Keon Broxton used to be one of the top prospects in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ farm system. Baseball America ranked him as high as tenth in the system in 2010, and had him in the top 20 from 2009-2012. During that time, he struggled in A-ball, only getting as high as a .763 OPS in his second run through the High-A level. He went to Double-A in 2013, where he once again saw struggles at the plate. At the end of Spring Training in 2014, the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Broxton from the Diamondbacks for cash considerations, and sent him back to Double-A, where he would play in Altoona.
This time around, everything worked for Broxton. He was always a toolsy player, with a tall, athletic build, the ability to hit for some power, and enough speed to steal bases and give him the range to play center field. He’s dealt with pitch recognition in the past, including trouble identifying breaking pitches. The 2014 season not only saw him hitting for power and stealing bases, but he cut down on his strikeouts a bit, and increased his walk rate. He also got time in left and center field, showing off good range at each position, and displaying a plus arm which makes him an option in right field.
Despite the strong season, Broxton wasn’t added to the 40-man roster this off-season, making him eligible for the 2014 Rule 5 draft. He wasn’t selected, but he did get a vote of confidence from the Pirates by receiving an invite to Major League Spring Training. He is unlikely to make the team, but should go to Triple-A, where he will provide the Pirates with outfield depth throughout the year. Broxton’s speed, his ability to play all three outfield positions well, and his ability to hit for some power make him a good fourth outfield option in the future. He’s going to need to continue cutting down on the strikeouts in the future in order to have success in Triple-A and the majors.
I spoke with Broxton this week, talking about his breakout season in Altoona, and what went in to the change. He said the biggest thing was added confidence, while also noting that he focused on pulling the ball and using the middle of the field more. We talked about his inconsistent play throughout the 2014 season, which featured a few monster months, followed by a few disastrous months, and what he needed to do to avoid that in the future. The full interview, along with some video of Broxton’s swing while he takes batting practice, is below.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
Currently he is a 6’3″ 195lb. CF.
I’d turn him into a 6’3″ 210lb. LF and see if his power spiked.
15 HRs in AA is now the standard for ‘breakout’? Stetson Allie gets a ‘breakout +’ rating then?
Well, if home runs are the only thing you care about…
Not at all what I said, but why quibble. Good luck on the paying site thing.
As with Willy Garcia’s, Broxton’s strikeout rate is still too high to project any success at the higher levels. I would put my money on Rojas Jr. versus the other two OFs.
Nice interview, Tim. Loved the cut ins of the BP with the voice over.
-Wabbit
Keon may get a cup of tea in MLB, but not more. I see him as AAA depth only. jmo.
How would you compare and contrast Broxton and Rojas as prospects – how do their skill sets, strengths, weaknesses, etc. compare with one another? From purely a fan perspective, they seem like similar players with a lot of natural athletic ability?
He has Rojas at #25 and Broxton at #46 in his book with a nice writeup on each. If you have the book, he breaks it down very well. If you don’t I suggest buying either the e-book or paperback. 🙂
I have the book – bought it the day it came out. i was looking for someone who is very familiar with both to give their “side-by-side” comparison of the two. That is not in the book.
I’ve got a Rojas feature coming up this week. After that, I might dive into the comparison.
Thank you Tim…I was just curious, because in some ways they seem like similar types of athletes. But, I wondered how they compared in speed, arm, power, etc.
A 20 slot difference doesn’t help with a comparison?
you are not very helpful….I’m sorry I asked…