Elias Otero6’2" 166 lbs DOB: 12/19/1987
Shortstop/2nd baseman
Bats: Switch | Throws: Right
2008: Princeton
Acquired: Undrafted free agent(New Mexico JC)
This is the only guy on the list who is basically here for his stat line: a .332/.398/.534 line at Princeton this year from a middle infielder is impressive, even though he was playing mostly against younger competition. With Tim Beckham also in Princeton, Otero mainly played 2nd base, though he can also play shortstop.
On the scouting side, well, there just isn't much(any, really) information on him. About all I know is that he was drafted out of the Puerto Rican Baseball Academy by the Pirates in 2005(21st round), but he didn't sign and attended New Mexico Junior College.
Middle infielders, even old ones, posting a .932 OPS in the Appy League is impressive enough to get him on the list, though he's something of a question mark with only one season's worth of at-bats and virtually no scouting info on him. He'll probably begin 2009 at Hudson Valley, although there's an outside shot they push him to the slightly more age-appropriate level in low-A and Bowling Green. If he's able to replicate his 2008 stat line, then he could really emerge as someone to watch for going forward.
My concern with Otero, in addition to the age/level, is the way he declined towards the end of the season. Here are his wOBA by month:
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July: .435 (77 PAs)
August: .319 (86 PAs)
Season: .399
Most of this is attributable to a regression to a normal BABIP (~.300), BABIP by month:
June: .490 (wow)
July: .417
August: .328
Season: .405
His power numbers really dropped off too, ISO (Isolated Power) by month:
June: .254
July: .250
August: .128
He is what he is, a little old for Rookie ball, but two great months out of three. Maybe the scouts just found a weakness as it doesn't appear injuries affected August, he continued to play 2B regularly.
I hope they are agressive with him and promote him to Bowling Green next year along with Tim Beckham as the DP combo.
See FirstInning.com or StatCorner.com for the stats referenced on Elias.
Otero cannot play shortstop, this is from asking him personally. He is hitting poorly at Hudson Valley, but is one of the hardest workers on the team, always staying late in the cage
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