Aug 05 2009
The Book On…Wladimir Balentien, OF, Cincinnati
DOB: 7/2/84
B-T: R-R
6′2″, 190
Signed: 2000, FA (Karel Williams)
Hit AZL record 16 homers in 2004…went .291, 25, 93 with Inland Empire (A), in Seattle’s organization, but average dipped to .230 at San Antonio (AA) in ‘06…bigtime raw power, strikes out a ton…very good OF arm, has enough speed to steal 15 a year if he learns to pick his spots…all-or-nothing hitter…all-or-nothing in most every aspect of his game, actually…seems to attack every aspect of his game with a passion…could be an AS-level OF or a late-inning replacement with occasional pop…has a way to go before he gets there; has to learn to shorten up on an already too-long swing, but not so much that he loses his aggressive approach altogether…just needs to learn to play within himself…with the right instruction, he could be a perennial 25-homer bat, but average will likely never be higher than about .270, give or take a few points…with what he could become, the BA won’t matter a whole lot.
