Vladimir Guerrero

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #1 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr. was one of the most dynamic players in baseball history, with a dazzling combination of power, speed, arm strength and ability to hit any pitch. Vlad Jr., who signed with the Blue Jays for $3.9 million at age 16 in 2015, doesn't have his dad's athleticism, but he has the hand-eye coordination, bat speed, power and strike-zone discipline to rival any hitter who has come along in years. Guerrero began 2018 by hitting a walk-off home run against the Cardinals in an exhibition game at Montreal's Olympic Stadium, where his father began his major league career. He proceeded to lead the minors with a 1.073 OPS facing Double-A and Triple-A pitchers, becoming the Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year.
  
  Scouting Report: Even as a 19-year-old, Guerrero looked like he belonged in the middle of a major league lineup He is a potential superstar in the mold of Manny Ramirez, and it's not out of the question that Guerrero could develop into an 80 hitter with 80 power. He has a preternatural ability to make hard contact and barrel any type of pitch in any area of the strike zone. He has a simple, powerful swing, unleashing fierce bat speed with a compact, efficient path to the ball. He rarely swings and misses and hammers the ball to all parts of the park. He also has phenomenal strike-zone discipline and rarely chases borderline pitches. As an amateur in the Dominican Republic, Guerrero was a heavyset outfielder with below-average speed and arm strength. After signing, he moved to third base, where his arm strength has improved to plus, giving him a chance to stick there--at least early in his career. Guerrero worked diligently to improve his defense in 2018, but he remains a large, stocky player with a lack of first-step quickness that limits his range. At some point, he might have to move to first base or even DH. Wherever he plays, his offensive production will make him an elite player.
  
  The Future: Guerrero will be the favorite to win American League Rookie of the Year in 2019, and he might immediately rank among the top overall hitters in baseball. Vladimir Sr. won the AL MVP award in 2004, and Junior has the talent to be in plenty of MVP conversations over the next decade.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #1 prospect in 2018
  Vladimir Guerrero hit 449 home runs for his career, which included an American League MVP award in 2004. Vladdy Jr. followed his father around to big league ballparks but grew up in the Dominican Republic and trained with his uncle Wilton, also a former big leaguer. His bat stood out at an early age and he was the No. 1 international prospect when the Blue Jays signed him for $3.9 million in 2015. After dominating the Rookie-level Appalachian League in his pro debut in 2016, Guerrero was just 18 but looked like a man among boys by clobbering two Class A leagues in 2017. At an age when his peers in the U.S. were graduating from high school, Guerrero nearly led the minors in on-base percentage. Guerrero is a prodigious offensive talent, with the combination of hitting ability, plate discipline and power in the mold of Manny Ramirez. Guerrero has high-end bat speed and outstanding bat control. With hitting mannerisms reminiscent of his father, Guerrero has a compact but aggressive swing. With his hand-eye coordination, he has excellent plate coverage, barreling premium velocity while also possessing the pitch recognition skills to square up all types offspeed pitches, too. He has plus raw power now, with 30-homer years likely in his future and a chance for 40. He drew more walks (76) than strikeouts (62) in 2017 and has the potential to contend for batting titles. A gifted offensive player, Guerrero did not inherit his father's speed or athleticism. He trained as an outfielder when he was an amateur and figured to be a left fielder at best, but after the Blue Jays signed him they put him at third base. He has surprised scouts with his play there, improving his arm strength to above-average and showing the hands to be a playable defender. However, Guerrero is already so big and stocky as a teenager that it's going to be a challenge for him to maintain his weight. Even if he moves to first base or possibly left field, his bat is good enough to be a premium player there too. Guerrero has the upside to be one of the most best players in baseball. He likely will start 2018 at Double-A New Hampshire, and while the Blue Jays are conservative with promotions, Guerrero is in position to possibly make his major league debut by the end of the season as a 19-year-old.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #1 prospect in 2017
