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2003 season Devil Rays shortstop is
just the first of a line of potential Upton superstars B.J. Upton is one of the more highly-regarded prospects in professional baseball, just one and half years removed from being the second overall selection in the 2002 organized baseball draft. The 19-year-old shortstop is projected to make his major league debut before the end of the 2004 season.
Yet Upton gets most excited when talking about his younger brother, Justin, 16-year-old Virginia shortstop considered to be one of the top high school players in the nation. Upton laughed when asked what his brother would say if asked who is the best ballplayer in the family. "Of course, he's going to say him," replied Upton. "At that age, he's probably a little better than I was, power-wise," he said about his younger sibling. "Other than that we're pretty even. He's probably faster than I was at that age, but I was more consistent with the bat." "He's going to get a lot bigger," continued the 6'3", 170 pound Upton, about his brother. "He's about 6'2", 190 right now. He's still got two years to grow. When he graduates he'll probably more to a corner outfield (position)." Despite talk of the older Upton moving from shortstop to a different position at some point in his career, many baseball observers believe he's now at his ultimate place on the field. "For me, he's a shortstop as long as he wants to be," stated Pat Kelly, Upton's manager in the recently-concluded Arizona Fall League. "He's very natural out there and I'm sure he'll be fine shortstop." Upton grew up watching Derek Jeter, but doesn't agree with current comparisons to the New York Yankee shortstop. "When I was younger I tried to model my game after him," said Upton, "but now it's just my own game." Upton moved quickly through the Tampa Bay system in only his first professional season, starting the year in Low Class A before spending the final month in AA. His numbers reflect an advanced skill set for a teenager. The right-handed hitter batted .302/.394/.445 with seven homeruns and 38 stolen bases for Charleston of the South Atlantic League, then hit .276/.376/.381 in his short stint at AA Orlando.
It's this blend of plate discipline, speed and power that gets everyone excited over Upton's potential. "He's a tremendous talent," said Kelly, manager of the Braves' AAA Richmond affiliate. "(He's) very athletic ... he's got a great throwing arm, very good hands, and tremendous range in the infield. He's got a very live bat; the ball just jumps off his bat. "He's going to be an exciting player, and fun to watch." Upton has a lot of confidence in his abilities, but knows what he needs to do to get better. "Defense," he answered when asked what part of his game needs the most improvement. "My hitting always comes along. If I can get my defense consistent, then I think I'll be okay." "He just needs to play," said Kelly. "It's been a long season for him. I think he just has to keep working and keep improving to get better." The Devil Rays sent Upton to the Arizona Fall League as a taxi squad player, meaning he was eligible to play only in Wednesday and Saturday games. He appeared in 11 games, batting .214/.353/.214. But it was the time spent in practice with the coaches and observing his more experienced Mesa Solar Sox teammates that was most valuable to Upton. "Being around older guys, and just learning what to do and what not to do, is probably what helped me the most" stated Upton. "We've got a ton of players out here that people just love to watch play. They come to play every day." The pressure from being one of the top draft picks hasn't affected Upton at all. "I don't even think about it," Upton remarked. "People might notice I was a number one draft pick. I don't even think about it anymore. I don't pay attention to it." Upton also vows not to let success in baseball change his personality and demeanor. I'll be the same person ... always," he said. "I just don't change for anybody, that's the way I've been." --- Bill Mitchell All photos on the Arizona Fall League Report are credited to Bill Mitchell, unless noted otherwise, and are not to be used for any other purpose without express permission.
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