Indians Top 50: #36 Tim Fedroff

Tim Fedroff - Outfielder
Born: 02/04/1987 - Height: 5'11" - Weight: 220 - Bats: Left - Throws: Right

Year	Age	Team	Lvl	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	Avg	OBP	SLG	OPS
2008	21	Mahoning Vy	A-	23	91	12	29	6	1	0	12	10	20	1	.319	.382	.407	.789
2009	22	Kinston	A+	99	378	70	105	23	2	4	39	64	95	13	.278	.383	.381	.764
		Totals		122	469	82	134	29	3	4	51	74	115	14	.286	.383	.386	.769

History:  Fedroff was selected by the Indians in the 7th round of the 2008 Draft out of the University of North Carolina.  He scared some teams away in the draft because of bonus demands, and after he slid to the Indians they gambled on him and just before the signing deadline agreed to a $725,000 bonus with him.  Last year at High-A Kinston he finished 10th in the pitching dominated Carolina League in batting average (.278), 7th in walks (64), and 3rd in on-base percentage (.383).  He participated in the Advanced Instructional League this past fall, and also made a brief appearance in the Arizona Fall League and in 10 games hit .111 (4-for-36) with 0 HR, 2 RBI and a .286 OPS.

Strengths & Opportunities:  Fedroff is a well-rounded player who has above average speed, makes good contact and has some pop in his bat to pound the ball gap-to-gap.  He has all the tools to be a good catalyst at the top of a lineup with his good speed, patient approach and line-drive bat where a lot of scouts think he could be an old-school leadoff center fielder.  He has a nice swing that generates a lot of strength from his very strong forearms and wrists.  He puts up good at bats, puts the ball in play, and has shown some solid plate discipline.   At 5'11" 220-pounds he has a short, compact build and is a competitor who has a motor that does not stop.

Fedroff was primarily a right-fielder in college, but the Indians are trying to develop him as a center fielder in order to make him an everyday player.  He covers a lot of ground out in the outfield showing good range, and with his bat the Indians feel they may have a good offensive center fielder in the making.  He is a reliable defender in center field using a lot of hustle, instincts and a hardnosed, fearless approach to play up his range.  With limited pop and an average arm, the key to his success is whether or not he can stay in center field because his bat plays there whereas in left field he is not nearly as valuable.  If he can stay in center field he could be an offensive-oriented everyday player who is a solid, unspectacular defender, but if he can't then he probably will have to make the big leagues as a fourth outfielder.

Fedroff plays with the pedal to the metal and pushes himself to his physical limits, but it sometimes comes with a price.  Last year in early May he came down with a hamstring strain while running hard on the bases.  He was sidelined off and on from mid-May until the end of July with the nagging hamstring injury, and his inability to drive the ball because of the injury had a big affect on his play and was a big reason for his sub par performance during that time period.  He tried to play through it, but it kept progressively getting worse and got to the point where he could not run normal and he couldn't do anything he was usually able to do, so the Indians had him take some time off to help it heal.  While he was out he was able to sit back and reflect on the game, his mental preparation, and his approach at the plate.  Upon returning to the lineup on July 21st, he went on a tear for the rest of the season finishing his final 38 games hitting .314 with a .415 on-base percentage and .845 OPS.

Fedroff worked hard last season on using the entire field and impressed with his ability to pound the ball the opposite way which will help him as he moves further along in his professional career.  He also was a little more patient swinging at better pitches and his swing path was much improved.  One thing he worked on last year which needs more improvement is using his top hand to better pull pitches that are on the inner half of the plate.  While he made some strides in center field last year, he needs to become a more consistent defensive outfielder by getting better reads on balls off the bat and his route running to balls.  He is still a pretty raw runner, so he once again will have a focus placed on his technique, reading pitchers, getting better leads, and taking extra bases.

Outlook:  The Indians were very encouraged with Fedroff's play last year, especially his first full season in professional baseball and the strong finish he had in a pitching oriented league.  Last season was a good building block in that not only did he have some success, but he also experienced some failure, which should only help him better handle disappointment the next time it occurs.  He slipped a little in the ranking this year, but this was more due to him staying right on track and the Indians influx of so much high level talent from trades and the draft last year.  He more than likely will be the opening day starting center fielder for Double-A Akron to start the 2010 season.

Photo courtesy of Tony Lastoria

Tim Fedroff MinorLeagueBaseball.com page

Tim Fedroff Baseball-Reference page

Tim Fedroff MinorLeagueSplits.com page

Tim Fedroff Batting:

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