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http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/deja-vu-byron-buxton-stirs-echoes-of-mike-trout-in-cedar-rapids/
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa—When the idea first popped into a scout’s head, it seemed preposterous.
Just two years after he dominated the Midwest League for Cedar Rapids, Mike Trout produced one of the best rookie seasons in baseball history. So how is it possible that there’s a guy in the same league–in the same city–who is … (looks around to see if anyone is within earshot) . . . better?
It seems crazy to compare anyone to a player who just produced one of the greatest age 20 seasons ever. But scouts who have seen Cedar Rapids center fielder Byron Buxton this spring are no longer wondering whether he’s the best prospect in baseball. They are wondering how the Twins farmhand–the Kernels switched affiliations from the Angels to the Twins this season–compares to the best prospects they’ve ever seen.
“I am positive he’s the best prospect I’ve seen in (more than a decade) of full-time scouting,” a pro scout for a National League club said. “It’s not even close. Tools, athleticism, feel and vision. Time will tell what kind of major league player he becomes, but the sky is the limit.”
Another scout, referencing the 2-to-8 scouting scale, said (somewhat) jokingly two days into five days of watching Buxton: “What don’t I throw an 8 on?”
A third pro scout has seen Midwest League stars come and go for more than a decade. In his eyes, Buxton’s hitting approach is better than Trout’s was when he was in the league. He hedges a bit, saying that he doesn’t know if Buxton will develop as Trout has, but says strictly based on MWL performance, Buxton has been better.
“Joe Mauer, Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols, that’s the grouping I have him in as far as pure hitting approach,” said the scout, who saw all three of those future big league stars come through the MWL.