great? I said above average. He played the position very well a few years ago when Correa was hurt. He even said himself, just last year, that he would play SS at an all star level.
Bregman has seemed more mellow the past couple of years, but if he thinks he's an all-star caliber defensively at SS..his cockiness is back! He fields the ball fine and throws accurately, but he just doesn't have SS range or the umpff to make the deep throws at akward angles.
DH Altuve SS Pena LF Yordan 2B Bregman CF Tucker 1B Abreu RF Brantley 3B Correa C Maldonado Back to back champs.
Great- above average= splitting hairs. He may he fine. I would be SHOCKED if he gets to above average
Bregs was known as an elite shortstop when the Astros drafted him. That said I’d never move him from 3B. He’s the best on those do or die barehanded plays and has a rocket arm.
Saw him at on the Kirb in Richmond a couple weeks back. Awesome dude as expected. Glad they are all locked in to announce the next World Series title runs
Mlb.com draft profile Paul Casella (2015): Because of his size, tools and aggressive nature at the plate, he regularly gets compared to Dustin Pedroia. Like Pedroia, he appeared to be a college shortstop headed for second base in pro ball, but Bregman has looked better defensively this spring and may be able to stick at short. His arm and instincts allow him to make plays there, and he shows range to both sides. Baseball Prospectus: Questions about his future at the six spot dogged Bregman through the draft, but I've seen a true shortstop in my looks thus far in his pro career. He lacks plus range or arm strength, but the actions will play and he demonstrates an instinctual feel for the position. The player's outstanding makeup should further afford benefit to any doubts. The Sporting News ( when called up): Bregman’s defensive versatility should keep him in the lineup for a Houston club that has gotten little production from left field and first base. Bregman is an adequate shortstop, but he has also seen time recently at third and in the outfield. Now that A.J. Reed has been sent to the minors, Luis Valbuena could see the majority of starts at first with Bregman slotting in at third and getting the occasional start in left. I have yet to find any scout or report that lists him as an elite shortstop. Adequate. And that was before he started bulking up and didn't play the position for 3 years. You fans have on rose colored glasses.
Fangraphs(2016): When 2015 rolled around and he was draft-eligible again, Bregman was a divisive prospect despite his success largely because there was no consensus about his long-term ability to play shortstop. He didn’t have no-doubt shortstop speed and, while his arm was fine for the left side of the infield, it wasn’t the kind of elite arm strength that allows some players to hide their lack of range. Additionally, Bregman had virtually no positive physical projection remaining and wasn’t hitting for the sort of game power at LSU that would allay concerns about his offensive profile should he have to move off of short. That’s not to say scouts didn’t like Bregman — he’s always been adored — but it’s hard to justify drafting a second or third baseman with fringe to average power projection in the top three picks. None of it has mattered. Houston bought in, drafted him #2 overall in 2015, gave him nearly $6 million to sign and, 13 months of raking later, they have a big leaguer. For now, whether or not Bregman can play shortstop long term is largely irrelevant. I do think he’ll be passable there (the sources I’ve spoken to mostly grade him in the 45-50 range, defensively) Bregman’s role upon call-up is mostly going to be third base or left field with some DH and middle infield sprinkled in when Houston needs it. There may be the occasional tactical hiccup brought about by inexperience at those newer positions, but Bregman has the physical tools to be at least average at both spots and is very much the proverbial baseball rat who possesses instincts for all things baseball. He’s an average runner (with a bit of a waddling gait) with an above-average arm and a flare for the occasional dramatic play. Of course, the most important and impressive aspect of Bregman’s game is his bat. Bregman’s barrel is quick into the zone and he has excellent bat control, aided by a unique ability to adjust his lower half to help him get to pitches down. During the Futures Game, he somehow got to a 98-mph fastball in on his hands and roped it the other way for a gap-rolling triple. His bat path has always been of the ground-ball and line-drive variety, only ramping upward into a power-generating plane out in front of him. But Bregman’s