Late Picks by the Mets in the 2007 IBC Draft

[Padres]

After drafting 3 starting pitchers, the IBC Mets selected their first position player in the 2007 draft: 3B Tyler Kolodny - a so called "grinder" who can hit. Selected in the 16th round by the real life Orioles, the 6'2", 225 lb. teenager had a solid debut hitting .318/.406/.530 with 6 Hr and 6 SB in 151 ABs in the GCL. A right handed hitter, he hit .359 vs. left-handed pitching, but five of his six HRs this season came off of righties, against whom he still managed a .304 average.

An average runner, Kolodny's ticket to the majors is his advanced bat. He has a level stroke that produces line drives and average power. He isn't afraid to take a walk and, unlike most teenagers, had little problem picking up breaking balls. What most impressed the organization is the work that Kolodny puts into every at bat. He is always prepared for whatever pitcher he faces and is constantly tinkering.

BA liked his approach naming him to their GCL All Star team and reporting:

Signed as a 16th-rounder out of a California high school, Kolodny was the GCLís best underdog story. A high-energy player who religiously breaks down his swing path as well as his defense, he quickly became a favorite of scouts and managers.

ìHe never puts the bat down,î a scout with a NL team said. ìHeíll come in from an inning in the field, in 100-plus-degree heat, and just stand there swinging, trying to time his hacks. He never slowed down and he was always dirty from the neck down by the end of every game. Thatís some kind of energy.î

Kolodny makes consistent hard contact with a line-drive stroke that produces good backspin and loft power. He works counts well for a young player. His bat will be his ticket as he moves up the ladder.

Kolodny grades out as average defensively. His arm strength is a tick above average, but he sometimes has trouble moving laterally and he struggles coming in on balls.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/p ... 64871.html

For a 19-year old who was a 16th rounder, being on an end of season Gulf Coast League prospect list is actually pretty impressive.

Goldstein listed him as a 'sleeper':

The Sleeper: An obscure 16th-round pick this June, third baseman Tyler Kolodny hit .318/.406/.530 in his pro debut for Baltimoreís Gulf Coast League squad, and while his athletic ability doesnít impress anyone, scouts are true believers in his bat.

http://www.baseball-analysis.com/articl ... cleid=6894