Indians Top 100 Prospects: #34 Stephen Head

34. Stephen Head - First Baseman/Outfielder
Born: 01/13/1984 - Height: 6'3" - Weight: 220 - Bats: Left - Throws: Left

Year	Age	Team	Lvl	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2005	21	Mahoning Vy	A-	10	37	11	16	4	0	6	14	8	5	0	.432	.533	1.027	1.560
	21	Kinston	A+	47	203	31	58	15	0	4	36	8	33	4	.286	.310	.419	.729
2006	22	Kinston	A+	130	477	65	112	26	0	14	73	54	73	2	.235	.319	.377	.696
2007	23	Kinston	A+	102	387	73	97	29	0	13	61	40	71	5	.251	.336	.426	.762
	23	Akron	AA	26	98	13	27	9	0	3	18	8	18	1	.276	.330	.459	.789
2008	24	Akron	AA	106	404	50	117	24	2	13	49	24	75	1	.290	.325	.455	.780
		Career		421	1606	243	427	107	2	53	251	142	275	13	.266	.330	.434	.764

History: Head was a 2nd round pick by the Indians in the 2005 Draft out of the University of Mississippi.

Strengths & Opportunities: Head has good gap power and the ball really jumps off of his bat, and may do so as good as any player in the organization. He has above average power, but he keeps the ball on a line and does not elevate a lot of balls. He had an overhaul to his swing mechanics in 2006 that he finally looks like he has become comfortable with, and in addition to that he has gotten better with his pitch selection each at bat. Initially, he 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 is an outstanding defensive first baseman, and is the best in the system at the position defensively where he profiles as a good major league defensive first baseman. The Indians recently moved him to right field in the middle of the 2007 season to create more versatility for him and take advantage of his athleticism, and while he has split time in the outfield and first base, he now projects as a good outfielder as well. His transition to the outfield has gone smooth mostly because he is a pretty good athlete and had some experience playing out there in high school. After some initial struggles, he has taken to the outfield well and now can play both first base and the outfield. He split time at both positions last year playing 56 games at first base and 42 games in the outfield. Considering that the Indians are loaded with first basemen and outfielders up and down the system the move provides a way to move him up if needed and increases his value to the Indians because of his power bat and versatility.

Head came into last season still recovering from offseason surgery to his right labrum. He got a late start in spring training and did not start hitting until the last two weeks of camp, so he was kept behind for a week in extended spring training to continue getting his shoulder ready for game action. He was eventually activated on the Double-A Akron roster a week into the season, but just five games after being activated he broke a bone in his right (non-throwing) wrist sliding into second base and missed about two weeks. When he returned to the lineup the first week of May he avoided missing any time the remainder of the season, but was still not 100% the rest of the way because he was still recovering from the shoulder surgery and playing through the wrist injury. His focus last season and this upcoming season is to be more aggressive at the plate putting balls in play better. Also, even though he has made huge strides as an outfielder playing out there now for a year and a half, he still needs more time learning to get better reads on balls particularly the ones off the end of the bat.

Outlook: Head loves to play defense, and it shows whether he is in the outfield or at first base. His pop in his bat and versatility as an above average defender at first base and the outfield almost saw him get picked up in the Rule 5 Draft this offseason. He is expected to continue splitting time at first base and the outfield in 2009 where he likely opens the season at Triple-A Columbus.

Photo courtesy of Ken Carr

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