Jose Tabata

2013

Subscribe now to see our 2013 outlook.

2012

Tabata has shown glimmers of greatness and a propensity for injury since coming over from the Yankees in 2008. The outfielder stole nine bags in the first 20 games of the season and appeared primed for a breakout. A hamstring injury slowed him down, thereafter, and he would never be quite the same. The Pirates shut Tabata down in early September with a fractured wrist. He tried to play through it after inking a $15 million contract extension but was ineffective. He's got the ability to hit .300 -- he batted .299 in 405 at-bats as a rookie in 2010 -- but questions remain about his ability to stay healthy. He's slated to start every day in right field. With any luck, Tabata might finally realize his potential -- just be prepared for a stint or two on the DL.

2011

An MVP-type showing in the 2009 Arizona Fall League paid almost immediate dividends for Tabata and the Pirates. Tabata piggy-backed his AFL showing by stealing 23 bases in just 53 Triple-A games at the start of 2010, batting .308/.373/.424 prior to his recall to Pittsburgh. He promptly got a pair of knocks in his first major league game in Washington and never really looked back. In fact, he could have sat out either of the team's last two games to secure a .300 batting average, but chose to play in both (going 0-for-7) and finished with a composite line of .299/.346/.400 in 405 at-bats. He stole 19 bases in 26 attempts and gave the Pirates decent defense in mostly left field and occasionally center. The way he's able to take the ball to the opposite field with conviction bodes well for his ability to stay out of protracted slumps. Tabata's got left field and a spot in the batting order locked down for 2011. He makes for a smart target late in fantasy drafts, as he'll help in several categories including runs, batting average and stolen bases. At a listed age of 22, Tabata also has a chance to develop power down the road, as his 21 doubles suggest.

2010

Tabata led the Arizona Fall League with a .392 batting average and could force the Pirates' hand with a strong spring training and early-season start at Triple-A. After recovering from personal issues in spring training and an early-season hamstring problem that saw him miss six weeks, Tabata lit up Double-A and was hitting .302/.370/.404 when he was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis. He cooled off with Indy, putting up a line of .276/.333/.410. He hit just five homers in 2009, but that number figures to increase with experience. General manager Neal Huntington has made it known that the organization intends to bring up Tabata in 2010 if he continues to hit.

2009

The Pirates hope that Tabata builds upon his performance from Double-A Altoona last summer in 2009. The main component in the Xavier Nady trade, Tabata hit .348 for Altoona in 22 games after struggling with Double-A Trenton, where he hit just .248. Tabata suffered a broken hamate bone in 2007, perhaps adding to his slow start last year. Regardless, the Pirates hope that after another year or two in the minors he'll be able to contribute at the major league level. Although Pittsburgh does not feature a particularly deep outfield, it's unlikely that the team will want to start Tabata's arbitration clock a second before it has to. As a result, it might not be wise to expect even a September call-up for the skilled outfielder.

2008

Tabata's season at High-A Tampa ended because of a broken hamate bone in his wrist just after turning 19 in August. The combination of his age and level of play are enough to put him among the game's most-promising hitting prospects, while the .307/.371/.392 line is just a hint of his long-term potential. Tabata only hit five homers, but he stole 15 bases in 22 attempts, and there's little reason to believe that his power won't develop as he fills out his frame the next few years. The Yankees may start him at Double-A to see how he fares out of spring training, while the possibility of seeing him at Yankee Stadium as an everday regular in 2009 (Bobby Abreu is in the final year of his contract) is still a possibility and will hinge on how he responds to Double-A pitching.

2007

Tabata projects as a potential replacement in right field for the Yankees once Bobby Abreu's contract runs out after this season. He'll turn 19 this August, but if he continues to use his good bat speed to drive the ball all over the ballpark, finishing the year a Triple-A is a possibility. Tabata also runs very well and would be a legitimate 30-steal candidate in the right environment. Keep him in mind for minor-league drafts and deep-keeper formats.