| AB | 52 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .346 |
| OBP | .477 |
| SLG | .673 |
| HR | 3 |
- Full name Spencer Gordon Steer
- Born 12/07/1997 in Long Beach, CA
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Oregon
- Debut 09/02/2022
-
Drafted in the 3rd round (90th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2019 (signed for $575,000).
View Draft Report
A solid all-around player with Oregon, Steer is a hit-over-power, utility-type player with impressive defensive ability. Standing at just 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, Steer isn’t physically imposing and doesn’t have many loud tools, but he does everything on the field well. This spring, he hit .356/.460/.510 through his first 54 games—leading the team in average and RBIs—and has consistently put together good at-bats going back to his freshman year. Over his first 160 games at Oregon, Steer struck out 86 times (12.1 percent) compared to 70 walks (9.9 percent). He performed well in the Cape Cod League last summer as well, where his Orleans teammates voted him co-MVP (along with Vanderbilt outfielder J.J. Bleday) thanks to a .304/.351/.481 line and outstanding defense at both second and third base. Steer has a strong, accurate arm with good footwork at both positions and does an excellent job charging the baseball and gaining ground. Steer projects as a utility-type player at the next level who could hit for a high average.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
Track Record: In his MLB debut on Sept. 2, Steer homered. In the penultimate game of the season, his walk-off RBI double against the Cubs staved off 100 losses until the next day. In between, there weren't many highlights in Steer's month in Cincinnati. Those moments were a fitting footnote on a season in which Steer made the Futures Game and was traded to the Reds along with Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Steven Hajjar for righthander Tyler Mahle.
Scouting Report: Steer has long been equally praised and criticized for being a well-rounded player without any exceptional tools. He's not going to be the best player on any pro team, but he's been a useful player everywhere he's played. Because Joey Votto was injured, Steer ended up playing nine games at first base with the Reds. For someone who has played second base, third base, shortstop and right field, it was just another position to pick up. Steer fits as a second or third baseman who can fill in at shortstop. He has excellent hands and a slow heartbeat. His average arm is just enough because of a quick release and accuracy. He's an average runner who isn't a basestealer but is a solid baserunner. Despite back-to-back season of 20-plus home runs, Steer is more of a solid hitter with sneaky, below-average pop. The friendly confines of Great American Ballpark should boost his home run numbers. He uses the entire field and should be able to hit .260 to .270 while posting solid on-base percentages.
The Future: Steer will compete for the Reds' third base job to start 2023, but he'll likely end up playing there and everywhere as the need arises. He's similar to fellow Reds infielder Matt McLain as a smaller but savvy infielder who relies on feel for the game and a hit-first approach.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 40. Run: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50 -
Track Record: Steer was a standout performer throughout his collegiate career with Oregon and also stood out on the Cape Cod League. After an impressive 2019 pro debut, Steer began tapping into more power in 2021, advancing to Double-A Wichita and drawing positive reviews from scouts both inside and outside the org for his all-around game.
Scouting Report: While Steer doesn’t have massive top-end exit velocity numbers, he makes hard contact consistently and hit 24 home runs and 18 doubles between High-A and Double-A in 2021. That’s a great sign for a contact-oriented bat like Steer, who only struck out at a combined 21.5% rate this season. He’s a versatile defender who can handle several positions—including shortstop in a pinch—with good hands, adequate arm strength and enough arm for whatever position he’s at. His best defensive position is second, but he should be able to move around the defensive spectrum depending on team need. Steer is an average runner, but he’s opportunistic and savvy on the base paths and generally draws positive reviews for his baseball instincts in general, and for his competitiveness and intensity on the field.
The Future: Steer needs more at-bats against upper-level minor league pitching, but his power increase makes him one of the risers of the system and his defensive versatility gives him multiple avenues to a big league role.
-
TRACK RECORD: Steer isn't particularly flashy, but he has been a productive player who has made pretty much every team he's played for better. At Oregon, Steer hit .349/.456/.502 as a junior to lead the Ducks in all three categories. He was Orleans co-MVP in the Cape Cod League in 2018 (sharing the honor with JJ Bleday). He showed his ability to hit with wood there, as he posted a .304/.351/.481 stat line.
SCOUTING REPORT: In his pro debut, Steer was one of the better hitters in the Appalachian League before being promoted to the Midwest League in July. He has played shortstop, third and second base in pro ball already. He's not exceptionally rangy, but his feet work well and his above-average, accurate arm allows him to profile as a utilityman who can play anywhere around the infield. At the plate, Steer has modest power, but he works counts, draws walks and should be at least an average hitter.
THE FUTURE: An impressive 2019 gives Steer a chance to compete in spring training for an assignment to high Class A Fort Myers.
