Derrik Gibson: The Resurrection

[mabrowndog]

His original thread is here, archived in mothballs for all eternity. The last post there came on the 3-year anniversary of the release of the very first iPhone.
 
Unfortunately, after that 2010 post, Derrik finished the year for Greenville on a .218/.331/.287/.618 slump over his final 259 PA in 56 games. He followed that up with a .240/.321/.306/.627 season for Salem in 2011, and back-to-back disappointments for Portland in 2012 (.225/.304/.272/.576) and 2013 (.250/.348/.342/.690).
 
New Year, New Gibson. He's spent the bulk of 2014 repeating at AA, this time with the strange scent of success (.302/.390/.395/.785 in 340 PA). The season was highlighted by his selection to the Eastern League All-Star Team, and he clubbed a homer in the AA All-Star Game. Also, Derrik finally got his first taste of AAA with a 2-game stint in mid-July, enjoying a 3-hit, 2-RBI performance in the latter contest. At the start of August he returned to Pawtucket, where he remains (.276/.281/.586/.867 in 32 PA over 8 games).
 
This past weekend, Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press-Herald celebrated Gibson's resurgence:
 

“It takes some guys longer to figure out who they are about, being able to be the best them,” said Rich Gedman, the Sea Dogs’ hitting coach and former Red Sox catcher. “Everybody can see (Gibson’s) tools. He can run. He can throw. He can field. He can hit. And he’s been diligent.”
 
Gibson can become a free agent this winter so the Red Sox need to figure out if they want to keep him around. Of course there was an expectation that Gibson would have reached higher than Triple-A by now. But that’s the unfairness of expectations, especially for players coming directly from high school.

In Gibson’s early years in Portland, then-manager Kevin Boles often said, “Our job is to make sure Derrik Gibson knows how good he is.”
 
Gibson remembers. “He was saying that I could be more positive, look at what I could bring to the game. … I try to be humble and sometimes I bring myself down too far.”
 
When he relaxed and stopped trying to do too much – like pulling the ball with power instead of just hitting it up the middle – Gibson began to see results.
 
“I always felt like it was right there. I just needed to be consistent,” he said. “All the time going to the (batting) cage and working, I was thinking it was going to click.”
 
That consistency came with being positive. He could enjoy a 4-for-4 performance for what it was, and also move on from the 0-for-4 nights.
 
“He’s gone through trials where he fought his way through,” Gedman said. “He dipped a little bit and he could have gotten away from (his approach) and started to change, but he didn’t.”

Interestingly, Gibson has emerged offensively while switching positions on defense, moving from the infield to center field. With his athleticism, he has made some outstanding plays.
 
Gibson said he hopes to re-sign with the Red Sox. He’s comfortable with the organization. And the Red Sox have seen him grow, finally turning those raw tools into production.
 
“Expectations are one of the challenges of the game,” Gedman said. “But you have to keep it simple. Some things are finally making sense to him. In the past five years he’s been finding out who Derrik Gibson really is.”

 
So how excited should we be over Gibson? Is he really finally demonstrating the promise of that $600,000 signing bonus the Sox paid him fresh out of high school?
 
He started the year with the same old same old (.257/.336/.274/.611 in 127 PA through May). But once the calendar flipped to June, he emerged from the phone booth donning a red cape and a huge "S" on his chest (.385/.478/.564/1.042 in his next 139 PA through July 7) with multiple hits in 16 of 31 games. However from July 8 through month's end, his AA numbers returned to familiar levels (.231/.351/.292/.607).
 
So while his performance at AAA appears decent enough solid in a limited sample (owing largely to a triple & a pair of solo HR driving his SLG), it's really been a 5-week hot stretch with the Sea Dogs that's made his season. He's also yet to display any sustained power (.086 ISO at AA this season).
 
Still, he's become an immensely versatile player, with the proven ability to cover nearly as many positions on the diamond as Brock Holt (the only non-battery spot that Gibson hasn't played yet is first base, but I have no doubt he could handle it if asked).
 
He's already going to be an attractive minor league free agent for many teams should he choose to hit the market this winter. But if he finishes August strong at the plate for the PawSox, he could find himself on the short list of candidates getting serious consideration for the 7 or so prospect vacancies on the Red Sox 40-man roster.

 

[jscola85]

Is a .690 OPS in AA last year really THAT bad for a speed/defense guy like Gibson?  I've never seen him as more than a fringe-y utility guy and if he could post something like a .675-.700 OPS eventually in the majors with positional versatility, he'll be worth something to another major league club.

 

[mabrowndog]

Is a .690 OPS in AA last year really THAT bad for a speed/defense guy like Gibson?  I've never seen him as more than a fringe-y utility guy and if he could post something like a .675-.700 OPS eventually in the majors with positional versatility, he'll be worth something to another major league club.

 
In a vacuum, for a younger and more inexperienced ballplayer? No.
 
For a 23-year-old former 2nd-rounder repeating at AA in his 6th season as a professional? Yes, that would be considered disappointing in numerous analytical and observational circles. Especially absent a higher OBP component.
 
The good news is that since the opening post, he's gone 7-for-23 with 2 BB & 1 HBP for a .304/.385/.348/.732 line. His overall production at AAA is now .288/.328/.481/.808 in 58 PA.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Is he also a likely candidate for the rule 5 draft (if he is not protected by either the Red Sox or whatever team signs him as a minor league FA?

 

[mabrowndog]

Every GM has seen what's happened with Brock Holt this year and I'm sure many will be looking for similarly-skilled players to utilize their 40-man rosters more efficiently. Gibson fits the profile, and because of his flexibility he'd be easier to keep on a 25-man roster all season. And once he's retained long enough to remove any Rule 5 restrictions, he'd have all three of his minor league options remaining for future use. So if he's under contract somewhere on draft day, but not on that team's 40-man, I'll be really surprised if he's not selected.
 
However, I think there's only a slim chance he'll actually be available for the Rule 5. Either he'll sign with a team and be added to their 40-man before the November 20 reserve roster submission deadline, or he'll remain unsigned until after the draft takes place on December 11. The only team I can see signing him and then rolling the dice by not placing him on the 40-man is the Red Sox, and that's only because they're already facing some tough choices on which players to protect.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

According to this article - http://www.delawareonline.com/story/sports/baseball/2014/08/28/boosted-bat-speeds-derrik-gibsons-climb-boston/14744855/ - Gibson credits his increased production to adjustments to his swing and stance suggested by Tim Hyers, the minor league hitting coordinator.

Before the 2013 season, the Red Sox announced the promotion of scout Tim Hyers to minor-league hitting coordinator. Gibson credits Hyers for various technical improvements that have enhanced his stance and strengthened his swing.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Gibson had three homers in his first five minor leagues seasons. In the last two, he's hit 10.

His .402 slugging percentage entering Wednesday's game at the two levels is the highest of his career, and Gibson's .776 OPS was his best since his first summer in rookie ball in 2008.

"I feel like I've been more consistent coming to the ballpark every day at the plate," said Gibson of habits he's developed.

 

[jscola85]

If we didn't already have a jack-of-all trades utility guy in BROCKHOLT!, I'd feel pretty good about Gibson having a shot to fill that 25th man roster spot with the Sox either in 2015 or 2016.  Unfortunately, I don't see BROCKHOLT! going anywhere, but Gibson should be a nice little sweetener option if we are seeking a trade to acquire pitching or more power hitting.