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Atlanta Braves Scouting Report on OF Keith Curcio

By Benjamin Chase

Mar 30, 2015; Lakeland, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves third baseman Chris Johnson (23) prepares to hit in the batting cage before the start of the spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2015; Lakeland, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves third baseman Chris Johnson (23) prepares to hit in the batting cage before the start of the spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Scouting Report

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Size/Build

Curcio is listed at 5’10” and 170 pounds, and both could be generous, frankly. He’s a fairly small guy.

Hitting

Contact (55) – Curcio stands in the back of the batter’s box, approaching pitchers by getting the best look he can at pitches.

He has a quick, level swing that can really spray the ball all around the field.

Power (30) – While Curcio has good contact skills, he is more skilled at getting the bat to the ball than getting the BEST part of the bat to the ball.

On top of having limited natural power, that leads to most of Curcio’s power being exhibited through gap power.

Eye (55) – Curcio’s excellent bat control is aided by his tremendous strike zone judgement. He does tend to have a contact-oriented approach, which means he’s not going to take a ton of walks, but he also does not strike out at a high level either.

Base Running/Fielding

Speed (60) – Curcio’s small size does have one advantage in that he has tremendous quickness, getting his feet down quickly.

He has both short burst and also solid long distance speed, allowing him to disrupt pitchers while he’s on base and also take an extra base on a gap hit.

Defense (55) – Curcio’s speed also allows him to be an above-average defender essentially wherever he’s placed around the field. He shows solid outfield range at all three positions, though his reads off the bat are only average.

At second, he’s passable, though probably not a guy you’d want starting long term either.

Arm (50) – Curcio’s arm is average in the outfield, though he does very well setting himself up for accurate throws from the outfield.

At second, I was impressed with how well Curcio threw as many outfielder struggle with the move to the infield, especially to second base.

MLB Player Comp

Considering who I would use in this spot was difficult until I talked with a couple scouts this offseason. One brought up a player as a future MLB “best case” role for Curcio, and in watching a bunch more video, I think it’s a good fit.

Skip Schumaker came up with the Cardinals as a solid contact-hitting infielder that could also handle outfield, which is reverse in positioning, but still the same positions.

Their offensive skills are also similar, even with similar swings from the left side. Schumaker ended up having a 3 year run as a starter for the Cardinals before slipping into more of a reserve role. He didn’t appear in the majors in 2016 after getting his first real long look in 2007.

A solid decade of contributing to a major league team is certainly nothing to sneeze at, and I think Curcio’s speed could provide even a bit more value if he could crack the majors than Schumaker was able to offer.

Next: Braves Minor League Database

Curcio’s future path may not lead him into a role as a starting outfielder, but it will be interesting to see how the team uses him going forward.

He’s shown enough to handle second base and can handle all three outfield positions well, which would make him a very solid bench candidate.

He’s likely to open at AA in 2017, and he could be making a splash at AAA by the end of the year.

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