Future Padre - Andy Marte (?) Kevin Kouzmanoff (?)

Two AL teams, the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Indians are potential trading partners in the Padres’ search for a third baseman. Here is the profile for the Indians’ two…

Andy Marte - The Atlanta Braves signed Andy Marte out of the Dominican Republic. He quickly established himself one of the top prospects in their system and after several solid seasons he was even considered a top-5 prospect in all of baseball according to one prospect ranking.

Minor League statistics:

2001 (Rookie): 37 games .200/.306/.272 - 17 years old
2002 (Low-A): 126 games .281/.339/.492 – 32 2B & 21 HR as 18 yr. old
2003 (High-A): 130 games .285/.372/.469 – 52 XBH in extreme pitchers’ park
2004 (AA): 107 games .269/.364/.525 – 28 2B & 23 HR at 20 yrs. old
2005 (AAA): 109 games .275/.372/.506 – 64 BB / 83 SO
2006 (AAA): 96 games .261/.322/.451 – regressed after two off-season trades

Career Minor League stats:

.272/.353/.479 154 2B, 8 3B, 97 HR, 286 BB, 539 SO

MLB statistics:

2005 (Atlanta): 24 games .140/.227/.211 – Rough intro to MLB
2006 (Cleveland): 50 games .226/..287/.421 – 21 of 37 hits were extra-bases

In looking through the 2002 Baseball America Prospect Handbook (after the 2001 season), Andy Marte jumped out at me. He hadn’t hit before, but something in his profile caught my attention. I watched my “find” put it together and seemingly make daily appearances on what was then, Kevin Goldstein’s Prospect Report (now “Baseball America Prospect Report”). Andy then would routinely struggle with each promotion for a month-to-a-half-season before coming on with solid numbers.

His 2005 MLB struggles and his poor 2006 batting average are more functions of those initial struggles, in my opinion, than they are clear indications of what he’ll do long-term. Furthermore, with his low batting average and the presence of Kevin Kouzmanoff, Marte’s value is at an all-time low. Marte, to me, is a poor man’s Scott Rolen.

Kevin Kouzmanoff – Kouzmanoff is everything Marte isn’t… He’s never been a top prospect. He is not a highly regarded defensive prospect. He’s a colligate draftee as opposed to an international signee. And maybe most visably, while Marte struggled to adjust to Major League pitching, Kouzmanoff hit a grand slam on the first pitch he saw in the bigs.

While Marte actually had superior MLB numbers, Kouzmanoff hit better in the minors:

2003 (SS): 54 games .272/.342/.437 – Just signed as 6th round draftee
2004 (Low-A): 123 games .330/.394/.526 – 35 2B, 5 3B, and 16 HR
2005 (High-A): 68 games .339/.401/.591 – 24 years old, but mashing
2006 (AA): 67 games .389/.449/.660 – 15 HR in 244 at-bats
2006 (AAA): 27 games .353/.409/.647 – 7 more HR in 102 at-bats

Marte is clearly the better fielder (reports have him playing an above-average third base), but Kouzmanoff may be the better hitter. Kouzmanoff is 25 years old where Marte will turn 23 this November. Marte is still growing and developing, Kouzmanoff is what he is (which is a darn good man to have at the plate with a bat in his hands).

Cleveland is a unique team for the Padres to match up with. Last year, they offered Trevor Hoffman more money than San Diego did. That Hoffman rebuffed their efforts left Cleveland without a “true” closer. Scott Linebrink has long been coveted by many teams for his perceived ability to become a closer – I think he can do it as well – Linebrink could likely wind up with a new team in 2006 in the Padres’ efforts to solve the hot corner.

While both Marte and Kouzmanoff would be solid additions to the 2007 Padres, Marte’s youth and superior defensive ability make him the more desirable of Cleveland’s two young third basemen.