In the next edition of our prospect watch, I’ll look at an extremely underrated prospect in first baseman Dennicher Carrasco.

You won’t find Dennicher Carrasco on many prospect lists, but I think this is a guy to keep an eye on in the following years. The corner infielder signed out of the Dominican Republic wasn’t assigned to an affiliate until age 20, playing 63 games with the DSL Royals in 2016.  Two years older than DSL average age, Carrasco had himself a year, finishing in a tie for third on the DSL home run leaderboards with seven. He hit .263/.365/.406 on the year.

After a successful first year in pro ball, the Royals pushed Carrasco to the Rookie League Burlington Royals, where he continued to enjoy success. It was a bit different this time though. Carrasco raised his batting average (.263 to .288), but he took a bit in BB% (12.5% to 4.7%), perhaps suggesting a change in approach. Think 2017 Mike Moustakas (good contact, great power, low walk rate).

He’s a strong pull hitter, getting most of his hits to left field.

Becoming more aggressive allowed Carrasco to add power, as 27 of his 68 hits this year went for extra bases. He also raised his ISO a lot from the previous year (.143 to .212). The power is good for his size too, as he doesn’t look like your prototypical first baseman. Expect him to grow into his frame more.

Another imposing thing with Carrasco’s bat is his above-average hand-eye coordination, making up for his average bat speed. He’s a great contact hitter for a power guy, rarely swinging and missing (his 8.5% SwStr% was one of the lower marks in the Appalachian League). I’d expect his low walk rate to rise, as he’s got a great understanding of the zone.

He profiles well at both first and third base. Good speed for a first baseman too.

He won’t show near the top of any Royals prospects lists, but this could be one of the more overlooked guys in the system.

Photo Credits: Robert Thomason