Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | NYY | SS | 18 | 45 |
Grades Update: Jan 2021
| OFP | Role | Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 55 |
Jan 2021 Report
Evaluator: James Chipman
Age: 19 yr
Height: 5-11
Weight: 148 lbs
Hits/Throws: S/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022
Physical Description: Medium frame. Lean, wiry athletic build with below-average strength. Shoulders that slope; skinny torso; lean lower half. Bearish on remaining physical projection. High priority J2 signee in 2018; $2.5M (Cuba).
Hit: Switch hitter; noticeably more effective from the left side. Open stance; hands at the letters; body upright with feet barely shoulder width apart. Quiet pre-load; large leg lift on gather; above-average bat speed; short and quick to the contact point. Advanced feel; solid bat-to-ball skills; shows patience, grinding out ABs waiting for his pitch. More slap and dash than I anticipated; well barreled shots yield rather weak contact. Enough bat speed to handle premium velocity; occasionally exposed by chase on the outer third and up in the zone. Often exposed by even average or better off-speed and breaking balls. Deficiencies could shore up a tick with further pro instruction. A well below-average tool presently, Vargas features many of the core ingredients of an above-average or better hitter. His limited physical projection and current inability to drive the ball or handle advanced secondaries have me bearish on the hit tool's projection. Grade: 40
Power: Lacks the necessary size and strength to adequately drive the ball with authority. Inconsistent bat path hinders his ability to regularly lift the ball against quality stuff. Will occasionally sellout for power attempting to lift and drive with less than stellar results; at his best when he plays within his game. BP predominantly utilized to spray line drives around the field. Power isn't bottom-of-the-scale at the big league level, but it's fairly close given his build and limited physical projection. Future power will predominantly be of the XBH variety; a result of finding gaps and utilizing his instincts and speed. Grade: 30
Field: Potential impact tool. Plus defender with advanced feel; great instincts; the game rarely speeds up on him. Enough skill and feel to adequately play anywhere on the infield dirt; enough arm to stick at SS. Shows the smarts to cut down lead runners when the opportunity is presented. Quick feet; soft hands; quick transfers and turns. Ranges well to both sides; reads hops well regardless of their difficulty. A sure-handed defender that's automatic with routine plays, and able to execute the occasional highlight reel play. Grade: 60
Arm: Easy plus raw arm strength with a quick release. Strong accurate throws with low carry, delivered on a line with impressive velocity. More than enough arm to stick on the left side of the diamond; can make the required throws from deep in the hole. Likes to show it off at times, uncorking the occasional laser or showboating with flair. Overall grade plays down a tick at times because of occasional youthful mistakes / accuracy issues; those rare occurrences are likely to shore up and polish with further pro instruction. Grade: 60
Run: Occasional plus straight line speed; mostly above-average clocks home-to-1B and he should settle there long term. Quick first step with an impactful second gear. Awareness and competitive nature yields strong turns and aggressive base-running, earning the occasional extra hustle base. Smart base-runner who picks his spots and reads pitchers well. Quick twitch athleticism and speed aid him well on defense. Grade: 55
Overall: Impact defense and speed help carry the profile, yielding some second-division regualr role 40 upside. Lack of power in an era where shortstops are expected to absolutely rake, blemishes the profile, padding on extra risk. Overall, there's tremendous pressure on the hit tool, which is ultimately the decisive factor in whether Vargas carves out a regular role or simply washes out in the minors.
OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below Average Player: Utility
Risk: Extreme
