Posted by Jason Grey
When you picture a position player who was the second overall pick in the draft and got a $9.5 million major league contract, undoubtedly you would expect that player to be some sort of middle-of-the-order masher.
That's not what the
Seattle Mariners' Dustin Ackley is. What Ackley -- who is listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds -- is going to be is a very good leadoff or, ideally, No. 2 hitter in a big league lineup who can bring batting average and stolen bases to the table, with the potential for a bit more.
The consensus best hitter in the 2009 draft in a relatively weaker class for them, the left-handed hitter has a very short stroke with plenty of bat speed, very good balance throughout his swing, and excellent bat control. He has demonstrated an ability to consistently get the fat part of the barrel on the ball in the past, keeping it in the strike zone a long time and finishing the swing well. Ackley also understands the strike zone and has good hand-eye coordination. When he does show power, it's fairly easy, as he doesn't need to muscle up, instead letting his natural swing and a little backspin provide the juice. Though he hasn't homered in a game at the Arizona Fall League, he has shown good carry on the baseball during batting practice.
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Jason Grey
