This 20-year-old is the highest-ceiling outfield prospect that the
Pittsburgh Pirates currently have in their minor league system. At
6-foot-2 and about 210 pounds, this righty was signed as a free agent
16-year-old out of the
Dominican Republic in 1997. Sosa spent both the
1999 and 2000 seasons at Single-A Hickory in the South
Atlantic
League. He showed some improvement in 2000, but still is a ways away from
the Majors. In 2000, Sosa batted .248 with 18 home runs, 65 runs batted,
16 doubles, one triple, 48 runs scored, three stolen bases, 40 walks, and
135 strikeouts in 431 at-bats. In the field, Sosa committed 12 errors in
117 games.The first thing, and biggest hole in his game, is that he needs
to improve
the walk total while cutting the strikeouts. Doing that
would most likely increase his average. In the field, he has done a good
job, especially for someone his age.
Sosa does have 5-tool
potential. He has the size to put up big offense stats and to be an above
average outfielder. Most likely, I would speculate that he will go back to
the SAL to start 2001. He is several years
away, but he could turn
into a high impact player in the majors.