In my scouting report, I called Guinn “quick as a cat!” I meant it so sincerely that I added the explanation mark. I mentioned that I saw him catch a rocket off a metal bat that would have crippled other guys. That play sold me on his instincts and reflexes. The stopwatch sold me on his speed. He would have the defensive ability — hands and range — to play short.

I probably see more offensive potential in him than a lot of scouts do. The reason I go with that is because I like the quickness in his wrists and the way he throws the bat head through the zone. He is extremely thin and wiry at this point, but I think a player with this frame can fill in some and add some pop to the contact. You won’t get power and that’s not the point, but what you are looking for is a guy with contact who can develop enough strength to his contact skills so that he is not beaten by good, hard major league stuff. Guinn is a few years away from doing this. If he can catch up, when paired with his defense and speed, he should have a chance to become more than a fifth infielder.  And while he develops offensively, Guinn’s speed and defense will help him remain a competitive minor leaguer as he develops for the advanced levels.  

Read Brian Guinn Scouting Update
Read Brian Guinn Scouting Report

Guinn is a switch-hitter, whose natural side is left-handed. He is an above-average runner. However, what separates him can be summed up like this: This guy is quick as a cat.

Defense, for me, is what separates him as a pro prospect. He possess above average reflexes, glove-to-hand speed, good first step, and instincts. He made a play from second base where he ranged from normal depth all the way across the bat and onto the cut of the crass. He turned and got rid of the ball and threw out a runner. Here’s your comparison: Ozzie Smith.

Guinn doesn’t have above-average arm strength, but he compensates with above-average hands, release and accuracy. As a pro, I think he could play short, but I fear he may get typecast as a slap-hitting second baseman. I think that’s a bad call. If you play him at second base, it means you don’t have faith in his arm. However, if you play him at second, you give yourself a guy with 80 range at the position. That means you can play him next to a slower shortstop with an above-average arm. Guinn gives a club options and this should have value for him. At the very worst, this guy is a great fifth infielder, but that’s only if you think he won’t hit.

I think he’ll hit left-handed. Right-handed is a work in progress. His hands are quick but not strong enough to produce resounding authority, but his foundation is solid enough to where he can speed up his bat, slap to all fields, and run like hell. You won’t get power now or later. He has soft hands defensively, though sometimes his hands are in more of a hurry than he’s aware of. In time, Guinn should master his own actions and that’s going to raise his defensive value a notch. There’s a lot to like here.

Brian Guinn, 2B-SS
6-1, 165
Bats: S, Throws: R
Cal
Games Seen: 1, Innings: 9

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Slight frame, wiry limbs, should fill out some but not much more.

STRENGTHS: Quick as a cat! Super athletic actions and quickness; quick glove-hand transfer, quick throwing release, loose wrists, coordinated actions, instinctive reflexes and game feel. Switch-hitter, better LHH, firm front, SA approach, easy bat flip, puts ball in play; should become slightly above-average pro hitter in coming years. Above-average first step and runner, Above-average defender, very gifted to his right, average arm accuracy. Very soft hands.

WEAKNESSES: Lacks physical strength; power won’t be part of his game. Slightly-below average arm strength. Fast hands sometimes get him in trouble, should weed out those moments in coming years. Needs to be shorter to ball in game from RH side. Sometimes opens up LH. 

SUMMARY: Gifted defender with gifted reflexes. Speed, contact, glove and arm all play.

GRADES (Present/Future): 
Hit        20/60
Power 20/30
Run      60/60
Arm     40/40
Field     70/70

Overall Future Potential: 52

What the Grades Mean

Infielders

Tom Belza, Oklahoma State
Long way to go for physical maturity; jury is out until we see if rest of his body helps out his hands.

Chris Bisson, Kentucky
LHH SS scouts liked on Cape, though don’t look for one dominant tool.

Mark Canha, Cal
Another corner bat from Cal; he’ll hit, question is how much power.

Derek Dietrich, Georgia Tech
Feisty LHH SS wants to be like Gordon Beckham; we’ll see if his bat backs him up.

Tim Ferguson, Mississippi
Tall, agile, some physical projection; not terrible hands; well worth a draft.

Phil Gosselin, Virginia
Line-drive hitting second baseman will find his way into the draft.

Brian Guinn, Cal
Another typical speedy Cal middle infielder.

Jedd Gyorko, West Virginia
Some young scouts gush over him; I wonder if those scouts have ever been to SoCal. He does remind me of Ty Wiggington and Gyorko might find his way as a utility guy, but not an elite prospect.  

Joe Loftus, Vanderbilt
Raw power with wood and little else; will rake in college, must use hands as pro.

Jaren Matthews, Rutgers
Loved his LHH swing, there’s power there, probably LF as pro.

Hunter Morris, Auburn
No secret here. Power is the ticket. Still gotta give it to Morris: he won’t give up what he turned down from Red Sox out of HS.

Rico Noel, Coastal Carolina
Slap hitter with plus speed and defense; arm to stay at 2B. Very athletic.

Mike Olt, Connecticut
Banged up in 2009, big RHH with plus power, arm for 3B was hard to miss on Cape, yet I assure you some people have no idea who he is. 

Kevin Patterson, Auburn
LHH Power bat will need to show he can make consistent contact as pro.

Josh Rutledge, Alabama
Not a flashy guy but very solid foundations offensively and defensively.

Mickey Wiswall, Boston College
Big LHH power ability, limited additional skills, but this guy can mash with wood.