DOB: 01/07/1997
Height/Weight: 5’9” 150 lbs.
Bats/Throws: S/R
BP (37) - Future Tools: 70 speed, 60 hit, 55 arm Role: 60—First-division shortstop
You’d be hard-pressed to find a team that does a better job signing major-league shortstops than Atlanta. Albies appears to be the next in a line that has included Yunel Escobar, Elvis Andrus, and Andrelton Simmons, and that’s just in the past decade. Albies makes a ton of contact from both sides of the plate, and despite his small stature it’s not weak contact. There’s above-average bat speed with solid rotation, and his quick wrists allow him to flick the ball the opposite way or fire bullets up the middle. When he does make weak contact, his plus-plus speed makes him a threat to beat out anything to the left side, and once on base he’s a nuisance who can steal 40-plus bags a year. The wheels also help compensate for a complete lack of power—he might thank you for grading it a 20.
Albies is no Simmons with the glove, but there’s enough here to project a future shortstop. Those aforementioned wrists lead to plenty of zip on his throws, and while he is still prone to gaffes on the field (17 errors in 93 games last season), his ability to make the spectacular look routine compensates. This is a future top-of-the order hitter, and one who could move fairly quickly because of his rare skill set.
Fantasy Impact: He’s still a sexy name in some dynasty leagues, but where Swanson offers just average power production, Albies will be a flat-out value sink. If he’s actually hitting .280-plus with 30-40 steals, you won’t mind, but even the owners who have rostered Elvis Andrus and Alcides Escobar over the last half-decade haven’t been thrilled with their returns.
MLB.com (29) - Hit: 60 | Power: 20 | Run: 70 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55
Just about everything went right for Albies during his full-season debut in 2015. The Curacao native was one of the better hitters in the South Atlantic League, played outstanding defense at short and even went to the Futures Game. The only sour note was a fractured right thumb in August, not something expecting to be a lingering concern.
Albies has an outstanding combination of tools and makeup. He plays above-average defense at shortstop, with a ton of energy, acting as the captain of the infield. While Albies might be small in stature at 5-foot-8, he is muscular and strong and has very quick feet. At the plate, the switch-hitter has a better swing right-handed than left-handed right now, though he hit over .300 from both sides in 2015. Albies has plus speed that enables him to be a basestealing threat.
A teenager for all of 2016, it's hard to put a ceiling on Albies. He makes those around him better and brings intangibles to the ballpark every day. The addition of Dansby Swanson to the organization might seem to complicate things, but Albies is the kind of player who will do whatever is needed to get to the big leagues and help his team win.
KLaw (20) -
Atlanta is now flush with shortstops, so at some point, either Albies or Dansby Swanson may have to move to second base. But for now, Albies should stay at shortstop. He often gets comparisons to Jose Altuve, another undersized but strong middle infielder with an extraordinary feel to hit. Albies was the low-A Sally League's second-youngest regular in 2015, but finished third in the league in batting average with the league's eighth-best strikeout rate (minimum 300 plate appearances).
Albies is a plus runner and above-average fielder at short, with enough arm for the position except for the play from the hole. His swing is very compact and line drive-oriented, but he's unlikely to hit for much power, which would limit his ceiling if he has to move to second base. He can flat-out hit, though, and as long as he's a shortstop, he has a chance to become a star because of his offensive skills.
Fangraphs - Hit: 35/55/65 Power: 25/30/35 Run: 60/60/65 Field: 55/60/65 Throw: 60/60/ FV/Role: 60
Albies has made quite the impression since entering full-season ball in 2014. He has obvious abilities on defense with a lightning-fast release and above-average arm strength. Albies brings simple but direct footwork into each play at shortstop, and will have no problem sticking at the position at an above-average clip in the future. His baserunning skill has already shown up with 51 stolen bases and 13 times caught stealing across the last two seasons.
On both sides of the plate, he takes advantage of the lesser defenses in the lower minors with a high ground-ball rate, where his plus to plus-plus times down the line give him many extra hits. Though these will not be as plentiful against better fielders, he has enough line drive lift in his swing to keep hitting at a high level.
I do have some concerns over his ability to continue barreling up offspeed pitches as they become more difficult to hit. Albies gets away with being off-balance and off-timing because of a great bat path and quick hands. He has to rely on it a little too often for me to comfortably project him more than above-average as the most likely result. If he can improve his balance and/or pitch recognition, he can reach his ceiling as a plus to plus-plus hitter.
The power production will continue to be the result of well-struck line drives in the gaps, as well as his speed on the bases. He shows a little more potential from the right side to hit for power with more use of his legs in his swing, but overall he is not projectable as a major power threat.
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