timing and ability to impact the baseball at a spot that creates airborne contact is improving and, along with a shorter stride that has allowed him to get his hips into his swing much more this season, it’s a big reason he’s hitting for more power. His FB% has risen from 32% in 2015 to 37% this season. Consider his spray chart from this year: Compared to last: I think the spike we’ve seen in Bregman’s power this season is real. Not only do we have some tangible mechanical evidence to support the increased pop, but the difference in charted hit locations between ’15 and ’16 per MLBfarm.com are far too different to ignore. I think it’s likely that Bregman’s approach will eternally prioritize contact, but also that this newfound proclivity for power combined with Houston’s Crawford Boxes will lead to 20-plus annual homers. I don’t think Bregman has or will have plus raw power, but I think the quality of contact he makes combined with Minute Maid Park’s short porch in right field might allow him to have plus power output. While Bregman’s immediate impact will be as a pitch-mashing Swiss Army knife, I do think he’ll be Houston’s everyday shortstop on Opening Day of next year. Having scouted Carlos Correa in person this season, I believe Bregman represents a defensive upgrade there, however marginal. I don’t think it makes sense to make that change right now. Forcing Correa to learn a new position (he’s never played anything but shortstop) on the fly in the middle of a playoff race makes little sense, and removing his bat from the lineup so he can learn third base in a brief minor-league stint is such a laughable idea that I hate myself for even giving it half a sentence’s worth of thought. Rather, considering the way the pieces of Houston’ infield might be shuffled about during the offseason is necessary to present you the tool grades for Alex Bregman, for which I consider him at shortstop. Present/Future Hit: 50/70 Raw Power: 50/50 Game Power: 50/60 Speed: 50/50 Field: 45/45 Arm: 55/55 FV: 65 Translated, that’s about four wins annually. I think Bregman is a .300-hitting extra-base machine who yanks out about 20 homers per year while playing passable defense at short and an endearing brand of baseball.
I just don't think Dubon is a lock to make the roster. It's gonna have to be something special from him to stay. Especially if they make a trade to bring in a player or two. And that could very well happen if they sign a Chaffin or Minor or someone along those lines. There could be a move that brings in a CF or a C or even a depth player. Heck Le Stellaisn't a bad option and he does well I the AL
I think just the opposite Whatever have they done to make you think they are unhappy with him in any way? I think something special will need to happen for him to lose his spot.
What exactly do you think the Astros see in Dubon from his playing time here? The way he bear hugs the Mendoza line? His sub-par defensive skills at just about any position be plays? Just curious.
All I know is that Dusty spent weeks defending his decisions to play him last year, they put him on the playoff roster every series even when Chas and Meyers were both on too, and the Astros offered him arbitration this offseason when they could have released him all but guaranteeing him a spot on the 2023 roster.
He and Dusty have a prior relationship,and Dusty will play favorites. He's not a useless player as a utility guy who can solidly play a lot of positions, but because of Dusty he played far more than he should of as basically a part time starter in CF. If Dusty had retired, Dubon is likely competing for a spot in ST and nothing more.
Strange how Dubon gets re-litigated constantly. Have never understood why the 26th man gets so much heat. We can all agree he's pretty terrible offensively. But he's not sub-par at most of the positions he plays. He was above average at both CF and SS in 2022 by UZR/150. There's probably not more than a handful of guys in the majors that can play average, much less above average, defense at both CF and SS. And if you can play above average CF/SS, you're probably at least solid at the corners and 2B. And as sealclubber1016 said, he's one of Dusty's guys.
this. If a season comes down to the 26th man, then it wasn’t meant to be anyways. I’m not sure a teams WS aspirations has ever come down to man no. 26…our aspirations are more tied to what, 1-20? I like Dubon. He plays an important role for this team, one that is not sexy but necessary—good base runner, fielder, can play several positions. I mean, no team has a 300 hitter casually on the bench who can also defend several positions. Stros fans are spoiled. He’s an adequate last man on the roster.
