Keury de la Cruz

jscola85

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Full Name: Keury de la Cruz
Born: 11/28/1991
Birthplace: La Romana, Dominican Republic
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 170
Bats: L
Throws: R

Not sure if an Adopt-a-Prospect thread has been made for Keury de la Cruz, but I think he warrants mentioning at this point as a prospect. At 19 in the GCL, de la Cruz has posted a .819 OPS, displaying plus power and speed with 8 doubles, 6 triples and 5 HRs so far. That OPS puts him 11th in the pitcher-friendly GCL, with about half of them at least a year older than de la Cruz. He's played most of his time in CF from what I can gather and with his 6 triples and 8/12 SBs, he seems to possess attractive speed too. The average in the .260's leaves something to desire but he has displayed patience in the DSL and to a lesser extent here in the US.

SoxProspects' scouting report on him: "Solid all around tools. Plays mostly center field. Very smooth left-handed swing and a good approach for his age." Perhaps the next Ronald Bermudez?

EDIT - Keury was also named the Red Sox Latin Program Player of the Year in 2009
 

amfox1

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That's setting the bar a bit low, don't you think? If KDLC is playing OF/DH at age 22 in the SAL, that will be a massive disappointment in light of what he's going at age 18 in the GCL.
Bermudez spent ages 19/20 and 20/21 in Lowell before hitting Greenville/Salem in his age 21/22 year.

KDLC is spending age 19 in GCL and likely will spend age 20 in Lowell. The hope, of course, is that KDLC will move quicker, especially given that he may stay in CF and there is a path to possibly move in behind Fuentes at some point. He's probably closer in description to Fuentes, who is approx. 2.5 months older than KDLC, than Bermudez, with less speed and more power.
 

Quintanariffic

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Bermudez spent ages 19/20 and 20/21 in Lowell before hitting Greenville/Salem in his age 21/22 year.

KDLC is spending age 19 in GCL and likely will spend age 20 in Lowell. The hope, of course, is that KDLC will move quicker, especially given that he may stay in CF and there is a path to possibly move in behind Fuentes at some point. He's probably closer in description to Fuentes, who is approx. 2.5 months older than KDLC, than Bermudez, with less speed and more power.
Per SoxProspects, KDLC was born on 11/25/1991, so he doesn't turn 19 for three more months. This also makes him 9 months younger than Fuentes, who was born on 2/12/1991. I am fairly confident that 2 years from now when he's playing in his age 20 season, KDLC will be able to put up better than the .201/.245/.313 line Bermudez produced in Lowell during his age 20 season.

As for the comparison to Fuentes from a comp perspective, to say that KDLC has "more power" is to say that the sun is slightly warmer than the South Pole. In his age 18 season in the GCL, Fuentes had a .079 IsoP as compared to the current .233 for KDLC.
 

jscola85

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Per SoxProspects, KDLC was born on 11/25/1991, so he doesn't turn 19 for three more months. This also makes him 9 months younger than Fuentes, who was born on 2/12/1991. I am fairly confident that 2 years from now when he's playing in his age 20 season, KDLC will be able to put up better than the .201/.245/.313 line Bermudez produced in Lowell during his age 20 season.

As for the comparison to Fuentes from a comp perspective, to say that KDLC has "more power" is to say that the sun is slightly warmer than the South Pole. In his age 18 season in the GCL, Fuentes had a .079 IsoP as compared to the current .233 for KDLC.
Okay, perhaps I was a bit conservative with the KDLC to Bermudez comparison. Just haven't had a whole lot of great DSL OF prospects make hay in recent years. Maybe Engel Beltre would be more appropriate but he was in GCL a year earlier and then was shipped out.
 

Quintanariffic

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Okay, perhaps I was a bit conservative with the KDLC to Bermudez comparison. Just haven't had a whole lot of great DSL OF prospects make hay in recent years. Maybe Engel Beltre would be more appropriate but he was in GCL a year earlier and then was shipped out.
That's for sure - not much of a track record. Though to be fair, what big Dominican OF prospects have come through the GCL in the last five years besides Beltre? Bermudez was already 18 months older than KDLC when he got to the States, automatically lowering his prospect status. Almanzaris really the last hot Latin power prospect to come through the DSL, but he's a 3B.
 

jscola85

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KDLC is enjoying the month of August - last 10 games he has a .342/.419/1.208 triple slash.

Interestingly, he has hit significantly better against lefties than righties (.955 OPS vs. .746 OPS). It's probably just a fluke, as he had a traditional split last year (.801 vs. righties, .661 vs. lefties).
 

