Prospect Profile: Reid Engel

AGE: 20
BORN: 5/7/87
Height:6-3
Weight:190
Bats:Left
Throws: Right
Acquired: 2005 Draft, 5th Round
Position: Right Field
Player Comparison: Steve Finley
Current Team: Greenville Drive (Low A)
Rank: BA: Unknown Sox Prospects- #17




Scouting Report( Courtesy of SoxProspects.com):

Speedy and athletic left-handed hitting outfielder. Makes good contact, above average plate discipline. Decent power, but needs to build up strength a bit. Raw with a high ceiling, still playing above his age level. Intelligent. Probably could stand to bulk up a little, but he's still young so that can be expected. Plays a sold right field. The Red Sox organization thinks very highly of Engel.

Season Stats: AVG  G  AB   HR   RBI  TB  BB  SO  SB  OBP  SLG  OPS
             .304  60 217   3   28   94  22  40  7   .382 .433 .815

Career Stats: AVG  G  AB   HR   RBI  TB  BB  SO  SB  OBP  SLG  OPS 
             .247 62  251  22   26   88  13  53  5   .283 .351 .633

Amateur Career: Reid Engel attended Lewis-Palmer High School in Longmont Colorado where he played baseball. Reid showed potential as a 5-tool prospect with plus speed and a projectable frame. In his senior year, he hit .431 with 6 Home Runs and 37 RBI. Reid was and still is a very intelligent player who made Academic All State. Engel committed to Baylor University, but signed with the Red Sox (154K Bonus) after they made him a 5th round selection in 2005.

Pro Career:
In 2005, Engel signed early enough to play 27 games for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox. He hit at a .233 and only slugged .330, but showed good plated discipline and some raw ability.

Reid was assigned to repeat the GCL in 2006 as a 19 year old. After six games where he hit .200 for the Sox GCL affiliate, Engel was promoted to Lowell (Short Season) where he became the youngest player on the team and played center field. He was disappointing for Lowell hitting a decent .251, but only got on base at a .280 clip and did not show much power with a .355 slugging percentage. Engel whiffed 48 times too.

This season, the Red Sox thought highly enough of Engel to start him in full season ball for the South Atlantic League's Greenville Drive(Low A). He is the team's right fielder. Engel got off to a slow start batting just .200 in April with a .458 OPS. As May came around,so did Engel's bat. Engel raked in May, putting up a line of .410/.473/.602. After cooling off slightly in June, when he hit .282, Engel is batting .304/.382/.433. Engel played flawless right fielder with 0 errors on the season. He played well enough in the first half to earn himself a starting spot on the Sally League All Star team.

Projection:
Engel at 20, is young for his level and has a very bright future. He needs to show some more power and add more muscle to his frame in order to climb up through the ranks and produce at the higher levels. Engel is still a very raw talent who has as good of a chance of becoming a big league star as he does of becoming a career Minor League filler. Engel is a very good sleeper prospect who deserves more publicity and hype than he is getting. Look for him to start 2008 in Lancaster.

Sox Prospects: Reid Engel
MILB.COM: Reid Engel