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2007 Guzman has bounced all over the field since the Dodgers decided he had grown too large to play short, and--coincidentally or not--his bat atrophied along the way. Traded to the Rays for Julio Lugo (a deal that did little for the Dodgers in the short term and will perhaps accomplish even less for the Rays in the long run), Guzman has gone from top prospect to something of an afterthought. As a first baseman, his bat is the blandest flavor of stale vanilla. Fortunately for him, the team has an opening at the position and a history of not being discriminating about whom they put there. 2006 Number seven on our Top Prospect list in 2005, Guzman is the crown jewel of the Dodger system, a man-child with more raw power than Iggy and the Stooges circa 1973. While his numbers show a somewhat alarming drop in ISO in 2005, his translations are essentially in line with what he did in 2004. Guzman`s huge physique makes a move away from shortstop likely, and though he got a taste of third base at Jacksonville before LaRoche arrived, right field is a potential home thanks to his arm strength. Comparisons to Miguel Cabrera abound, but Cabrera had a solid rookie year and postseason heroics under his belt at age 20 after spending less than half the time in Double-A that Guzman has already put in. Guzman has significant star potential, but it will happen at a slower pace. 2005 Guzman's a solid prospect who looks a lot like Alfonso Soriano. He's got the ability to hit pretty much any pitch thrown near the plate with authority. He also has the ability to miss any pitch thrown over the plate with even greater authority. It's not clear he's going to be able to play an acceptable defensive shortstop at the big league level, but he'll certainly swing hard once he gets there. Good power, plate discipline more of a theoretical concept in his worldview than anything substantive. He might get a September cup of coffee this season, but 2006 is probably his first chance at significant playing time.
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