Detts

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That's for sure - not much of a track record. Though to be fair, what big Dominican OF prospects have come through the GCL in the last five years besides Beltre? Bermudez was already 18 months older than KDLC when he got to the States, automatically lowering his prospect status. Almanzaris really the last hot Latin power prospect to come through the DSL, but he's a 3B.
The problem is Almanzar lost his power when he left the DSL. Fuentes has a higher OPS than Almanzar this year.
 

jsinger121

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The problem is Almanzar lost his power when he left the DSL. Fuentes has a higher OPS than Almanzar this year.
Almanzar skipped the DSL and went right to the GCL. He never has shown much power so far at any of his stops in the minors.
 

jscola85

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Keury de la Cruz and the GCL wrapped up their season last night. His final line:

.268/.326/.485 (.810 OPS), 17/48 BB/K, 9/15 SBs, 23 XBHs (6 HRs) in 211 PAs

SoxProspects is currently projecting Keury to join the Lowell Spinners next year, when he will be 19 years old.

I'll be interested to see if the reverse split he posted this year (.931 OPS vs. LHP, .718 vs. RHP) will continue in 2011. Overall, great season for Keury and certainly a guy warranting watching.
 

SoxScout

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As for De La Cruz, his production stands out, but seeing him in person raises a number of question marks about his all-around game. Without a doubt, he possesses at least an above average hit tool which one scout I spoke with projected it to peak at 65 on the 20/80 scale. For now, his best tool allows De La Cruz to achieve success in spite of fringe plate discipline and what may have been the most exaggerated upper cut swing seen this season.

With a bat head that doesn’t linger in the strike zone at all, De La Cruz has to have excellent hand-eye coordination to make consistent, barrel contact. What’s even more impressive is that his swing incorporates so much of his pull arm which is known for power, not bat control. I’ve never seen this style of hitting work for a prospect before De La Cruz. In most instances, my first reaction would be that the hitter needs a complete overhaul of his swing mechanics. In the case of De La Cruz, I’m not so sure.

Defensively, I have concerns with De La Cruz’ route running. He was a slightly below average left fielder in person. With his not being the prototypical left fielder in terms of power projection, defense may wind up being his Achilles heel as most atypical corner outfielders provide additional value with the glove to offset deficiencies in other areas. Of course route running may improve with reps and experience as 2012 was his first season playing left field, but his arm strength and glove are not good enough to project an above average-to-plus defensive outfielder regardless.
http://www.fangraphs...shiny-new-toys/
 

jscola85

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KDLC has come back down to earth a bit in A+, but still posting a decent line of .268/.325/.428, including 3 HRs in his last ten games.  Our overall OF depth in the minors leaves something to be desired, so hopefully either he or his teammate Henry Ramos can get on the legit prospect radar again.
 

jscola85

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It was tough to live up to the 2012 numbers that KDLC put up last year in A-/A+, but at 21 in Salem he looks like he could still turn into something useful after posting a line of:
 
575 PAs, .258/.297/.398 (.696 OPS), 51 XBHs, 16 SBs in 25 tries, 23% K%, 5% BB%
 
The lack of improvement in patience from last year and the tick up in K% are both red flags for Keury - he is going to have to display more patience as he faces pitchers who can command pitches in the strike zone.  After over 700 PAs in Salem, my guess is he gets moved to Portland next year to see if he can sink or swim, especially given the relative lack of OF prospect depth in the higher minors for the Sox.
 

jscola85

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KDLC missed a bunch of time this year but is making up for that lost time of late, posting a .307/.372/.525 triple slash in his last 28 games, including 5 HRs.  He is a bit of a forgotten guy in the system, but he's still only 22 years old and has hit a decent bit at pretty much every level he has played at.  Worst-case, looks like a solid starting option next year in Pawtucket for one of the corner OF spots next to Bradley and Brentz/Hassan.
 

jscola85

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KDLC sent to Portland again.  Guy is still only 23, so I hold out some hope for him.  He held his own in AA last year.  Hopefully as the AAA/MLB logjam sorts itself out, KDLC will continue to hit in Portland and get a chance sometime in the summer to join the PawSox.  His career MiLB line is still a solid.276/.325/.443, so perhaps sometime down the line he can fill out a 4th/5th OF role like Nava.  IMO a nice little upper organizational depth piece.
 

jscola85

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After a promising 2014 season where KDLC posted a .761 OPS, he has hit a complete wall this year, sporting an ugly .217/.267/.343 triple slash.  While only 23, KDLC is in his 7th minor league season, so the clock is almost at midnight for his future in the Sox system I would suspect.  Keury just never developed the plate discipline needed to succeed without light tower power or elite contact skills.