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Inside look as to what Alex Bregman offers the Astros

By Eric Huysman

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Now that the LSU Tigers lost to TCU in the College World Series, shortstop Alex Bregman is about to embark on his professional career with the Houston Astros. I’ll write more detail into Bregman when he signs with the Astros, which it looks like he will do soon with his Tweet below.

I did a Q&A exchange with the editor of Death Valley Voice, the Fansided site of the LSU Tigers, Josh Criswell, shortly after Alex Bregman was drafted by the Astros. Here are his answers to the Q&A session, you can find my answers at How does LSU’s Alex Bregman fit in with Houston Astros?

CTH: What is your overall impression of Alex Bregman?

Criswell: Alex Bregman is a player that you know is going to play at the MLB-level the first time you watch him play. He has been a leader for LSU since he stepped on campus and carries himself well both on and off the field. Whether it is coming up with clutch hits or making dazzling defensive plays, Bregman always seems to provide a key play that you remember after the game.

CTH: What is his best asset as a baseball player?

Criswell: Bregman’s defensive ability is his best asset, and that says a lot when you consider how talented of a player he is. He has the speed to cover an incredible amount of ground at shortstop, and the coordination and arm strength to make plays that most players cannot.

CTH: As someone who watched him regularly, what’s his timeline to be ready?

Criswell: With the Astros making a push towards the playoffs earlier than anticipated, he could be on the fast-track to the MLB and make his debut sometime midseason in 2016. He is a complete player already, and should be able to move up the ranks quickly. I would be shocked if he spent more than two years in the minors.

CTH: Does he have the arm to handle third base?

Criswell: Definitely. His arm strength was put on display frequently at LSU, where he would throw opposing batters out from the outfield grass on very tough plays. It would take an adjustment, but a move to third is something that Bregman has the skill set for. Unfortunately, it would not allow him to use the full potential of his speed.

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CTH: Does he profile to be a gap hitter or medium power guy?

Criswell: I see him as a gap hitter early on in his career, but he will develop the power to average 20-25 home runs a season during his peak years. His home runs are almost always line drives, so expect a lot of extra base hits even if his home run numbers are down.

CTH: What MLB player would be a good comparison of him?

Criswell: I hate to compare Bregman to a future Hall of Fame player before he arrives at rookie ball, but I see a lot of Derek Jeter in him. He is a player that will not hit for historic power numbers, but has the punch to provide a clutch home run when called upon. He possesses underrated speed, will make highlight-reel defensive plays on the regular and has 3,000-hit potential if he makes his MLB debut fairly soon. Most importantly, though, he has intangible qualities that cannot be taught, much like Jeter was known for.

Thanks to Josh Criswell for answering my questions on Alex Bregman, we can do it again once Bregman makes his Astros debut later in his career. You can follow Josh on Twitter at @joshccriswell.

Next: Keeping up with the Houston Astros Prospects: J.D. Davis

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