By Tomasz Kamien / NewJerseyHitmen.blogspot.com

March 23^rd, 2014: Trenton, NJ – Much like the infield, the Hitmen outfield is pretty much a done deal, from what I can tell.  The one spot that is up for grabs is the fourth outfield position.  In the mix for the spot, we have plenty of young rookies – some that we saw last September – as well as a former 17^th round draft choice.  Let’s see who we will have roaming the yard this year.

Starting Outfielders

• LF – Chris Weaver signed this off-season.  He makes his return to the States after spending a year with the Fushigi Yugi Celestial Warriors of the LRS.  Weaver was signed to replace outfielder Sancho Romero, who was part of the González deal.  Sancho was the image of consistency for the Hitmen.  In his two seasons with the team, he averaged a solid .282 along with 15 home runs and 64 RBI.  His two seasons were almost identical, right down to his time spent on the disabled list.  The Hitmen hope that Weaver, a former Borealis star, can continue that consistency (minus the DL stints) for a season or two.  Averaging .319 in six seasons with Aurora, Weaver has always been a star in the field, making the All-Star squad three times.  Weaver also sits on 958 hits in his PEBA career.  It looks like he could potentially hit some nice milestone numbers this season if he can stay healthy.

• CF – Shou-chien Jung signed a new four-year extension this off-season and will once again be patrolling center field for the Hitmen.  His bat has improved each year he has started for the Hitmen, but what Jung really wants is to return to his All-Leather-quality defense.  While committing only four errors last season, he mentioned that he just felt uncomfortable at times in the field.  Another aspect of his game he is trying to get back is his power swing from 2012, when he hit a career-high 18 home runs.  If he continues to hit for contact, I for one won’t miss his power.  Another aspect of Jung’s game that is not mentioned enough is his speed.  He has swiped 34 or more bags in each of the last two seasons.

• RF – Manuel Serrano is considered one of the two big boppers for the Hitmen.  After arriving in a 2012 trade, Serrano immediately got the nod to start in right field and was off to a solid rookie season in which he was slugging .472 and had 20 home runs.  He followed up in with a 27 home run and 89 RBI 2013 while hitting a much-improved .296 and slugging .562.  While there are big hopes that Serrano is only going to continue getting better, one thing management is worried about is the slugger’s durability.  Spending almost three months on the disabled list last season, Serrano has averaged just 115 games a season since being brought up.  Team trainer Tynan David has gotten to work early this year.  He already had Serrano working on improving his flexibility in order to help avoid injuries.  If the Hitmen plan to make a run this year, they will need Serrano’s bat.

• DH – Anthony Hough has been a bright spot for the Hitmen.  Always considered just an average hitter, Hough was held back from big league play by the performance of fellow slugger Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval.  Despite impressive power numbers, Sandoval lacked patience at the plate and was delegated to backup work when Holleb took over.  After an impressive September, Holleb gave Hough the chance to prove himself as a starter.  Going into his second full season as the starting designated hitter, Hough believes 40 home runs are not out of the question.  We can only hope!

Outfield Depth

The Hitmen know just how important a deep outfield can be.  Last season, starters spent a combined 18 weeks on the disabled list, with Romero missing the playoffs and Serrano making it back just in time.

• LF – Hyeon-san Yi was acquired in a controversial trade back in 2011 after a superb season in Evansville that saw him bat a torrid .402 in 47 outings at the young age of 21.  Then-General Manager Michael Czosnyka made the impulse decision to trade for Yi in hopes that he could be the future for the squad.  While Yi shows flashes of brilliance and is still young enough to mature, other standout players hold him back.  As of now, he is one of two main players fighting for the fourth outfield position.

• RF – Cliff Jones is one of those players you just can’t stop following.  A smart kid out of Boston, Jones did not join the league to huge fanfare.  It was the exact opposite.  Drafted 392^nd overall (17^th round) in 2011, not many fans had heard much about Jones or his college career, spent mostly as a backup.  Jones did not amaze anyone until a breakout 2012 where he hit with authority.  2013 was more of the same; he continued to thrill the fans and speed through the Hitmen minor league system.  Riding this wave and adrenaline has worked for Jones.  He will be fighting for the fourth outfield spot this season, something no one could have projected when he was first drafted.

The outfield depth does not end with these two promising players, though.  Some other backups that have spent time in the majors and are looking for a bench spot include John Knapp, Alex Bullard, and Carlos Hernández.  Knapp is your typical defensive option.  He does not have much of a bat but is solid at all three outfield positions.  He is a long shot to make it, though, as there are plenty of more talented players ahead of him on the list.  Bullard has been dominant at the AAA level for years now, although he has not been able to make the transition to the bigs.  Hernández is what some scouts call a flop.  A former first round pick back in 2008, Carlos has always showed talent in the minor leagues.  Carlos is a genius when it comes to defense and he is smart around the bags; he just cannot seem to get his swing timing down when it comes to big league pitching.  Sadly, Carlos is running out of options, so he will need to figure out his swing soon or his time in New Jersey could very well be up.

On the Horizon

Outfield depth is something the Hitmen are not lacking in, and the future is only looking brighter.

• RF – Ieyoshi Ishikawa was acquired from London last season for three solid prospects.  He is currently slated as the team’s future left fielder.  There were hopes he would be ready this year, but management decided to give him another season to grow.  Ieyoshi is a very solid hitter and could potentially compete for the Wunderkind Award when he finally makes his debut.  It is looking like 2015 will be that big year for him.  I know I am excited and can’t wait to see this kid get his chance.

• LF – Javier Soto is a very young future bat.  Soto’s big flaw is not his offense but his defense.  He has no real ideal position in the field and could potentially be a designated hitter in the future unless he puts more work into his defense.  Soto has been brought along slowly, and rightfully so considering his age.  He is progressing nicely, and current projections put him at fighting for a roster spot in 2016.

The talent does not end there, however.  Down in Bergen, we can look forward to Ben Page and Barton MacLugash.  Page has the makings of a future center field option and leadoff man in the lineup with plenty of speed.  Barton is just an all-around right fielder with a solid swing.

If we look further down in Hoboken, we find John Weaver, a recent 2013 draftee.  Weaver was a two-time All-Star while in high school but, like Soto, is more of a bat than a defender.  Weaver is only 19, though, and still has plenty of time to improve his glove over the years before he is ready for the bigs.

Finally, in Hilo, we are keeping our eyes on Ken Bennett.  Bennett was a backup while playing ball in high school but has shown some real promise in his time down in SS-A ball.  Probably the furthest away from making the bigs out of this group, he will be a player we keep our eyes on over the years.