Draft Prospects
-
A solid all-around player with Oregon, Steer is a hit-over-power, utility-type player with impressive defensive ability. Standing at just 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, Steer isn't physically imposing and doesn't have many loud tools, but he does everything on the field well. This spring, he hit .356/.460/.510 through his first 54 games--leading the team in average and RBIs--and has consistently put together good at-bats going back to his freshman year. Over his first 160 games at Oregon, Steer struck out 86 times (12.1 percent) compared to 70 walks (9.9 percent). He performed well in the Cape Cod League last summer as well, where his Orleans teammates voted him co-MVP (along with Vanderbilt outfielder J.J. Bleday) thanks to a .304/.351/.481 line and outstanding defense at both second and third base. Steer has a strong, accurate arm with good footwork at both positions and does an excellent job charging the baseball and gaining ground. Steer projects as a utility-type player at the next level who could hit for a high average.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
A third-round pick out of Oregon, Steer is a polished hitter with a long track record of success against quality competition as an amateur, which made it no surprise when he breezed through the Appy League in his pro debut this summer. Steer hit .325/.442/.506 with 15 walks and five strikeouts in 20 games before earning a promotion to the Midwest League in July. In that stretch, Steer was fourth in the league with a 162 wRC+ and ranked eighth in the league with a 15.8 percent walk rate. In addition to being a polished hitter, Steer can capably handle shortstop, third base and second base, giving him solid utility value at the least and more if he’s able to continue hitting at a high level as he climbs the minor league ladder. He logged most of his defensive innings at shortstop in the Appy League, but that switched to more time at second and third base once he was promoted to Cedar Rapids. As a 21-year-old college bat, Steer wasn’t challenged much in Rookie-ball, but he has a solid, well-rounded game.
Scouting Reports
-
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
Track Record: In his MLB debut on Sept. 2, Steer homered. In the penultimate game of the season, his walk-off RBI double against the Cubs staved off 100 losses until the next day. In between, there weren't many highlights in Steer's month in Cincinnati. Those moments were a fitting footnote on a season in which Steer made the Futures Game and was traded to the Reds along with Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Steven Hajjar for righthander Tyler Mahle.
Scouting Report: Steer has long been equally praised and criticized for being a well-rounded player without any exceptional tools. He's not going to be the best player on any pro team, but he's been a useful player everywhere he's played. Because Joey Votto was injured, Steer ended up playing nine games at first base with the Reds. For someone who has played second base, third base, shortstop and right field, it was just another position to pick up. Steer fits as a second or third baseman who can fill in at shortstop. He has excellent hands and a slow heartbeat. His average arm is just enough because of a quick release and accuracy. He's an average runner who isn't a basestealer but is a solid baserunner. Despite back-to-back season of 20-plus home runs, Steer is more of a solid hitter with sneaky, below-average pop. The friendly confines of Great American Ballpark should boost his home run numbers. He uses the entire field and should be able to hit .260 to .270 while posting solid on-base percentages.
The Future: Steer will compete for the Reds' third base job to start 2023, but he'll likely end up playing there and everywhere as the need arises. He's similar to fellow Reds infielder Matt McLain as a smaller but savvy infielder who relies on feel for the game and a hit-first approach.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 40. Run: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50 -
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
Track Record: In his MLB debut on Sept. 2, Steer homered. In the penultimate game of the season, his walk-off RBI double against the Cubs staved off 100 losses until the next day. In between, there weren't many highlights in Steer's month in Cincinnati. Those moments were a fitting footnote on a season in which Steer made the Futures Game and was traded to the Reds along with Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Steven Hajjar for righthander Tyler Mahle.
Scouting Report: Steer has long been equally praised and criticized for being a well-rounded player without any exceptional tools. He's not going to be the best player on any pro team, but he's been a useful player everywhere he's played. Because Joey Votto was injured, Steer ended up playing nine games at first base with the Reds. For someone who has played second base, third base, shortstop and right field, it was just another position to pick up. Steer fits as a second or third baseman who can fill in at shortstop. He has excellent hands and a slow heartbeat. His average arm is just enough because of a quick release and accuracy. He's an average runner who isn't a basestealer but is a solid baserunner. Despite back-to-back season of 20-plus home runs, Steer is more of a solid hitter with sneaky, below-average pop. The friendly confines of Great American Ballpark should boost his home run numbers. He uses the entire field and should be able to hit .260 to .270 while posting solid on-base percentages.
The Future: Steer will compete for the Reds' third base job to start 2023, but he'll likely end up playing there and everywhere as the need arises. He's similar to fellow Reds infielder Matt McLain as a smaller but savvy infielder who relies on feel for the game and a hit-first approach.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 40. Run: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50 -
BA Grade: 50/Medium
Track Record: Steer was a standout performer throughout his collegiate career with Oregon and also stood out on the Cape Cod League. After an impressive 2019 pro debut, Steer began tapping into more power in 2021, advancing to Double-A Wichita and drawing positive reviews from scouts both inside and outside the org for his all-around game.
