Carlos Pena
Oakland Athletics
Position: 1B Height: 6-2 Weight: 210 Born: 5/17/78 Bats: Left Throws: Left
| Year |
Team |
Level |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
K |
SB |
CS |
BA |
OBP |
SLG |
| 1999 |
Charlotte |
A |
136 |
501 |
85 |
128 |
31 |
8 |
18 |
103 |
74 |
135 |
2 |
5 |
.256 |
.365 |
.457 |
| 2000 |
Tulsa |
AA |
138 |
529 |
117 |
158 |
36 |
2 |
28 |
105 |
101 |
108 |
12 |
0 |
.299 |
.414 |
.533 |
| 2001 |
Oklahoma |
AAA |
119 |
431 |
71 |
124 |
38 |
3 |
23 |
74 |
80 |
127 |
11 |
3 |
.288 |
.408 |
.550 |
| 2001 |
Texas |
AL |
22 |
62 |
6 |
16 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
12 |
10 |
17 |
0 |
0 |
.258 |
.361 |
.500 |
Background
Pena was the 10th-overall pick in the 1998 draft, selected in the first round by the Rangers out of Northeastern University. He was born in the Dominican Republic, but moved to the United States with his family in the early 1990s. Pena hit .325 for Class A Savannah after signing in '98, then put up the numbers you see above in '99 and '00. His Double-A season at Tulsa was especially impressive. Pena got off to a slow start in '01, hampered by injuries, but heated up as the season progressed and finished with fine numbers once again. He was traded to Oakland in January in an exchange of prospects, and will replace Jason Giambi at first base for the Athletics.
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The Rookies
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Throughout spring training, John Sickels will provide in-depth reports on 10 of the hottest rookies to watch. Here's the complete schedule:
Feb. 26: Josh Beckett, Marlins
March 2: Carlos Pena, A's
March 5: Nick Johnson, Yankees
March 8: Sean Burroughs, Padres
March 12: Juan Cruz, Cubs
March 15: Mike Cuddyer, Twins
March 19: Morgan Ensberg, Astros
March 22: Kurt Ainsworth, Giants
March 26: Hank Blalock, Rangers
March 29: Jon Rauch, White Sox
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Scouting report
Pena has a smooth swing with a slight lift. He shows plus power to all fields, capable of pulling pitches or going the opposite way, as needed. His strike zone judgment is excellent; he draws lots of walks, and while he does strike out quite a bit, it is not expected to become a problem. He does have some trouble with breaking stuff from southpaws, but that is to be expected given his age. He should overcome that in time. Pena runs well for a big guy, and is a fine defensive first baseman. He will make errors, but has much more range than the average first-sacker, and could be a Gold Glove candidate eventually. Scouts praise his work ethic, intelligence, and steadiness under pressure, qualities that will help him deal with the pressure of replacing Giambi.
Performance
Pena's numbers for the last two years have been excellent. He's posted OPS marks well above league average in both Double-A and Triple-A, slugging over .500 at both stops, with very high on-base percentages. He has yet to breach the .300 barrier in a full season, but you can't beat the .400+ OBP, which is more important than the batting average. His high doubles totals indicate that his home run power should develop beyond where it already is. Pena's statistical profile indicates that he is ready for major league action now, an assessment with which scouts agree.
Health record
Pena has had no serious injuries. He was bothered throughout the first half last year by a sore ribcage and a tender hamstring, which contributed to his weak first half production. But the injuries healed without long-term problems.
What to expect
Pena will be one of the main candidates for American League Rookie of the Year. His job in Oakland is guaranteed, and he seems well-suited to standing up to the pressure of replacing a superstar, at least as well as any rookie can be suited to such a task. He seems unlikely to hit for a tremendous batting average at this point, but his power production and on-base abilities should shine. Carlos hit .258/.361/.500 in his brief tenure with the Rangers last September, and should put up similar numbers in full-time play this year. Given his age and athletic ability, he'll grow beyond that as he enters his prime seasons.
John Sickels is the author of the 2002 STATS Minor League Scouting Notebook. He is currently writing a biography of Bob Feller. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas, with his wife, son, and two cats. You can send John questions or comments at JASickels@aol.com, or you can visit his homepage at hometown.aol.com/jasickels/page1.html.
