Tampa Bay Ray’s prospect Desmond Jennings is no stranger to having the spotlight on him. Jennings is the caliber of player that every opposing manager, every fan, and even every opposing player makes sure to keep an eye on at all times. There are about five to ten players per draft class with the amount of potential Jennings possesses. There are very few per draft class that actually live up to that potential. Jennings is a prospect that doesn’t get much of a challenge playing minor leaguers, he needs to showcase his skills under the big lights.
As a 19 year-old in Rookie ball, Jennings wasn’t “stand-out” by any means. His .354 OBP was nice, but his power game…what power game? Jennings must have hit the weight room in the offseason because Jennings increased his SLG 76 points in 2007. Jennings triple slash line of .315/.400/.466 while at Single-A Columbus certainly attracted plenty of attention. Tampa Bay would be perfectly satisfied with that line alone, but Jennings also decided to add 45 steals just for good measure.
Jennings’ pit stop in Advanced-A Vero Beach was no fun at all. A pair of injuries (back injury and shoulder surgery) held Jennings to a measley 85 ABs in the 2008 season. Fear not, Jennings returned stronger than ever in 2009. Starting the season in Double-A Montgomery, Jennings posted a killer .316/.395/.486 Triple-Slash line through 100 games before being promoted to Triple-A. It’s safe to say that Jennings is major league ready, and now it’s just a waiting game.
What can we expect from Jennings in the future?
A call-up in September is likely. Then, Jennings will compete for an opening day spot next year in Spring Training. I wouldn’t expect full-time playing time in 2009, but I do expect the Rays to see how he fares against major league pitching. If all goes well, then we could finally see Carl Crawford traded. After all, Jennings profiles as a very similar player to Crawford, with slightly better plate discipline, and a whole lot cheaper on the wallet.
The biggest concern in my mind is Jennings speed. Not many players with Jennings caliber of speed ever develop power in the majors. If Jennings prefers power over speed then he could certainly develop into a Hanley-esque 30 HR / 50 SB threat. However, I think the more likely ceiling is 2006 Jose Reyes (19 HR / 64 SB). The fans in Tampa should temper expectations for Desmond in 2010, but 2011 should be breakout central for Desmond Jennings. A D.J./B.J. outfield combo will be one of the most exciting outfields for years to come.
Comparable Players: Jose Reyes, Carlos Gomez, Carl Crawford
2010 Fantasy Projection:
.278 - 61 R - 9 HR - 41 RBI - 30 SB
2011 Fantasy Projection:
.290 - 80 R - 15 HR - 60 RBI - 40 SB
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