Indians Top 100 Prospects: #96 Adam White

96. Adam White - Outfielder
Born: 04/21/1985 Height: 5'10" Weight: 195 Bats: Switch Throws: Right

Year	Age	Team	Lvl	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2007	22	Mahoning Vy	A-	57	219	39	57	9	5	1	10	26	45	22	.260	.362	.361	.723
2008	23	Lake County	A	129	455	78	98	14	4	4	40	62	116	32	.215	.312	.290	.602
		Career		186	674	117	155	23	9	5	50	88	161	54	.230	.329	.313	.642

History: White was taken in the 9th round of the 2007 Draft out of West Virginia University. The 5'10" 195-pound switch-hitter is also a former All-State running back in high school in Pennsylvania and was considered one of the fastest players available his draft year.

Strengths & Opportunities: Last season White was consistently timed from home to first at 3.8 seconds which is exceptional since a right-handed hitter on average times at 4.3 seconds from home to first. There were times when he timed at around 3.12 seconds, which is unheard of and is why the Indians say he grades out as an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale for speed. Some who have been in the Indians organization for over a decade say he is the fastest player they have seen since they have been with the Indians.

White's play in center field has been solid where he uses his speed well and shows good range, and he has a good arm. Even with the success he has had with his speed on the bases and in the outfield, White is still very raw and still learning how to effectively use his speed. The Indians are continuing to work on White's base-running in order to improve his fundamentals in areas such as getting quality secondary leads, reading pitchers better, and his first step quickness to second base. Indians minor league base-running coordinator Gary Thurman worked with him a lot over the course of last season on the mechanics of base-running rather than just relying on raw speed, and also in being a more aggressive runner.

While defense and speed are White's hallmarks, his bat is questionable and will ultimately decide how far in the system he can go. While he is a switch-hitter, he just started hitting from the left-side a few years ago so it is still new to him and he is learning. He keeps good balance at the plate, but often gets a little out front because he loves to run so he needs to really teach himself to slow down. He needs to improve his plan at the plate, improve his two-strike approach, and better learn the strike zone. With his speed, bunting is a part of the game he is also working on and needs some improvement to become a little better with his feet.

Outlook: For White to have a legit shot at the big leagues, he needs to improve his defense but more importantly show some versatility in the outfield and improve the bat. When you look at him, his build and the way he plays is a lot like former Indians outfielder Dave Roberts. Roberts has earned his dues as a scrappy, speedy outfielder, and White possesses a lot of the same grittiness and speed Roberts shows, although White is probably a lot stronger and more filled out than Roberts ever was. He should open the 2009 season in the outfield at advanced Single-A Kinston.

Photo courtesy of Ken Carr

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