Cristian Pache Stats & Scouting Report College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

TRACK RECORD: After failing to hit a home run over his first two pro seasons, Pache has completely shed his reputation as a glove-first, light-hitting center fielder by getting bigger and stronger and learning which pitches he can drive. After hitting a career high nine home runs in 2018, Pache topped that by hitting 12 in 2019, in a season spent primarily in the pitcher-friendly Double-A Southern League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Pache continues to stand out for his elite defensive ability. As a 70-grade runner with a tremendous first step and a 70-grade arm, it's easy to project Pache as a Gold Glove center fielder. He aggressively tracks down balls in the gaps and has well above-average range and impressive route-running ability. What has raised Pache's ceiling, though, is his increased power production. Previously expected to hit between 10-15 homers a season, Pache is now projected by scouts to hit 20-25 home runs. Some have even gone as far as saying 30 home runs are a possibility because of the increased strength and better leverage in his swing. Yet Pache does need to continue refining his approach to get to an average hit tool. He has the physical skills—with electric bat speed, as well as solid pitch selection and strike zone recognition— but he continues to be an extreme pull-oriented hitter who sent more than 55 percent of his batted balls to the left side in 2019. Learning to use the middle and opposite field will help him get on base more frequently and help him avoid being shifted upon. His pure speed will help him leg out infield hits. While Pache is a double-plus runner who clocks times of 4.15 seconds from home to first base from the right side, his speed continues to play better in the outfield. Pache has never been an efficient basestealer, and he showed little progress in that regard in 2019, going a dreadful 8-for-19 (42 percent) in stolen base attempts at Double-A Mississippi, before simply not attempting a stolen base in 26 games at Triple-A Gwinnett.

THE FUTURE: Pache made it to Triple-A as a 20-year-old in 2019, and could likely use some more time there in 2020. But he was ready to fill in if necessary with Atlanta in 2019 and should have a chance to break in as a regular in 2020, adding even more excitement to an outfield built around Ronald Acuña Jr.

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