  Vladimir Guerrero signed with the Expos in March 1993, reached the majors in 1996 and became American League MVP with the Angels in 2004, one of his nine all-star seasons. In spring training before his first all-star campaign, in 1999, his son Vladimir Jr. was born in Montreal. He grew into a hitting prospect with some of his father's mannerisms (such as a lack of batting gloves), a strong facial resemblance and plenty more fanfare. The father signed for a $2,100 bonus, while Vladimir Jr. signed for $3.9 million. In fact, the Blue Jays traded minor leaguers Tim Locastro and Chase De Jong to the Dodgers for three international bonus slots, raising their international pool high enough just to sign the junior Guerrero. The Blue Jays first saw Guerrero take swings in their Dominican complex when he was 14 years old, after he'd already been training with his uncle Wilton, also a former major leaguer. He shifted from outfield to third base in instructional league after signing, went through his first spring training in 2016 and had a strong pro debut in the Rookie-level Appalachian League, finishing third in total bases while being the league's youngest player. Guerrero does just about everything evaluators want to see in a teenage hitter. He has tremendous hand-eye coordination and bat-to-ball skills, to the point he seems to have been born to hit. His special hands allow him to manipulate the barrel and square up pitches of all types. He has excellent strike-zone judgment for a 17-year-old, walking nearly as often as he struck out and showing an ability to lay off breaking balls that will be further tested at higher levels. He has tremendous raw power and showed the ability to drive the ball to all fields at an advanced rate for his age. Guerrero covers the plate well and should be an above-average hitter with 30-plus homer potential down the line. Some club officials have compared his overall offensive profile to that of Edwin Encarnacion, though with more speed, as he's actually an average runner. Like Encarnacion, Guerrero has a chance to be a third baseman early in his career. Defense was rarely a focus of his as an amateur, and moving to third base from outfield has prompted Guerrero to work harder on all aspects of that side of the ball. He has improved his short-area quickness and arm strength the most. If he keeps working on his defense, he should have average range. Once owner of a below-average arm, he now flirts with a plus tool. His footwork has improved as well, and he made the routine play with some reliability in his debut. Guerrero has gotten his stocky body in better shape since signing, but it will always be a concern and is his biggest weakness as a prospect. The Blue Jays' high-performance team, which focuses on mental and physical training, will continue to work with Guerrero to maintain his looseness while improving his body fitness. His potential may not match his father's, but he won't shame his dad's name as a ballplayer. He figures to reach low Class A Lansing in 2017, and he could make it hard for the Jays to keep him from getting to the big leagues by the time he's 20.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #3 prospect in 2016
  The Blue Jays had Guerrero Jr., the son of the 2004 American League MVP, in their Dominican complex for the first time when he was 14, seeing a pudgy, immature body and precocious power. Trained by his uncle Wilton (also an ex-big leaguer) and showing some of his father's tools if not his athleticism, the junior Guerrero became the top prospect in the 2015 international class. The Blue Jays traded prospects Chase DeJong and Tim Locastro to pick up extra bonus pool room and signed Guerrero for $3.9 million, the second-largest bonus in franchise history. Where his father was wiry and an untamed athlete with premium power, Guerrero is thick-bodied, with a corner profile. He stands out for his bat control, bat speed, hand strength and hand-eye coordination that could make him a bad-ball hitter and power plan like his father, who hit 449 home runs in the majors. Ostensibly a left fielder when he signed, the Jays tried him at third base in instructional league after asking Guerrero what his favorite position was. His arm strength, fringy in the outfield, improved to average with the shorter arm stroke. He may outgrow third, but the club will send him out at that position in 2016, believing his hands are suited for the spot even if his range is short. One club official compared Guerrero's overall package to a bigger version of 1989 National League MVP Kevin Mitchell, who played infield early in his career but was ultimately a bat-first left fielder. Guerrero fits a similar profile and may wind up at first base or DH. The Jays will be OK with that if his power pans out as they hope. He should start 2016 in Rookie ball, either in the Gulf Coast or Appalachian leagues.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #1 prospect in 2018
  For the third straight year, a 19-year-old position player from Latin America ranks as the top prospect in the Arizona Fall League, with Guerrero Jr. following in the footsteps of Gleyber Torres (Yankees, 2016) and Ronald Acuna Jr. (Braves, 2017). There’s not much left to say about Baseball America’s No. 1 overall prospect that hasn’t already been said multiple times, as he earns a 80-grade on his ability to hit and a 70-grade on his future power. Guerrero kept his batting average near the .500 mark for the first half of the six-week AFL season before tiring over the final three weeks. In the end, he still put up an impressive .351/.409/.442 slash line. The only concerns about Guerrero’s future is his already husky body and whether or not he’ll be able to stay at third base long-term. His feet move well at the hot corner and he has a plus arm, but his size may push him across the infield at some point. Regardless, Guerrero is going to be an elite hitter for many years to come.
