Loading ...When the New York Yankees drafted Dante Bichette Jr. they knew they were not only getting baseball pedigree, but an outstanding talent as well.
The Bombers drafted Bichette Jr. with the 51st pick in the second round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Orangewood Christian High School in Maitland, Florida.
Yankees Magazine recently did a piece on the young Bichette Jr., who played shortstop, but now is being groomed into a third baseman.
Mark Newman, the Yankees senior vice president of baseball operations, told MLB.com, "Bichette has tools, he has a feel for how to use those tools and he works every day to get better," said Newman. "He's a special player and person."
Last year the 19 year old started with the GCL Yankees leading his team with a an average of .342, league leading 17 doubles and 47 RBIs. Bichette Jr. not only led his team to the GCL Championship,but as a bonus, garnered the league's Most Valuable Player Award. Afterwards Bichette Jr. helped the Staten Island Yankees also win a championship as well.
The scouting report on Dante is that he has sound hitting mechanics with above average speed through the zone and his polished approach at the plate gives him the ability to work the count. He has some power, which will only increase as he gains weight and matures. Dante's hand-eye coordination is unusually superior, which stems from his time as a nationally ranked junior tennis player. Bichette Jr. has an above average arm and is making the transition to third base look easy leading all GCL third baseman with a .945 fielding percentage in 2011.
Bichette Jr. has already established himself as a leader and is projected to start 2012 with the Yankees' Class A affiliate in Charleston with dreams of getting to the Bronx sooner than later.
"I have one attainable goal to get more consistent than last year." Bichette Jr. speaking to Yankees Magazine."I'll have some rough patches but that is how baseball goes.Get out of them and make adjustments that will be the big thing."
This will be Dante's first full year playing third base for the Yankees. Bichette Jr. says he is trying to get first step and knowing where to be since he played shortstop in high school. Dante believes his tennis background helps his transition to third base because you need quick reaction time and footwork.
Dante's father played 15 seasons in the big leagues and this helps Bichette Jr. understand what it takes to become a professional athlete.
If Bichette Jr. continues to grow and master third we could be looking at the next successor to Alex Rodriguez in the not so distant future.
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May have a successor to A-Rod in a couple of years?