Bats/Throws: L/R

Height/Weight: 6’3”/210

Acquired: 3^rd Rd 2008 (Azusa Pacific)

Born: 8/7/87 (Ripon, CA)

2010 Rank: 8

Why Ranked Here: Nieuwenhuis offers a well rounded offensive game including power and speed, while playing a premium defensive position and has proven himself at AA.  No other position player on this has all three of those things going for him.  He has 18-25 HR potential at the big league level.

Nieuwenhuis is a big physical athlete who just keeps getting better.  When I wrote about Nieuwenhuis for this year’s Maple Street Press Annual, he told me that his progress have been incremental, “just a lot of little improvements,” he said.  Since entering professional baseball two and a half years ago, Nieuwenhuis has cleaned up his hand path, become more adept at pulling the ball with power rather than trying to inside out everything, and improved his routes in the outfield.  His coaches have universally praised his work ethic.

There are concerns about Nieuwenhuis.  He’s not a true burner, but has found a way to get to cover plenty of ground out in centerfield.  As his AA manager Tim Teufel put it, He’s deceptive.  He gets to balls you didn’t think he could get to…he picks up speed as he goes.”  The ability to keep playing centerfield is very important for Nieuwenhuis.  Any move to the corner would demand a much higher output and would hurt his value.  A pitcher in high school, he should have the arm for right, but might end up as a tweener if he’s forced to the corner. 

2010: Nieuwenhuis was one of the best hitters in the Eastern League in the first half of 2010, when he raked at a .306/.348/.541 clip.  He slowed down a bit in the latter half of June before catching fire in July when he hit a massive .328/.386/.621 with 16 doubles, 6 homers and 13 walks.  The walks were a particularly welcome development.  His previous high in a month in 2010 was 6.  However, promoted to Buffalo for the final month, Nieuwenhuis struggled, hitting just .225/.295/.358 with 39 strikeouts in 120 AB. 

Dr. Pangloss Says: Nieuwenhuis stays in centerfield, hits ~20 HR and 35 doubles annually, draws his walks and becomes a 4-5 WAR player.

Debbie Downer Says: He outgrows center, and falls into tweener land, where his bat isn’t quite good enough to hold an everyday job.

Projected 2011 Start: AAA Buffalo

MLB Arrival: There are a lot of moving parts in the Mets outfield, aren’t there?  I’ll put money on an MLB debut in 2011.

Fun Fact: Nieuwenhuis played second base in HS.