Key Stats: Bruce is just twenty-three and one-fifth years old at the time of this article. This is probably Bruce's most important stat. His appeal is mostly just his awesome potential. His .217 ISO in the first three years of his career would rank him thirteenth among outfielders (if he qualified) from 2008-2010, just behind J.D. Drew, Alfonso Soriano and Nick Swisher and just in front of Ryan Ludwick, Andre Ethier and Matt Holliday. This is very good. At just 21 years old, he shellacked 21 homers in two-thirds a season. This great power potential exhibited in his first year was again unveiled in the last three months of 2010, when he hit 15 homers in his last 133 at bats. That’s an amazing 8.87 HR/AB. Bruce is just starting smell the prime years of his career and is likely to be a fixture at the top of the power categories for the next decade.
Skeptics Say: If age is his best stat, uncertainty is the biggest drawback. In the first three years of his young career, he’s only hit .257 with just a .327 OBP. His .281 average in 2010 was certainly boosted by his late season tear, but no one should expect a repeat. His BABIP was .334, which is unsustainable largely because of his relatively high strikeout rate. He’s no Francoeur, but he swings often and has a low contact rate when he does swing. Despite his 2010 tear, his run production throughout his career also leaves something to be desired as he has averaged only 7 AB/RBI. There are a lot of promising signs with Bruce, but there’s also a lot of trepidation as power hitting prospects with sub-par plate discipline always face an uphill battle. As with any young hitter, his muster will be tested by his ability to adjust to pitching and control his strikeouts.
Projection: His batting average is certain to fall, but his power will increase. I’m skeptical about his ability to drive in runs, so I would be surprised if he can top 100 RBIs. However, as with any up and coming prospect, my view of this can all change by the All Star Break.
85 R 31 HR 92 RBI 4 SB .260 AVG .810 OPS