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chezboots · 10-19-2009, 12:29 PM

Know anything about this guy from your native land that the Twins just signed, is he a huge prospect?

Max Kepler-Rozycki

The big signing of the summer out of Europe was the Twins' surprise move to grab German outfielder Max Kepler-Rozycki for $775,000. He is one of the best position-player prospects we have seen from that continent -- a freakishly talented athlete who, in addition to excelling at baseball, played at Steffi Graf's tennis academy on a scholarship from ages 7 to 10, and has passed up opportunities to play soccer professionally in Germany so that he could pursue his baseball career. Right now, Kepler is a four-tool player who can run, throw, field and hit for power. But the biggest hole in his game now is his hit tool because of his swing. He has strong hands and good bat speed, but his back side collapses greatly and he ends up with a forced uppercut swing that will make him very vulnerable to American pitchers who can change speeds on him and show him better breaking stuff than he has seen before. Kepler is just 16 years old and is young enough to change his swing mechanics with improved instruction, and he projects better than many U.S. high school prospects who have similar or better tools but are already two to three years older, like first-rounders Anthony Hewitt and Wendell Fairley.

10-19-2009, 12:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
chezboots Minors (Double A) Join Date: May 2005 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 168 Thanks: 49 Thanked 20x in 11 posts	Hey Marcus, know anything about? Know anything about this guy from your native land that the Twins just signed, is he a huge prospect? Max Kepler-Rozycki The big signing of the summer out of Europe was the Twins' surprise move to grab German outfielder Max Kepler-Rozycki for $775,000. He is one of the best position-player prospects we have seen from that continent -- a freakishly talented athlete who, in addition to excelling at baseball, played at Steffi Graf's tennis academy on a scholarship from ages 7 to 10, and has passed up opportunities to play soccer professionally in Germany so that he could pursue his baseball career. Right now, Kepler is a four-tool player who can run, throw, field and hit for power. But the biggest hole in his game now is his hit tool because of his swing. He has strong hands and good bat speed, but his back side collapses greatly and he ends up with a forced uppercut swing that will make him very vulnerable to American pitchers who can change speeds on him and show him better breaking stuff than he has seen before. Kepler is just 16 years old and is young enough to change his swing mechanics with improved instruction, and he projects better than many U.S. high school prospects who have similar or better tools but are already two to three years older, like first-rounders Anthony Hewitt and Wendell Fairley.