Pablo Sandoval-C- It's hard not to root for Sandoval. He's built like a bowling ball at 5'11" with a listed weight of 245 pounds, which may even be a little light, and doesn't look like much of a ball player in jeans. The native of Venezuela is always smiling, very energetic, and just genuinely seems to be enjoying himself when playing the game. On top of that, Sandoval has a unique pre-at-bat ritual where he suddenly jumps out in front of the batter's box to tap his shoes, and then goes back to digging in. Fortunately for Sandoval fans, he's got the potential to stick in the big leagues as an offensive-minded catcher.
Sandoval broke into professional baseball at the age of 17 with the Arizona Giants back in 2004. He didn't look particularly impressive there, but he did manage to hit .330 with good plate discipline in the Northwest League the next season. The good fortune failed to carry forward into 2006, but Sandoval posted a reasonable .287/.312/.476 for High-A San Jose the following season. The low walk rate was a concern and it being the California League meant even the slugging percentage needed to be taken with a grain of salt. However, Sandoval was just 20 years old, and that he struck out just 52 times in 401 at-bats was impressive.
Back at San Jose to begin the season, Sandoval suddenly looks like a different hitter. He had an absolutely monstrous April, batting .453 with 15 doubles and seven homers in just 86 at-bats. Sandoval cooled some in May and June, but he still hit over .300 in both months in addition to smacking 10 more doubles and five more homers in 186 at-bats. The Giants promoted Sandoval to Double-A Connecticut anyway, and he again began tearing the cover off the ball. He hit .345/.374/.570 with eight homers in 157 at-bats despite playing in a pitcher's park, though one that isn't as extreme in the summer. For the year he's batting .355 with 38 doubles, 20 homers, and a 57/31 K/BB in just 437 at-bats.
Perhaps more impressive than Sandoval's bat is the improvement he's made with the glove. Sandoval's stature starts him at a disadvantage and he's played both first and third base in the minors before. This season he was playing primarily catcher with some first base and DH mixed in, and the Giants have raved about the improvements he's made. And that's followed through to the majors, where manager Bruce Bochy and pitcher Barry Zito have both already praised the rookie. The now 22-year-old Sandoval (August 11 birthday) will have to make sure he keeps additional weight off and he may be destined for first base eventually with Buster Posey in the minors, but the early signs are encouraging for him to stick behind the plate for at least a few seasons.
That said, ultimately Sandoval's value will be tied to his bat. He's got a surprisingly quick swing and legitimate power, though it's more of the doubles variety. A .375 BABIP is certainly helping his production, but since he strikes out so little and hits the ball with authority it's not all a fluke. That the switch-hitter has trouble with lefties could also limit his value, but overall I still think Sandoval has a chance to hit .280-.290 with 15-20 homer power. That means he's someone to grab in keeper NL-only formats, and mixed leaguers should keep him in the back of their minds if Bengie Molina is traded or Sandoval moves to first full-time. Since the Giants have nothing to gain by running Molina into the ground, Sandoval should get two starts per week at catcher and perhaps some time at first base.