Stefan Gartrell will return to AAA Gwinnett in 2012, providing the team a powerful cleanup hitter while waiting for his chance in Atlanta.
A couple of weeks into the 2011 season, the Braves plucked Stefan Gartrell off waivers from the White Sox and he rewarded them by providing Gwinnett with a consistent, powerful cleanup hitter, putting up a .260 average and .834 OPS while clubbing out 28 doubles, and setting single season Gwinnett records with 25 homers and 91 RBI. He was originally drafted by the White Sox out of San Fransisco University in the 31st round of the 2006 draft and showed consistent pop at every level before busting out in AA in 2009 by hitting .285 with a .892 OPS, 20 doubles, 19 homers and 70 RBI for Birmingham.
In the last two plus years at AAA, Gartrell has posted a slash line of .259/.325/.475/.800, walking in 7.5% of his plate appearances, and striking out in 24.5% of his plate appearances. He just turned 28 years old, so he's essentially the hitter he's going to be, a slugger who's going to strike out a lot if given a chance in the Majors. He has a strong, powerful frame, standing 6'3" and weighing in at 230. Like most sluggers, Gartrell can succumb to getting fooled and taking huge whiffs, but he's shown himself capable of hitting enough at AAA to remain productive. In the outfield, he plays almost exclusively in right field, though is just as capable of playing left, but is at best an average defender. His bulk makes him slow to the ball, but he makes up for it by positioning himself well and reading the ball off the bat quickly. He does have an above average, accurate arm.
If Gartrell is going to get a chance in Atlanta, it's likely to come off the bench, and for the moment Matt Diaz is the team's right handed hitting corner outfielder off the pine. It's likely the team's last bench spot will go to a speedy outfielder who can play center field, like Jose Constanza or Luis Durango, so there's little chance Gartell is going to break camp on Atlanta's roster. Still, after a year in the organization they know his value, and he can further showcase his skills during Spring Training, so that if an injury or two arises during the year, he could provide a nice power bat off Atlanta's bench.
0 recs | 18 comments
It sounds like on the defensive side of the equation, Gartrell may be slightly superior to Diaz, in that he does at least have a RF caliber of arm. And offensively, he has shown consistent pop.
I understand Matt Diaz is a veteran and has a guaranteed contract, but given his inadequate offensive output in 2010 (.250/.302/.438/.739) which then degenerated to horrible in 2011 (.263/.302/.323/.625), how can he simply be handed the job? This makes no sense to me.
fandave - February 10, 2012
Agree ...
I hope he gets a hard look during spring training – could provide some much needed pop coming off the bench.
bravesfaninchitown - February 10, 2012
I don’t know about that. Few times I saw him in Gwinnett he looked beyond lost in the outfield. Diaz is pretty bad, but Gartrell scares me.
abraves257 - February 10, 2012
I also agree...
Diaz is horrible, and it sounds to me that Gartrell has never really been given a chance.. with the Whitesox, and now the Braves.. and the fact that he has POWER makes him a good candidate. I say we get rid of Diaz…
jdelsandro - February 11, 2012
Could he be Nelson Cruz Part II?
waysouth - February 10, 2012
Will never understand why these type of guys aren’t more valuable. Put another way – what more do these type of players have to do to get a shot? I, for one, think there’s too much emphasis on age when it comes to prospect analysis. The Braves desperately need more power in the OF, why in the world wouldn’t you give Gartrell a fair shake..
HeyBattah - February 10, 2012
amen
PhuckthePhillies - February 10, 2012
I think it has less to do with his age and more to do with his low-walk and high-K profile. A 25% K-rate is already pretty bad for AAA, but imagine how bad it could get against higher-level major league pitching. Maybe if he plate discipline was better there would be some room for adjustment, but his BB-rate doesn’t really imply that.
swainzy - February 10, 2012
‘he’ = ‘his’
swainzy - February 10, 2012
Andruw Jones was a high strikeout guy
But he also hit 40 plus homers
jdelsandro - February 11, 2012
Andruw, when he was hitting 40 homers, never struck at out at even close to the same rate; at his peak from 1998-2006 he struck out only 18% of the time. Gartrell, on the other hand, posts 25% K-rates in the minor leagues—a much worse rate even against lesser pitchers. Andruw also has a patient approach that many people forget, with a career BB-rate of more than 10%—something that Gartrell lacks. Don’t get me wrong, I want him to succeed, but his hitting profile indicates to me, in my non-expert opinion, nothing more than a very low batting-average pinch hitter who might run into one every now and then if he gets a major league job.
swainzy - February 11, 2012
thanks swainzy
for the stat info.. didnt know where to find that, and honestly i wouldnt mind having Andruw Jones as a backup back in atlanta either… miss the days of him playing defense in the old Fulton County Stadium.. those catches were amazing…
jdelsandro - February 11, 2012
No problemo; if you ever need stats on a player then Fangraphs is your best friend, they have have a great database. I also would liked to have seen Andruw replace Diaz as the lefty-killer off the bench, but other teams were willing to give him more money and a bigger role than the Braves could.
swainzy - February 11, 2012
Comparing a 28 year old who’s never played in the Majors to a guy like Andruw, who had a decade in the bigs by the time he was 28, is a stretch at best.
cbwilk - February 11, 2012
i agree man, was just trying to make a point, and i realize it wasnt the best point lol
jdelsandro - February 11, 2012
To add to the argument, Antoan Richardson got a cup of coffee last season even though his clone was already there in the form of Constanza. Why Gartrell didn’t get a shot when Prado went down is beyond me, or when rosters expanded, is beyond me.
ryan c - February 10, 2012
i like saying beyond me especially when what i'm talking about is beyond me.
ryan c - February 10, 2012
I've seen this guy play dozens of games for the Charlotte Knights
Can’t recognize a breaking ball to save his life. Major league pitching will destroy him. He’s a nice AAA player, and there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s just no way he can hit in the majors.
Air_Bobcats - February 16, 2012
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