Wilson Ramos

2013

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2012

Ramos put together a very good rookie season in 2011 showing more patience at the plate than previously advertised (8.7 percent walk rate), and producing an elevated HR/FB ratio of 13.4 percent. He is an above average defensive catcher, and ranked ninth in baseball among qualified catchers in terms of weighted OBA (.332). Look for his strikeout rate to come down a bit, as his swinging-strike rate showed improvement last season. Look for his average to improve, but his OBP should remain the same, as his walk rate is likely to decrease. Fortunately, Ramos was rescued from kidnappers in Venezuela during the offseason, and he should be ready to go for the start of spring training after the scary incident.

2011

Defensively, Ramos is everything you could want in a catcher, with a big-time arm that should make any potential basestealer think twice or even thrice before taking off. At the plate, though, he's still a work in progress, with little plate discipline and a swing-for-the-fences approach. The Nationals will take a very long look at both Ramos and Jesus Flores in spring training, and there's no guarantee that Ramos is the one who will end up splitting time in the majors with the ghost of Ivan Rodriguez. Further complicating the backstop picture is the presence of Derek Norris in the system behind them, though he's at least a year away. By Opening Day, Ramos could be starting in the bigs, or at Triple-A, or learning the ropes backing up I-Rod, or in another organization entirely. The first two options seem the most likely, but don't expect much value in the short term even in the best-case scenario.

2010

Ramos has become one of Minnesota's top prospects with a good eye at the plate and strong throwing arm. He missed significant time last season due to a hamstring injury, but still posted showed strong plate discipline and decent power. His path to the majors is blocked by Joe Mauer and with Jose Morales emerging as Mauer's backup, Ramos may need to be traded to another organization to find a regular role in the majors. Still, he's a keeper to grab for when he eventually finds major league playing time.

2009

Ramos has climbed to the upper ranks of Minnesota's prospects with good power at the plate and a strong throwing arm behind the plate. He'll start the season at Double-A and could become Joe Mauer's backup in 2010 or a trade chip in the offseason.