Indians: 4 minor league players who could be future All-Stars
By Chad Porto
RF Oscar Gonzalez (AA) – 23 years old
2021 stats: 49 G ,188 AB, 13 HR, 41 RBI, .300/.367/.601
Oscar Gonzales is a big prospect, not just in potential but in size, standing at 6’4 and weighing in at 240 lbs. He’s not listed in the Top 30 for 2021 by MLB.com, but currently sitting at No. 49 by Prospects1500.com. The knock against Gonzales and why he fell from 2020 to 2021 is due to his strikeouts and lack of walks. An issue that baseball purists really don’t seem to bother by, as Franmil Reyes has a far worse strikeout rate and it didn’t hold him back from getting the callup.
Gonzales has incredible power, and considering the reliance on home run-power on teams like the Indians that have some inconsistency issues offensively, a big-bopper like Gonzales could really add some much-needed fear at the lower end of the lineup. Not only that, but it’s clear that Bradley Zimmer and Eddie Rosario aren’t going to be back in 2022 at this rate, and while Gonzales is only in Double-A with the Rubber Ducks, there’s always a chance he outperforms early in 2022 and earns a place on the Major League club one way or another
What he needs to work on: His non-power hitting. His batting average for his minor league career is a respectable .283, but his on-base percentage is barely higher at .312. For a comparison, Cesar Hernandez is nearly 100 points higher from his batting average to his on-base percentage. Jose Ramirez is nearly 100 points higher on his on-base percentage than his batting average.
That’s usually a good split, about 80-100 points higher for on-base percentages. So he does need to work on his ability to take pitches but that shouldn’t hold him back from making the Major League roster.