This one’s going to be a bit different.
- Born: September 11, 2002
- B/T: B/R
- 6’3″, 165-lbs
- Signed by the Oakland A’s in 2019 out of the Dominican Republic
The Numbers
Numbers? What numbers? Puason has no numbers to analyze yet. When it comes to numbers for Puason:
So what do we have that made almost all the scouts jump all over Robert Puason? And full disclosure, I picked him up for my dynasty league too. What do we see?
The 6-foot-3, 165-pound switch hitter has the potential to become a five-tool player. MLB Pipeline rates Puason as a plus runner and hitter, with an above-average arm and fielding ability.
He has a smooth stroke from both sides of the plate with the ability to barrel up the baseball consistently and spray line drives to all fields. As he matures and grows into his 6-foot-3 frame, there’s sure to be power to come. How much remains to be seen, but a floor of 15 homers annually seems more than reasonable given his long levers and some leverage to his swing.
A plus runner, there’s no question about Puason’s ability to play shortstop. He can really pick it and throw it, with fluid actions, good footwork and plus range to go along with a very strong arm. He’s already displaying solid instincts as well and will get to show off his tools in earnest this summer.
FYI, other guys in that 87 range are Jesus Sanchez, Francisco Alvarez, and Austin Hays.
The Scouts
- Rotowire: #135 on their Top 400.
- BaseballHQ: #92 on their Top 100.
- Fangraphs: Not on their Top 120.
- Fantasy Six Pack: #206 on their dynasty list.
- Prospects365: #81 on Ray Butler’s Top 200.
- Imaginary Brick Wall: #80 on the Top 487.
- Fantrax: #55 on the Top 250.
Warnings
Uh, no numbers, dude.
We simply haven’t seen him challenged in the States, let alone higher levels. No matter how good you look to scouts, until you do it on the field, you haven’t done it.
He’s 17, for crying out loud!
Conclusion
Might as well hand this one over to Ray Butler, and if this doesn’t make you want to draft Puason, you are too timid for me:
If you’re bullish and want to push the envelope, this profile could be everything you ever ask for from a fantasy standpoint. Puason is a quick-twitch, switch-hitting shortstop with plus speed and potential for plus raw power. It’s early, but there appears to be enough athleticism to stick at shortstop. The frame is ripe for projection, and Puason will likely be a physical specimen by the time he turns 20.
…
Puason’s archetype often leads to a slow climb up the developmental totem pole, but the teenager’s raw tools could lead to massive returns for those who invest early.