's #80 prospect in 2011

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Arenado earned an invitation to his first big league spring training last year after leading the minors with 122 RBIs in 2011 at high Class A Modesto and then winning MVP honors in the Arizona Fall League. He went 5-for-26 in 12 Cactus League games, including just three hits in his final 19 at-bats as he tried too hard to make a good impression. It turned out to be a prelude to Arenado's most challenging season since he turned down an Arizona State commitment to sign for $625,000 as the 59th overall pick in the 2009 draft. Having gotten a whiff of the major leagues last spring and hearing from people outside the organization that he might be in the big leagues as early as June, he spent too much time wondering when he might get called up. He watched other players in the Double-A Texas League get promoted, including Tulsa teammate Josh Rutledge in mid-July. During a midseason conference call with Rockies season-ticket holders, GM Dan O'Dowd said that Arenado's "maturity level still hasn't caught up with his ability level,"which sent the player into another funk. But after hitting .165/.252/.272 in July, he snapped out of it and batted .358/.375/.569 in August. Scouting Report: Arenado has a knack for making steady contact and getting the barrel of his bat to the ball. His swing gets long through the ball, so his finish looks unorthodox, but he has great hand speed. With his balance and hand-eye coordination, he has been difficult to strike out throughout his career. He derives his power more from bat speed than muscle at this point, and as he gets stronger he should be capable of hitting 20 homers annually. Arenado entered pro ball with an opposite-field stroke but has learned to turn on inside pitches, sometimes to a fault because he strays from hitting to the center of the field. Nevertheless, he should always be able to hit for high averages. After the 2010 season, the Rockies expected Arenado to move to first base because he was such a defensive liability at the hot corner, with minimal range and no feel for the position. But he got in better shape, worked hard on his first-step quickness and has blossomed into a quality third baseman. He lacks speed but compensates by reading and reacting to balls instinctively. He has a strong arm, throws accurately from various angles and has become adept at charging balls and fielding them barehanded. He can get caught flat-footed at times but still gets to balls that a lot of other third basemen don't. Arenado has terrific feel for the game in all phases, even on the bases despite his below-average speed. Maximizing his agility, an area of emphasis this offseason, may make him a half-step quicker. He's generally a hard worker but the Rockies want to see him improve his focus and give more consistent effort. The Future: Arenado will start 2013 at Triple-A Colorado Springs and should reach Colorado during the season. Former first-round pick Chris Nelson played well at the hot corner for the Rockies last year, but Arrenado has a higher ceiling offensively and defensively. The final step of his development will be to take a more mature approach when dealing with the failure so inherent in the game.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: After missing the first six weeks in 2010 with a groin injury, Arenado broke out in 2011, leading the minors with 122 RBIs and flourishing in the Arizona Fall League. He also improved dramatically on defense, ending talk that his range and first-step quickness would prompt a move from third to first base. Scouting Report: Arenado has exceptional hand-eye coordination and very quick, strong hands. He entered pro ball with an advanced two-strike approach and has learned to turn on pitches when he gets the opportunity. His swing has a flat path, but he gets good extension and has shown an increased ability to hit balls with backspin, which should lead to solid or better power. He controls the strike zone well and is starting to draw more walks. Arenado dropped 20 pounds last offseason, resulting in average range at third base despite his lack of quick feet. He has soft hands and plenty of arm strength, with plus accuracy and a very quick release from any angle. He's a well-below average runner. Arenado's has the work ethic necessary to maintain his defensive skills. The Future: A potential No. 3 hitter, Arenado should open 2012 in Double-A, with a second-half promotion to the big leagues a possibility. He could be ready for a regular role in Colorado by 2013.
• August, 2011 Scouting Report
  Arenado, the league MVP, homered in the championship game to help his Rafters team capture the AFL crown, topping off a fall season in which he hit .388/.423/.636 with a league leading 47 hits and 12 doubles. He's still only 20 and has yet to reach Double-A, making Arenado's progress one of the biggest stories in the AFL this year. He made consistent contact, striking out only 14 times in 121 at-bats, and showed a knack for driving in runs. Most impressive was his development in the field, as he now projects to be a quality defender at third base thanks to improved conditioning during the last offseason.