The Book on Jay Bruce

Graduated Prospect Info

Now that he's no longer rookie-eligible, The Book is closed on Jay Bruce as a prospect. This page remains as a historical record of his time in our prospect list.

Last bio and ranking update: 2/28/2008.

CINJay Bruce
Born 4/3/1987
OF, CIN

In the past five years, only 21 players have slugged .500 or better in the Midwest League. And only four (4) have done so at age 19 (or younger). With Bruce's swing, expect many of those doubles to turn into HR's as he gets older and stronger.

Bruce was Minor League Baseball's Player of the Year for 2007, leaving him nowhere to go but the homer-happy confines in Cincinnati. An elite power prospect, he might be the best hitter available in the minors, but not for long. He's been marked as untouchable in response to trade offers for two years in a row now, which means that the Reds see him as a franchise player.

In Cincinnati this year, he'll have to beat out Ryan Freel or another veteran for playing time, but once he gets it, he won't be looking back.

Player Updates and Notes

It shouldn't be a surprise coming from a guy who almost everyone picked as Baseball's top prospect, but Jay Bruce's first week in MLB has still been jaw-dropping. The National League's Rookie of the Week has hit .591 (13-for-22) in his first six games on the strength of two three-hit games and a four-hit game. He's homered twice already, stolen two bases, walked six times, scored TEN runs and struck out only once. This is the birth of a baseball monster.

6/2/2008 by KDaddy

In his MLB debut, Jay Bruce humiliated his critics by singling twice, doubling once, driving in two runs, walking twice and stealing his first base. If he's able to handle the bulk of NL pitching as easily as he abused Ian Snell, not even Dusty Baker will be able to sit him down.

5/28/2008 by KDaddy

Finally. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, superprospect Jay Bruce will make his MLB debut on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bruce has hit .364 in AAA Louisville this year, with 8 steals and 10 home runs, so you just know Dusty Baker will be using him to bunt runners over.

5/26/2008 by KDaddy

Through the weekend, Reds superprospect Jay Bruce is hitting .325/.353/.548 with 5 homers in AAA Louisville. The man starting in his rightful place in Cincinnati is Corey Patterson. Patterson's .200/.260/.421 performance is making the radio call-in shows in Cincinnati glow bright, bright red. Bruce should be in MLB before May is over.

5/12/2008 by KDaddy

With none of the current CF options in Cincinnati working out, calls are beginning to bring Jay Bruce up to the big leagues. He could be with the team before June.

4/23/2008 by KDaddy

As expected ever since Corey Patterson was signed, Jay Bruce is bound for the minors again. He'll open the season at AAA and attempt a Ryan Braun-style late-spring entry into ROY contention as soon as one of Cincy's older outfielders breaks down or disappoints, which seems likely by mid-May or so.

3/20/2008 by KDaddy

A day after Jay Bruce suffered a minor quad injury, the Reds signed centerfielder Corey Patterson to a minor league contract. Cincinnati seems determined to do whatever is necessary to keep MLB's best prospect out of the majors for as long as possible.

3/4/2008 by KDaddy

Fighting for an opening day job, Bruce had a pair of hits and a run scored in Friday's game. He's the only Red to get a hit in each of the first four of the team's exhibition games.

2/29/2008 by KDaddy

Jay Bruce was in Cincinnati today to receive Baseball America's minor-league player of the year award.

1/7/2008 by BallGrrrl

With Josh Hamilton now an Ranger, it looks like the Reds will give Jay Bruce the chance to start the 2008 season on the major league roster.

12/22/2007 by BallGrrrl

Rumors are starting to fly that the Reds are aggressively shopping Ryan Freel or Josh Hamilton in order to make room for Jay Bruce on next year's major league roster, and maybe even in centerfield. Bruce's long-term home will be a corner, but he's young and fast enough to hold down center for a few years in the mean time.

11/21/2007 by BallGrrrl

 

 

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