Mike Cuddyer
Minnesota Twins
Position: 3B-OF-1B Height: 6-2 Weight: 202 Born: 3/27/79 Bats: Right Throws: Right
| Year |
Team |
Level |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
K |
SB |
CS |
BA |
OBP |
SLG |
| 1999 |
F. Myers |
A |
130 |
466 |
87 |
139 |
24 |
4 |
16 |
82 |
76 |
91 |
14 |
4 |
.298 |
.403 |
.470 |
| 2000 |
N. Britain |
AA |
138 |
490 |
72 |
129 |
30 |
8 |
6 |
61 |
55 |
93 |
5 |
4 |
.263 |
.351 |
.394 |
| 2001 |
N. Britain |
AA |
141 |
509 |
95 |
153 |
36 |
3 |
30 |
87 |
75 |
106 |
5 |
9 |
.301 |
.395 |
.560 |
| 2001 |
Minnesota |
AL |
8 |
18 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
.222 |
.300 |
.333 |
Background
Cuddyer was drafted by the Twins in the first round in 1997, out of high school in Chesapeake, Virginia, buying him out of a Florida State scholarship. He'd hit .367 as a high school junior for Team USA in the World Junior Championship in '96, so he had experience against good competition as an amateur. He hit .276 with 12 homers in his pro debut in '98, played very well in '99, but struggled in his Double-A debut in 2000. He returned to New Britain in '01, winning the Twins' Minor League Player of the Year award. He is in line for a job with the Twins this year.
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The Rookies
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Throughout spring training, John Sickels will provide in-depth reports on 10 of the hottest rookies to watch. Here's the complete schedule:
Feb. 26: Josh Beckett, Marlins
March 2: Carlos Pena, A's
March 5: Nick Johnson, Yankees
March 8: Sean Burroughs, Padres
March 12: Juan Cruz, Cubs
March 15: Mike Cuddyer, Twins
March 19: Morgan Ensberg, Astros
March 22: Kurt Ainsworth, Giants
March 26: Hank Blalock, Rangers
March 29: Jon Rauch, White Sox
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Scouting report
Mike struggled in 2000 when his swing came unhinged, making it difficult for him to turn on inside pitches. He fixed this problem in '01, developing a shorter, more compact stroke, while improving his already sound strike zone judgment. He now shows good power to all fields and should be a consistent 20+ home-run threat in the majors. Converting his remaining baby fat to muscle also boosted his production. Cuddyer has a very strong arm, and decent range at third base. His hands aren't the greatest, however, and he probably won't be more than an average defensive player at the hot corner, which isn't a big problem since the presence of Corey Koskie has moved Cuddyer to right field this spring. He'll never win a Gold Glove out there, but his strong throwing arm will be an asset. Scouts praise his work ethic and intelligence.
Performance
Although Cuddyer was repeating Double-A last year, he was still fairly young for the level. If he had attended college rather than signing out of high school, '01 would have been his first full pro season. His nice walk rate and non-awful strikeout numbers presage a fairly quick adjustment to major-league conditions. His '01 MLE marks him as a .280-.290 hitter with 25-homer power and solid OBP and SLG marks, excellent for his age group.
Health record
Cuddyer has had no serious health problems, and does a good job keeping himself in shape.
What to expect
At this point, it isn't clear if Cuddyer will open 2002 in right field for the Twins. He is the best long-term candidate, but he may end up in Triple-A anyhow. A strong spring will help and he's .324 with one homer and four doubles in 34 at-bats. If he does go down to the Pacific Coast League, it seems unlikely that he'll struggle there, and he would be the first option on the recall list when another outfielder is needed. Koskie's wrist injury is another factor; it isn't impossible that Cuddyer could end up with some time at third base early in the season if Koskie's wrist doesn't heal quickly. The Twins have also mentioned using Cuddyer as a "super utility" player, splitting time between the outfield, third base, first base and DH -- any way to get his bat in the lineup. Whenever and however he gets playing time, Cuddyer should hit .270-.290 with above-average power. If he develops along a normal path, he'll be a mainstay in the Minnesota lineup and an excellent power source for many years.
John Sickels is the author of the 2002 STATS Minor League Scouting Notebook. He is currently writing a biography of Bob Feller. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas, with his wife, son, and two cats. You can send John questions or comments at JASickels@aol.com, or you can visit his homepage at hometown.aol.com/jasickels/page1.html.