• 
  Ranked Eastern League #1 prospect in 2018
  Guerrero ran away with BA’s Minor League Player of the Year award and was the Eastern League’s best prospect by a wide margin. Many scouts tabbed him as an 80-grade hitter with 80-grade power on the 20-80 scouting scale before the season, and he spent the summer living up to those lofty expectations. Guerrero opened the year as the league’s youngest player and promptly destroyed the league with bat speed and a batting eye that both ranked as elite. He hit .402, and the only thing that could stop him was a knee injury that shelved him for a month. Everybody’s in on Guerrero as the best hitter in the minors, but he faces questions about where he will wind up defensively. He signed as an outfielder before shifting to third base as a pro. He shows an above-average arm but his range and ability to make plays on slow rollers are limited. Staying at the hot corner is not out of the question, but Guerrero will have to work hard to maintain his large frame if he wants to avoid a move to first base. No matter where he plays, there are multiple all-star games in his future.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #1 prospect in 2017
  Guerrero came up to Dunedin after the all-star break and had 16 multi-hit games while dominating the league offensively, finishing with such a flourish that he passed teammate Bo Bichette for the minor league on-base percentage crown at .425. Guerrero does it with stunning bat speed thanks to the fastest hands in the FSL, and scouts don't shrink from grading him as a 70 hitter on the 20-80 scale. He belies his family name with plenty of patience at the plate, with more walks than strikeouts. His power rates lower than than his hitting ability at present, but he's just 18, and scouts see plenty of home runs in his future. The biggest question about Guerrero is defense, where he lacks his father's arm strength but has enough--earning above-average grades from some scouts--to stick at third base, at least in the short term. "He's solid there now," one pro scout with an American League club said, "and I put him at third until he can't do it anymore. But he doesn't have a great body . . . I have reservations over how it will hold up at third. He has more than enough bat for first base though."
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #1 prospect in 2017
  In a testament to Guerrero's talent and aptitude, he exceeded expectations in his full-season debut. He ranked as the No. 1 international amateur in 2015, then as the top prospect in the Appalachian League in 2016 and, finally, as the No. 20 prospect in the game entering the 2017 season. He nearly led the minors in on-base percentage (.425).
• 
  Ranked American League #1 prospect in 2016
  Guerrero, the No. 1 international prospect in the 2015 class, lived up to the hype in his pro debut by more than holding his own despite being the youngest player in the Appy League for the entire season. Guerrero showed elite hard-hit ability, consistently squaring up pitches and covering the plate well. He shows plus bat speed, natural timing in the box, an understanding of the strike zone and an ability to recognize and track offspeed pitches. Guerrero moved to third base from the outfield last fall in instructional league. His stocky build, with some less-than-ideal weight, leads some evaluators to project a move to first base if his actions stiffen as he matures. He does have surprising athleticism, though, with a quick first step and passable footwork around the bag. Guerrero showed improved arm strength, with grades on his arm ranging from 55 to 60 on the 20-80 scouting scale.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #1 prospect in 2019
• Ranked Baseball America's #3 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #20 prospect in 2017

• August, 2018 Scouting Report
  For the third straight year, a 19-year-old position player from Latin America ranks as the top prospect in the Arizona Fall League, with Guerrero Jr. following in the footsteps of Gleyber Torres (Yankees, 2016) and Ronald Acuna Jr. (Braves, 2017). There’s not much left to say about Baseball America’s No. 1 overall prospect that hasn’t already been said multiple times, as he earns a 80-grade on his ability to hit and a 70-grade on his future power. Guerrero kept his batting average near the .500 mark for the first half of the six-week AFL season before tiring over the final three weeks. In the end, he still put up an impressive .351/.409/.442 slash line. The only concerns about Guerrero’s future is his already husky body and whether or not he’ll be able to stay at third base long-term. His feet move well at the hot corner and he has a plus arm, but his size may push him across the infield at some point. Regardless, Guerrero is going to be an elite hitter for many years to come.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Guerrero has a chance to quickly develop into one of the game’s top offensive threats. An 80 hitter with 80 power isn’t out of the question, with Guerrero possessing an elite combination of bat speed, hand-eye coordination, plate discipline and power packed into an efficient swing. The main thing that has slowed Guerrero has been a patellar strained of his left knee, which has sidelined him since June 6. Guerrero has just rejoined New Hampshire. He has a shot to become the first minor league hitter to top .400 in a full season this century.