Top 50 Prospects: #37 – Will Middlebrooks | The Golden Sombrero Baseball Blog | MLB, Fantasy, College & High School Baseball News

Top 50 Prospects: #37 – Will Middlebrooks

#37 Will Middlebrooks

Boston Red Sox

DOB: 9/9/1988

Previous Rank: NR

ETA: 2012

Middlebrooks collected most of his at-bats for Double-A Portland in 2011.  As a 22-year-old across three levels, including 16 games in the International League, Middlebrooks slashed .285/.328/.506.  Obviously from those numbers, plate discipline is a big issue with Middlebrooks because he does not really have any.  He only walked 26 times in over 450 plate appearances, and that kind of reckless use of his time at the dish makes predicting offensive success in the AL East pretty tough.

Year Age Tm Lg Lev G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BA
2008 19 Lowell NYPL A- 59 226 209 21 53 17 2 1 21 10 0 .254
2009 20 Greenville SALL A 103 427 374 53 99 25 3 7 57 7 4 .265
2010 21 Salem CARL A+ 114 481 435 69 120 31 2 12 70 5 3 .276
2011 22 3 Teams 3 Lgs AA-AAA-A- 116 472 439 62 125 26 1 23 94 10 1 .285
2011 22 Lowell NYPL A- 4 15 12 4 4 1 0 3 6 1 0 .333
2011 22 Portland EL AA 96 397 371 54 112 25 1 18 80 6 0 .302
2011 22 Pawtucket IL AAA 16 60 56 4 9 0 0 2 8 3 1 .161
4 Seasons 392 1606 1457 205 397 99 8 43 242 32 8 .272
A- (2 seasons) A- 63 241 221 25 57 18 2 4 27 11 0 .258
A (1 season) A 103 427 374 53 99 25 3 7 57 7 4 .265
AA (1 season) AA 96 397 371 54 112 25 1 18 80 6 0 .302
AAA (1 season) AAA 16 60 56 4 9 0 0 2 8 3 1 .161
A+ (1 season) A+ 114 481 435 69 120 31 2 12 70 5 3 .276
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/25/2011.
Year Age Tm Lg Lev G PA AB HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB
2008 19 Lowell NYPL A- 59 226 209 1 21 12 73 .254 .298 .368 .666 77
2009 20 Greenville SALL A 103 427 374 7 57 48 123 .265 .349 .404 .753 151
2010 21 Salem CARL A+ 114 481 435 12 70 35 121 .276 .331 .439 .770 191
2011 22 3 Teams 3 Lgs AA-AAA-A- 116 472 439 23 94 26 114 .285 .328 .506 .834 222
2011 22 Lowell NYPL A- 4 15 12 3 6 2 1 .333 .400 1.167 1.567 14
2011 22 Portland EL AA 96 397 371 18 80 21 95 .302 .345 .520 .865 193
2011 22 Pawtucket IL AAA 16 60 56 2 8 3 18 .161 .200 .268 .468 15
4 Seasons 392 1606 1457 43 242 121 431 .272 .330 .440 .770 641
A- (2 seasons) A- 63 241 221 4 27 14 74 .258 .304 .412 .716 91
A (1 season) A 103 427 374 7 57 48 123 .265 .349 .404 .753 151
AA (1 season) AA 96 397 371 18 80 21 95 .302 .345 .520 .865 193
AAA (1 season) AAA 16 60 56 2 8 3 18 .161 .200 .268 .468 15
A+ (1 season) A+ 114 481 435 12 70 35 121 .276 .331 .439 .770 191
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/25/2011.
Year Age Tm Lg Lev Aff G Ch PO A E DP Fld% RF/G
2008 19 Lowell NYPL A- BOS 3B 55 123 32 82 9 4 .927 2.07
2009 20 Greenville SALL A BOS 3B 91 211 53 144 14 11 .934 2.16
2010 21 Salem CARL A+ BOS 3B 106 345 73 253 19 29 .945 3.08
2011 22 2 Teams 2 Lgs AA-AAA BOS 3B 99 240 65 159 16 8 .933 2.26
2011 22 3 Teams 3 Lgs AA-A–AAA BOS DH 17 0.00
2011 22 Lowell NYPL A- BOS DH 4 0.00
2011 22 Portland EL AA BOS 3B 85 204 55 136 13 8 .936 2.25
2011 22 Portland EL AA BOS DH 11 0.00
2011 22 Pawtucket IL AAA BOS 3B 14 36 10 23 3 0 .917 2.36
2011 22 Pawtucket IL AAA BOS DH 2 0.00
4 Seasons 368 919 223 638 58 52 .937 2.34
3B (4 seasons) 3B 351 919 223 638 58 52 .937 2.45
DH (1 season) DH 17 0.00
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/25/2011.

He generates plus power and can go deep to all parts of any field due to a top-down stroke and plus bat speed.  Middlebrooks has posted very similar numbers in the AFL and will start 2012 in Triple-A with a chance to be in Boston by 2013 or even September of 2012, although where he will play in the field is impossible to predict.

He’s a terrific athlete at 6-foot-4 and 200-pounds, and has double-digit stolen base speed.  His arm is plenty for the left side or even in right field if the Red Sox decide that a move fits the club.  Will Middlebrooks is not a top-end prospect, and his lack of plate discipline will keep him from all-star status, but his combination of tools, including a solid glove and plus arm at third, should keep him a valuable asset in the Show for years.


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