Minor league career (2003–05) Ian Kinsler

1 minor league career (2003–05)

1.1 2003: entering pros
1.2 2004: breakout season
1.3 2005: transitioning second base

minor league career (2003–05)
2003: entering pros

kinsler signed quickly, , broke in shortstop in 2003. batted .277 in 188 at-bats in pro debut spokane indians in short-season northwest league, while leading team in steals (11) , triples (6). spent 2003–04 winter in arizona, working out rangers strength , conditioning coaches. said: 170 pounds, , decided needed lift, put on weight, , eat as could. , learned how hit.

2004: breakout season

by 2004, kinsler had vaulted # 1 spot on baseball america s prospect hot sheet. john sickels of espn described him having great plate discipline, power, , ... [being] reasonably defensive shortstop.

he had breakout year in 2004. split season between 2 teams, beginning low-a clinton lumberkings, hit .402/.465/.692 in 224 @ bats. kinsler voted start @ shortstop midwest league western division star team, while leading league in batting, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, doubles, extra-base hits, , runs scored, did not play promoted. baseball america rated him exciting ballplayer , # 8 prospect in league. when friend asked him secret success, responded: dude, have no idea.

kinsler promoted 2 levels on june 12 double-a frisco roughriders. when first got called up, there million things running through head , said. nervous, hands sweating. exciting, didn t know expect. little nervous ... of sudden wouldn t able hit. in june named rangers minor league player of month. frisco manager tim ireland observed:

i think s succeeding because swing graceful , effortless. s smooth swing, , hits power because lets swing work him. defensively, far s shown real feel shortstop. s got feet , soft hands, , throws enough.... seems pretty legit me.

in july, rangers agreed send kinsler , prospect right-hander erik thompson colorado rockies larry walker, walker vetoed trade.

he ended hitting .300/.400/.480 frisco, in 277 at-bats. numbers have placed him fourth in obp, seventh in slugging percentage, , eighth in league s batting race had received enough plate appearances qualify title (he short 60). baseball america rated kinsler # 9 prospect in texas league.

overall, in 501 at-bats, kinsler tied first in minor leagues in doubles (51), , seventh in batting average (.345) , ninth in hits (173). had 20 home runs, 103 runs, 98 rbis, 18 hbp, , 23 steals. rangers manager buck showalter marveled @ kinsler s 51 doubles, saying: fifty... lot of guys don t have 50 singles.

baseball america rated him no. 4 rangers prospect, no. 11 prospect in minors, , second-team minor league star. kinsler named sports weekly star, , rangers tom grieve minor league player of year. in addition, awarded first annual diamond in rough award, recognizes minor leaguer defies odds , rises obscurity play himself prospect status during breakout season. part, kinsler noted simply: fun come ballpark every day when playing baseball.

towards end of season, sickels augmented scouting report on kinsler reporting was:

a athlete, not super-toolsy, strong size speed notch above average. swing looked short, quick, , sharp. although m told people worry swing long, looked fine me. long swings show in stat line excessive strikeout totals, kinsler not whiff king. works count well, controlling strike zone without trouble , not swinging @ pitches outside plate area. bat has pop in it, particularly gaps, rifles frequent extra-base shots. has above-average power player size, , think has enough bat speed keep hitting home runs @ higher levels. defensively, shows above-average range , hands. arm strength average, s accurate throws , seems fundamentally sound, although error rate higher ideal (20 in 71 games @ frisco). might end @ second base eventually. kinsler s running speed bit better average, s aggressive on bases , steal if opportunity there. overall, solid all-around player makes of natural ability.

kinsler spent winter of 2004–05 playing peoria saguaros of arizona fall league, improving versatility getting work in @ second base. there, hit .306/.369/.500. 1 scout in arizona noted swing effortless, yet generated line drive power, that: s s swinging wiffleball bat out there.

kinsler oklahoma redhawks in september 2005


2005: transitioning second base

invited parent club s 2005 spring training, hit .327 while slugging .612. kinsler spent 2005 @ triple-a oklahoma redhawks, transitioning shortstop second base because organization anticipated play in future, in event alfonso soriano no longer played second base major league team. tough on kinsler s ego initially, difficult part of switch him double play. selected mid-season pacific coast league star team in june, , came in close second mitch jones in 2005 triple-a home run derby.

for season, in 530 @ bats hit .274 23 home runs, 102 runs (tied tenth in minor leagues), 94 rbis, , 12 steals in 14 attempts. kinsler cracked baseball america top 100 prospects list, ranking 98th. on side, during season kept on-line journal minorleaguebaseball.com.