Stephen Head

Stephen Head - Outfielder/First Baseman
Age: 24 Height: 6'3" Weight: 220 Bats: Left Throws: Left

	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	OBP	SLG	OPS
2007 Kinston/Akron	.256	128	485	86	124	38	0	16	79	48	89	6	.335	.433	.768
Career	.258	315	1202	193	310	83	0	40	202	117	201	12	.331	.427	.757

History: Head was taken in the 2^nd round of the 2005 Draft out of the University of Mississippi. After a very good debut in 2005 where he hit .308 with 10 HR, 50 RBI and an .862 OPS in 57 combined games at Mahoning Valley and Kinston, Head had a disappointing 2006 campaign at Kinston hitting only .235 with 14 HR, 73 RBI, and a .696 OPS. Head bounced back in 2007, and more impressively, he finished the year with a bang as in the last ten games of the regular season he hit .361 with 2 HR and 9 RBI, and then carried that into the Eastern League playoffs where he hit .367 with 3 HR, 8 RBI, and had a 1.133 OPS in eight games.

Strengths & Opportunities: The ball really jumps off of Head's bat, and may jump off his bat as good as any player in the organization. He has power, but he keeps the ball on a line a lot because he does not elevate a lot of balls. Head's late season surge at the plate can be traced back to him finally getting comfortable with the overhaul in his swing mechanics in 2006, as well as him making adjustments where he has gotten much better with his pitch selection each at bat. Initially, Head was slow to adapt to the adjustments and at times was overly aggressive by trying to do too much too soon, but the new revamped approach to hitting is starting to pay off. Head has a healthy 6:1 at bat to strikeout ratio over his minor league career, and also has a good 1.7:1 strikeout to walk ratio.

Head is an outstanding defensive first baseman, and is the best in the system at the position defensively. Head still profiles as a good major league first baseman as he is a smooth defender and has above average power, but late in the season last year the Indians moved head off first base and put him in right field. He was moved to the outfield because of the depth at first base and because it will benefit him to be able to play more positions. He responded well to the move, and considering that the Indians are loaded with first basemen up and down the system the move creates some versatility for Head and provides a way to get him up to Akron.

With Matt Whitney gone (although likely to be returned), Head may now return to first base more on a full time basis this coming season, although he could still get some continued exposure in the outfield to become more comfortable playing the position and for the Indians to evaluate how he handles it. Head can handle the outfield as he has experience playing there in high school, and it should not be much of a hardship as he is a pretty good athlete.

Outlook: In the spring, Head will continue to receive instruction in the outfield. Ultimately, if Head can show he can play some outfield he becomes much more valuable to the Indians because of his power bat and versatility. Being able to play a very good first base defensively, and also hold his own in the outfield makes him valuable to an organization that loves versatile players. Head should return to Akron to start the season.

Video: Head at the plate

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