Scouting Report: While Steer doesn't have massive top-end exit velocity numbers, he makes hard contact consistently and hit 24 home runs and 18 doubles between High-A and Double-A in 2021. That's a great sign for a contact-oriented bat like Steer, who only struck out at a combined 21.5% rate this season. He's a versatile defender who can handle several positions—including shortstop in a pinch—with good hands, adequate arm strength and enough arm for whatever position he's at. His best defensive position is second, but he should be able to move around the defensive spectrum depending on team need. Steer is an average runner, but he's opportunistic and savvy on the base paths and generally draws positive reviews for his baseball instincts in general, and for his competitiveness and intensity on the field.
The Future: Steer needs more at-bats against upper-level minor league pitching, but his power increase makes him one of the risers of the system and his defensive versatility gives him multiple avenues to a big league role.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50. -
Track Record: Steer was a standout performer throughout his collegiate career with Oregon and also stood out on the Cape Cod League. After an impressive 2019 pro debut, Steer began tapping into more power in 2021, advancing to Double-A Wichita and drawing positive reviews from scouts both inside and outside the org for his all-around game.
Scouting Report: While Steer doesn’t have massive top-end exit velocity numbers, he makes hard contact consistently and hit 24 home runs and 18 doubles between High-A and Double-A in 2021. That’s a great sign for a contact-oriented bat like Steer, who only struck out at a combined 21.5% rate this season. He’s a versatile defender who can handle several positions—including shortstop in a pinch—with good hands, adequate arm strength and enough arm for whatever position he’s at. His best defensive position is second, but he should be able to move around the defensive spectrum depending on team need. Steer is an average runner, but he’s opportunistic and savvy on the base paths and generally draws positive reviews for his baseball instincts in general, and for his competitiveness and intensity on the field.
The Future: Steer needs more at-bats against upper-level minor league pitching, but his power increase makes him one of the risers of the system and his defensive versatility gives him multiple avenues to a big league role.
-
The 2019 third-rounder from Oregon hit his way to Double-A by improving his control of the strike zone and driving the ball in the air more frequently. His defensive versatility is another asset that could help him land a big league role one day. -
TRACK RECORD: Steer isn't particularly flashy, but he has been a productive player who has made pretty much every team he's played for better. At Oregon, Steer hit .349/.456/.502 as a junior to lead the Ducks in all three categories. He was Orleans co-MVP in the Cape Cod League in 2018 (sharing the honor with JJ Bleday). He showed his ability to hit with wood there, as he posted a .304/.351/.481 stat line.
SCOUTING REPORT: In his pro debut, Steer was one of the better hitters in the Appalachian League before being promoted to the Midwest League in July. He has played shortstop, third and second base in pro ball already. He's not exceptionally rangy, but his feet work well and his above-average, accurate arm allows him to profile as a utilityman who can play anywhere around the infield. At the plate, Steer has modest power, but he works counts, draws walks and should be at least an average hitter.
THE FUTURE: An impressive 2019 gives Steer a chance to compete in spring training for an assignment to high Class A Fort Myers. -
A solid all-around player with Oregon, Steer is a hit-over-power, utility-type player with impressive defensive ability. Standing at just 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, Steer isn't physically imposing and doesn't have many loud tools, but he does everything on the field well. This spring, he hit .356/.460/.510 through his first 54 games--leading the team in average and RBIs--and has consistently put together good at-bats going back to his freshman year. Over his first 160 games at Oregon, Steer struck out 86 times (12.1 percent) compared to 70 walks (9.9 percent). He performed well in the Cape Cod League last summer as well, where his Orleans teammates voted him co-MVP (along with Vanderbilt outfielder J.J. Bleday) thanks to a .304/.351/.481 line and outstanding defense at both second and third base. Steer has a strong, accurate arm with good footwork at both positions and does an excellent job charging the baseball and gaining ground. Steer projects as a utility-type player at the next level who could hit for a high average. -
A third-round pick out of Oregon, Steer is a polished hitter with a long track record of success against quality competition as an amateur, which made it no surprise when he breezed through the Appy League in his pro debut this summer. Steer hit .325/.442/.506 with 15 walks and five strikeouts in 20 games before earning a promotion to the Midwest League in July. In that stretch, Steer was fourth in the league with a 162 wRC+ and ranked eighth in the league with a 15.8 percent walk rate. In addition to being a polished hitter, Steer can capably handle shortstop, third base and second base, giving him solid utility value at the least and more if he’s able to continue hitting at a high level as he climbs the minor league ladder. He logged most of his defensive innings at shortstop in the Appy League, but that switched to more time at second and third base once he was promoted to Cedar Rapids. As a 21-year-old college bat, Steer wasn’t challenged much in Rookie-ball, but he has a solid, well-rounded game.
Career Transactions
-
Cincinnati Reds activated SS Spencer Steer.