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record:: Vladimir Guerrero hit 449 home runs for his career, which included an American League MVP award in 2004. Vladdy Jr. followed his father around to big league ballparks but grew up in the Dominican Republic and trained with his uncle Wilton, also a former big leaguer. His bat stood out at an early age and he was the No. 1 international prospect when the Blue Jays signed him for $3.9 million in 2015. After dominating the Rookie-level Appalachian League in his pro debut in 2016, Guerrero was just 18 but looked like a man among boys by clobbering two Class A leagues in 2017. At an age where his peers in the U.S. were graduating from high school, Guerrero nearly led the minors in on-base percentage. Scouting Report: Guerrero is a prodigious offensive talent, with the combination of hitting ability, plate discipline and power in the mold of Manny Ramirez. Guerrero has high-end bat speed and outstanding bat control. With hitting mannerisms reminiscent of his father, Guerrero has a compact but aggressive swing. With his hand-eye coordination, he has excellent plate coverage, barreling premium velocity while also possessing the pitch recognition skills to square up all types offspeed pitches, too. He has plus raw power now, with 30-homer years likely in his future and a chance for 40. He drew more walks (76) than strikeouts (62) in 2017 and has the potential to contend for batting titles. A gifted offensive player, Guerrero did not inherit his father's speed or athleticism. He trained as an outfielder when he was an amateur and figured to be a left fielder at best, but after the Blue Jays signed him they put him at third base. He has surprised scouts with his play there, improving his arm strength to above-average and showing the hands to be a playable defender. However, Guerrero is already so big and stocky as a teenager that it's going to be a challenge for him to maintain his weight. Even if he moves to first base or possibly left field, his bat is good enough to be a premium player there too. The Future: Guerrero has the upside to be one of the best players in baseball. He likely will start 2018 at Double-A New Hampshire, and while the Blue Jays are conservative with promotions, Guerrero is in position to possibly make his major league debut by the end of the season as a 19-year-old.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Vladimir Guerrero signed with the Expos in March 1993, reached the majors in 1996 and became American League MVP with the Angels in 2004, one of his nine all-star seasons. In spring training before his first all-star campaign, in 1999, his son Vladimir Jr. was born in Montreal. He grew into a hitting prospect with some of his father's mannerisms (such as a lack of batting gloves), a strong facial resemblance and plenty more fanfare. The father signed for a $2,100 bonus, while Vladimir Jr. signed for $3.9 million. In fact, the Blue Jays traded minor leaguers Tim Locastro and Chase De Jong to the Dodgers for three international bonus slots, raising their international pool high enough just to sign the junior Guerrero. The Blue Jays first saw Guerrero take swings in their Dominican complex when he was 14 years old, after he'd already been training with his uncle Wilton, also a former major leaguer. He shifted from outfield to third base in instructional league after signing, went through his first spring training in 2016 and had a strong pro debut in the Rookie-level Appalachian League, finishing third in total bases while being the league's youngest player. Scouting Report: Guerrero does just about everything evaluators want to see in a teenage hitter. He has tremendous hand-eye coordination and bat-to-ball skills, to the point he seems to have been born to hit. His special hands allow him to manipulate the barrel and square up pitches of all types. He has excellent strike-zone judgment for a 17-year-old, walking nearly as often as he struck out and showing an ability to lay off breaking balls that will be further tested at higher levels. He has tremendous raw power and showed the ability to drive the ball to all fields at an advanced rate for his age. Guerrero covers the plate well and should be an above-average hitter with 30-plus homer potential down the line. Some club officials have compared his overall offensive profile to that of Edwin Encarnacion, though with more speed, as he's actually an average runner. Like Encarnacion, Guerrero has a chance to be a third baseman early in his career. Defense was rarely a focus of his as an amateur, and moving to third base from outfield has prompted Guerrero to work harder on all aspects of that side of the ball. He has improved his short-area quickness and arm strength the most. If he keeps working on his defense, he should have average range. Once owner of a below-average arm, he now flirts with a plus tool. His footwork has improved as well, and he made the routine play with some reliability in his debut. Guerrero has gotten his stocky body in better shape since signing, but it will always be a concern and is his biggest weakness as a prospect. The Future: The Blue Jays' high-performance team, which focuses on mental and physical training, will continue to work with Guerrero to maintain his looseness while improving his body fitness. His potential may not match his father's, but he won't shame his dad's name as a ballplayer. He figures to reach low Class A Lansing in 2017, and he could make it hard for the Jays to keep him from getting to the big leagues by the time he's 20.