Following an incredible season in which his 88 RBI total led the organization’s minor leaguers, Botts is looking to continue his aggressiveness.
His 14 homers rank him 2nd in the Texas league, while he maintains a batting average that hovers around .300.
We expect that he should move up to AAA this year if he can maintain a .300 or better average with that kind of power production. Botts is doing great, but not well enough to bypass the AAA in our estimation. A trip to the mini-majors will tell if he can play well enough for average while ripping the hides off of the balls to make it to the bigs.
Right now the first base bag at Arlington is achored by Mark Teixeira, who, batting in the neighborhood of .259 right now, is not holding on to it with an iron grip.
Botts may have a shot at the position in a year or two if he continues to develop at his current pace. Fence swingers being what they are, though, that can be a mighty big "if."
It is not certain that the house that overpaid A-Rod and shipped off Pudge will keep Botts or deal him. The departure of big bats in a Rangers uniform is about as regular as the swallows migration to San Juan Capistrano.
Scouts and G.M.s should definitely pencil this guy into a deal if the Rangers go shopping for bigger names to anchor first base.
As long as homerun hitters are still the fashion of baseball and he works his game, Botts' stock with any organization should remain high.
