Jason Kubel

2013

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2012

Kubel was about the only thing going right for the Twins in the first half of last season as he was hitting .310 with a .820 OPS before going on the DL with a sprained left foot in early June. He had several setbacks (including a bone bruise) and played just 38 games the rest of the season, hitting just .214 over that span. Kubel has good plate discipline and power, but struggles against left-handed pitching (.678 career OPS) which could limit his playing time. His foot didn't suffer any structural damage, so he's expected to be ready for spring training. Look for him to work mostly in left field for the D-Backs after signing a two-year deal with Arizona in December.

2011

While Kubel had 21 home runs and 92 RBI, he posted the worst batting average and OPS of his career for a full season (he hit just .249 with a .750 OPS). He started very slow with a .219 average and .619 OPS in April and then had an up-and-down summer. He may have been just a bit unlucky with a career low .280 BABIP for a full season. Kubel has good plate discipline and power, but struggles against left-handed pitching (.655 OPS) which could limit his playing time. He'll be back in the starting lineup at DH and also get some starts in right field.

2010

Kubel had the best season of his career in 2009 as he continued to improve his power numbers and stayed healthy. He's always had good plate discipline and power, but hit a career-high 28 home runs at age 27. He continues to struggle against left-handed pitching (.643 OPS) which could limit his playing time. But there are plenty of reasons to think he can sustain last year's success given his strong minor league track record and with two consecutive seasons without the problems with his knees after 2004 ACL surgery previously sidetracked his career. While he'll still get some occasional starts in the outfield, he'll enter 2010 as Minnesota's primary DH.

2009

Kubel finally put together a full season after years of knee problems and had a breakout year as Minnesota's DH. Kubel put up monster numbers in the minors before 2004 surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee and then had ups and downs for 2.5 years before a strong second half to 2007. He picked up where he left off with good plate discipline and power. He continued to be platooned against most left-handed pitching (.833 OPS vs. RH and .733 vs. LH), a trend that may continue in 2009. At age 27 in 2009, he could be ready for a career year.

2008

For a year and a half, Kubel just wasn't the same hitter who put up monster numbers in the minors before 2004 surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. He struggled in 2006 after missing the entire 2005 season as his knee continued to be a problem. Last season he plodded along by hitting .250/.302/.404 in the first half and even seemed to have lost his former ability to draw walks. But Kubel caught fire in the second half, hitting .303/.379/.511 after the All-Star break. When healthy, Kubel has good plate discipline and power, but struggled last year against left-handed pitching (just .236 vs. lefties). He'll start the season as the DH and get some playing time in left field, but he could also be platooned at either position. Still, his strong second half could signal he's finally all the way back after knee surgery and could be a nice value based on his full-season numbers.

2007

Kubel will contend for a starting job at DH or left field after an up-and-down, injury-plagued season. He returned after missing all of 2005 due to surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee. He started off strong by hitting .291/.324/.485 in the first half, but in early July started to have soreness in both knees. He struggled in the second half, hitting just .163/.209/.233 with limited playing time. He had surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee in the offseason, which he believes came from overcompensating from his left knee injury. When healthy, Kubel has good plate discipline and power. He could produce a breakout season if he wins regular playing time and stays healthy.

2006

Kubel missed the entire 2005 season after major knee surgery and it's uncertain if he'll be ready for the start of the regular season. Kubel rocketed up the charts of baseball's top hitting prospects after tearing up Double-A and Triple-A in 2004 and was set for a starting job with the Twins in 2005 before suffering a knee injury in the Arizona Fall League. His recovery has gone slower than expected and he may not be at full speed when spring training starts. If healthy, he could start at DH or right field and has a lot of upside given his strong minor league stats. However, his status for 2006 is unclear.

2005

Kubel rocketed up the charts of baseball's top hitting prospects after tearing up Double-A and Triple-A before a late-season call-up to the Twins that saw him even start at DH in a playoff game. He hit an amazing .328/.394/.557 combined between the three stops. Unfortunately in the offseason Kubel suffered extensive ligament damage to his left knee as well as a torn ACL in the Arizona Fall League. As a result, he's expected to miss the entire 2005 season. Don't forget about him in keeper leagues as he'll likely contend for a starting job in the outfield with the Twins in 2006 if healthy.

2004

Kubel is yet another rising Twins outfield prospect who had an impressive ability to get on-base last season. Another strong season could see him become a factor in 2005. The only worry is a drop off in power (just four HR after 17 HR in low Single-A ball in 2002). If he hits for power he could rise quickly.

2003