The San Diego Padres called up outfield prospect Reymond Fuentes from triple-A Tucson today, according to baseball sources. I discussed the possibility of Fuentes’ being promoted a few days ago. Here’s a little more about Reymond Fuentes:
Reymond Fuentes is an extremely gifted athletic center fielder. He is slight in build but very strong. A very good contact hitter, Fuentes should excel utilizing his speed on the base paths and as a gap-to-gap hitter. He has some pull pop some scouts believe could eventually translate into double-digit home runs. However, his game is better suited using the whole field, making hard contact, utilizing his plus speed around the bases and beating out would-be infield hits.
Reymond Fuentes has a polished bat, but he has some inconstancies in his game, such as adjusting to left-handed pitching. He’s still working on plate discipline and can expand the zone at times. He has game-changing speed, fantastic range, a solid glove in the outfield and is capable of making the hard plays look routine. He has a great first step and routs to the baseball, so the gold-glove potential is there. He has very solid baseball instincts.
I’ve heard some scouts talk about an occasional lapse in concentration, and he has a fringe arm but good enough to remain in center field. Some scouts have compared him to Jacoby Ellsbury in the past. While he possesses solid tools and has improved mightily at the plate, Reymond Fuentes is a fourth outfielder until he can prove his ability to hit and be consistent moving forward. He has major-league, lead-off hitting potential, and if Cameron Maybin’s injuries and performance do not improve, Fuentes could be his successor down the line.
Reymond Fuentes, still only 22, has a triple slash line of .330/.413/.448 25 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 43 RBI and 35 SB this year between double- and triple-A this year.