Hunter Pence

2013

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2012

The Phillies acquired Pence from the Astros prior to the trade deadline last season in order to bring some balance to their lineup. Pence proved to be a solid addition hitting .324 with 11 home runs while in a Phillies uniform. The former top prospect has settled in as a nice major league player with his mid-20s home-run power and double-digit stolen base numbers. Those numbers are likely to hold steady, but the batting average might be in for a correction as Pence's .370 BABIP last season is much higher than his career .321 rate. Pence had surgery for a hernia in the offseason but the procedure is considered minor and he will be ready for spring training.

2011

Like many of his teammates, Pence got off to a miserable start last season, but he recovered enough to put up numbers pretty similar to his 2009 line. The one slightly worrisome development was the regression in his walk rate, dropping to 2008 levels and giving up all of the gains he made in 2009. Pence is streaky, so if you draft him, expect your share of up and down months. Whether he will recapture the plate discipline and take his game to the next level remains to be seen, but for now Pence is the answer to one of the Astros' questions in the outfield.

2010

It was a streaky season for the young outfielder, whose season batting average fell from .358 at the end of May to .278 at the end of August. He redeemed himself with a torrid September, salvaging what was beginning to look like a disappointing season. The good news for Pence was that he showed greatly improved discipline at the plate all year, cutting his strikeouts down by nearly 15 percent and matching his walk total from 2008 by the end of July. His midseason slump should give you pause, but there's still upside here as he enters his prime.

2009

After bursting onto the scene as a rookie in May 2007, big things were expected out of Pence last season. He suffered the mother of sophomore slumps in the first half, especially in April when he hit .260 with just one home run. However, he rebounded nicely, especially in the power department, and ended up hitting .269 with 25 homers and 83 RBI. He also stole 11 bases, but was caught 10 times. Pence's breakneck style in the outfield a la Eric Byrnes makes him a fan favorite, and we expect a nice bounce back this year. Last year's early season struggles may allow you to get him at a discounted rate in 2009, something a prepared owner should be ready to take advantage of.

2008

Pence was widely considered the Astros' best prospect entering the 2007 season, and his eventual callup to the majors was just a matter of time. With Chris Burke struggling to make the transition to center field, Pence was promoted at the end of April after a strong first month at Triple-A Round Rock. He had a fantastic rookie season, hitting .322 with 17 homers, 30 doubles, nine triples and 11 steals in 456 at-bats. He came in third in the Rookie of the Year voting behind Milwaukee's Ryan Braun and Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki. He was shifted to right field toward the end of the season, and with Houston's acquisition of Michael Bourn, he will stay there for the foreseeable future.

2007

Pence hit .283/.357/.533 with 28 homers, 31 doubles, 95 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 21 chances at Double-A Corpus Christi in 2006. He moves great considering his 6'4'', 220 pound frame, and has good instincts in the outfield. He has plus power to all fields, and has a natural uppercut swing, a la Jim Edmonds. His range is limited for center, and he doesn't have the arm to play right, so his future is likely in left field. He'll start the year at Triple-A Round Rock, and should make his major league debut sometime during the season.

2006

Scouts don't like Pence, describing him as awkward, but the guy has hit since the day he was drafted. He could stand to be challenged, something he should get at Double-A this year. He'll have to hit, as he won't have the range for center field at higher levels. No in-between here: he'll either be headed for the majors or buried by this time next year.