Rookie profile

Rookie profile: Carlos Pena

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By John Sickels
Special to ESPN.com

Carlos Pena
Oakland Athletics
Position: 1B

Year	Team	Level	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG
1999	Charlotte	A	136	501	85	128	31	8	18	103	74	135	2	5	.256	.365	.457
2000	Tulsa	AA	138	529	117	158	36	2	28	105	101	108	12	0	.299	.414	.533
2001	Oklahoma	AAA	119	431	71	124	38	3	23	74	80	127	11	3	.288	.408	.550
2001	Texas	AL	22	62	6	16	4	1	3	12	10	17	0	0	.258	.361	.500

Background
Pena was the 10th-overall pick in the 1998 draft, selected in the first round by the Rangers out of Northeastern University. He was born in the Dominican Republic, but moved to the United States with his family in the early 1990s. Pena hit .325 for Class A Savannah after signing in '98, then put up the numbers you see above in '99 and '00. His Double-A season at Tulsa was especially impressive. Pena got off to a slow start in '01, hampered by injuries, but heated up as the season progressed and finished with fine numbers once again. He was traded to Oakland in January in an exchange of prospects, and will replace Jason Giambi at first base for the Athletics.

Scouting report
Pena has a smooth swing with a slight lift. He shows plus power to all fields, capable of pulling pitches or going the opposite way, as needed. His strike zone judgment is excellent; he draws lots of walks, and while he does strike out quite a bit, it is not expected to become a problem. He does have some trouble with breaking stuff from southpaws, but that is to be expected given his age. He should overcome that in time. Pena runs well for a big guy, and is a fine defensive first baseman. He will make errors, but has much more range than the average first-sacker, and could be a Gold Glove candidate eventually. Scouts praise his work ethic, intelligence, and
steadiness under pressure, qualities that will help him deal with the pressure of replacing Giambi.

Performance
Pena's numbers for the last two years have been excellent. He's posted OPS marks well above league average in both Double-A and Triple-A, slugging over .500 at both stops, with very high on-base percentages. He has yet to breach the .300 barrier in a full season, but you can't beat the .400+ OBP, which is more important than the
batting average. His high doubles totals indicate that his home run power should develop beyond where it already is. Pena's statistical profile indicates that he is ready for major league action now, an assessment with which scouts agree.

Health record
Pena has had no serious injuries. He was bothered throughout the first half last year by a sore ribcage and a tender hamstring, which contributed to his weak first half production. But the injuries healed without long-term problems.

What to expect
Pena will be one of the main candidates for American League Rookie of the Year. His job in Oakland is guaranteed, and he seems well-suited to standing up to the pressure of replacing a superstar, at least as well as any rookie can be suited to such a task. He seems unlikely to hit for a tremendous batting average at this point, but his power
production and on-base abilities should shine. Carlos hit .258/.361/.500 in his brief tenure with the Rangers last September, and should put up similar numbers in full-time play this year. Given his age and athletic ability, he'll grow beyond that as
he enters his prime seasons.