Follow the Prospects: Darren Baker, 2B

[welch]

From the Post:

It was the 10th round this July. Darren’s adviser had told him he may not be drafted until the next day, but Darren felt he’d waited long enough. Last summer, the draft was shortened to six rounds, leaving Darren to choose to sign as an undrafted player or go back to Cal.

But in Washington, General Manager Mike Rizzo told a room of scouts and front office staffers that if Darren wasn’t taken, he was their guy. No one questioned that. At 6 feet and 180 pounds, Darren is a left-handed contact hitter with speed, a strong glove and no power (yet). His numbers spiked this spring — 73 hits, a .402 on-base percentage, 28 steals — and to explain why, Darren nodded to Dusty’s lesson of swinging at more in-zone fastballs. Dusty felt it was fitting, too, that the Nationals gave Darren a chance.

“What I like is that they’re not just straight sabermetrics,” Dusty Baker said. “ … They’re a combination of old school and new school and I think that’s a perfect place to realize his talents. Everybody else is saying he’s not strong, he’s not hitting the ball out of the ballpark. He will. And if he doesn’t, he’s still a leadoff man-type at this point in time, a speed guy."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/08/26/darren-dusty-baker-nationals/

[welch]

Scroll down and find a play Darren Baker made from 2B yesterday: runs into RF and to his right, slides to catch a pop fly going away from the infield. Pops up to double up the base runner.

https://twitter.com/FXBGNats

[zimm_da_kid]

Gotta root for Darren

[Smithian]

I like Darren Baker.

I also don’t think we should have fired Dusty, but a championship makes the point moot.

[welch]

Darren B. still hitting. As of today:

https://www.milb.com/player/darren-baker-671117

[imref]

ends the season hitting .318 at Low-A.

[imref]

Nice start at High-A Wilmington - .306   .356   .753, 1HR, 3SBs in 121 ABs.

[Natsinpwc]

Nice start at High-A Wilmington - .306   .356   .753, 1HR, 3SBs in 121 ABs.

no way he has 121 at bats so far this year. Are those his career stats?

[imref]

no way he has 121 at bats so far this year. Are those his career stats?

You are correct.  Less impressive: .250   .318   .375 this season

[blue911]

You are correct.  Less impressive: .250   .318   .375 this season

Darren Baker is a year older than Luis Garcia. He isn’t a prospect

[imref]

5-8, two doubles in yesterday's doubleheader. Now up to .283 / .338 /.771

[Smithian]

Darren Baker is a year older than Luis Garcia. He isn’t a prospect

But Luis Garcia is... 21?

I don't think Darren Baker is more than a bench prospect down the line. But he still has time. He is only 23, so he isn't too old for Wilmington. If he has a good season, they should happily advance him in the system.

[imref]

But Luis Garcia is... 21?

I don't think Darren Baker is more than a bench prospect down the line. But he still has time. He is only 23, so he isn't too old for Wilmington. If he has a good season, they should happily advance him in the system.

he hit at low-A, he's hitting at high-A, he's a prospect.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He will be in the Futures Game along with Darren Baker.

Darren Baker has a future?

[Natsinpwc]

Darren Baker has a future?

Probably ESPN and MLB thought it would be a good story. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

FWIW, he's stolen 10 bases, been caught twice, with 63 singles and walks.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=baker-004dar

.669 OPS in Wilmington.  Slightly older than league average (0.4 years).  Not much of a glove, either (.971 fielding % at 2nd over 241 chances).

Yes, it's a name and story appearance, not on merits. 

[Elvir Ovcina]

Probably ESPN and MLB thought it would be a good story.

They'll show that clip of JT Snow hoisting him away from home plate about 740 times, complete with interviews of Darren, Dusty, and JT Snow (assuming the latter can be located).

[Natsinpwc]

They'll show that clip of JT Snow hoisting him away from home plate about 740 times, complete with interviews of Darren, Dusty, and JT Snow (assuming the latter can be located).

Wasn’t that parental neglect? Should Dusty have lost custody?

[Section214]

Promoted to AA. I know we haven't really considered him a major prospect, but he is moving fast and getting on base.

[welch]

After nine games, Baker is hitting .294, far above any other middle infielder.

[wj73]

Saw him Wednesday at Harrisburg. He looked good, getting a hit and showing some speed on the bases.


I’d written him off originally as one of those courtesy draft picks teams do for player/coach relatives, but was pleasantly surprised to see that he looked like he belonged at the AA level. I may have underrated him.

[welch]

Baker was 2-for-3 last night as I got tired of watching AA-ball.

[Smithian]

If he finished with an OPS north of .700, I think he is certainly a low Top 30 prospect for the Nationals. Nationals infield options behind Garcia and Abrams is rough with Barley and Cluff not taking off.

[Section214]

Still hitting, now in AA. .272/.337/.364 with a .652 OPS. Not a lot of pop in his bat, but he seems to fill up the Harrisburg box score every night from the top of the lineup.

He was hitting .273 in A+ and now .272 in AA, he has 12 SO and 9 BB in his 23 AA games. Send him to the AFL and there is an outside chance he factors in at 2B next spring/summer.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Still hitting, now in AA. .272/.337/.364 with a .652 OPS. Not a lot of pop in his bat, but he seems to fill up the Harrisburg box score every night from the top of the lineup.

He was hitting .273 in A+ and now .272 in AA, he has 12 SO and 9 BB in his 23 AA games. Send him to the AFL and there is an outside chance he factors in at 2B next spring/summer.

Not awful, and at 23 in AA that's getting to very fringe prospect status.  Interesting that he's hit a couple balls out this year.  Still not a prospect, but getting closer.