As we inch closer to the 2023 season, I am going to give top three prospects at each position. This will be based on where they currently play and also where they may end up. This will culminate with my newly updated top 30 prospects before the season starts. This week, we are looking at the shortstop position.
Other Positions:
1. Cristian Gonzalez
Gonzalez is one of the higher potential prospects in the system and the Astros challenged him in 2022 putting him in High-A at only 20 years old. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, Gonzalez is well built and listed at 6’4″ and 210 lbs. He has a cannon for an arm at shortstop and is solid defensively. He has some pop but struggled with contact striking out 127 times in 104 games. He is still very young and 2023 could be a big year for him.
2022 Stats: 104 G, .227 BA/.283 OBP/.350 SLG, 18 2B, 10 HR, 48 RBI, 1 SB
2. Leosdany Molina
Molina was signed out of Cuba in 2021 and made his full-season debut last year playing the full season in Single-A. While he struggled a bit with the bat (.575 OPS), Molina is very good defensively at the shortstop position. He has tremendous speed and also stole 22 bases in 116 games. He just turned 23-years-old and hopefully can get the bat going this year to back up his defensive play.
2022 Stats: 116 G, .214 BA/.277 OBP/.298 SLG, 16 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 37 RBI, 22 SB
3. Dauri Lorenzo
Lorenzo was signed out of the Dominican Republic during the 2019 signing period getting a bonus of nearly $2 million. Lorenzo is solid defensively at shortstop but some scouts wonder if he will have the arm for shortstop long term. Offensively, he has the ability to make a lot of contact and draw walks, though not much power at this time. He should make his full-season debut in 2023 in Fayetteville.
2022 Stats: 39 G, .272 BA/.377 OBP/.360 SLG, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 15 RBI
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