Old Scouting Report Database

[burnzy24]

So here is a fun way to waste some time. This website has archived scouting reports on players from at least the 50's. Aaron, Mantle, Yount, etc.

 

http://scouts.baseballhall.org/

 

My favorite so far was on a Brewer fan favorite Gary Sheffield from 1991:

 

Lot of ability wasted. Has all the qualities to be a bonifide ML player. Can do alot of things. Above aver. runner ; above aver. arm. Has plus power. Has trouble with management in one phase or another. Simply self-destructs. If he grows up some day he will be an asset to any ball club. Too much physical ability to ignore

[Patrick425]

Wow, that's awesome..thanks for pointing this out! I have only read one player's reports so far, Robin Yount. Wow, were they pretty much right on, especially Cal McClish's report from 1977.... "This boy may wind up in CF and the idea appeals to him from his conversations during the '77 season"

[owbc]

Lots of interesting ones have been posted around the interwebs, here are a few from Disciples of Uecker:

 

Paul Molitor: “This kid is a winner. He can run, field, and throw. I feel he will hit with power in time and will be a high average hitter. This kid stood out above everybody else in the Midwest League.”

 

Jim Gantner: “He’s a better fielder than Sal or Don but he doesn’t measure up with the bat. He has done better hitting as far as making contact, but he doesn’t have the power you would like to see. Has a good arm, runs alright for a 3rd baseman, and his attitude is good. I like him and think he can play in the big leagues defensively. But, of course, the question would be his bat.”

 

Greg Vaughn: “Drafted several times, said he will sign for reasonable offer or will go back to schl. Could have wt problem in future.”

 

Jeromy Burnitz: “Fourth or fifth type OF, who has power, on a first Division team. Starter on a Second Division team.”

[DrugBust]

http://scouts.baseballhall.org/media/reports/05569.jpg

[RockCoCougars]

Thanks for the link. I could waste a ton of time on here. I looked up Gorman Thomas and found an interesting scouting report on the Sundown Kid Danny Thomas from John Felske, who I believe was a Brewer minor league manager at the time... very succinct: "Let's all hope he QUITS!"

[DrugBust]

This was the best thing I saw today. It's hilarious.

 

My favorite:

 

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2599079/DELMON.jpg

 

[Raw Biz]

While the praise for Delmon is a little over the top, he was a very highly regarded prospect at the time, a true consensus #1. And I'm a huge No Thumbs Wellington fan.

[TheCrew07]

I thought the Sheets' report was pretty interesting, especially the change up ratings considering he never really mastered the pitch. I never thought Sheets was much of an athlete either, he ran so awkwardly.

[Outlander]

So was Delmon Young really telling the scout what to type which is why he has the coded message of PLEASE HELP ME!

[TooLiveBrew]

I'd be interested to see old Carlos Gómez scouting reports. He was very highly regarded, and I'd like to see what scouts thought of his ceiling when he was a younger player.

 

In fact, I'd love to see almost any successful modern-ish-era Latin American player's scouting report from when he was first scouted, around age 14 or so. I just think it would be fascinating to see how accurate scouts were about projecting out 13 & 14-yo kids (who wound up 'making it').