JAMES BOONE

3/16/83; '05 3rd; Univ. of Missouri
B/R; 6-2, 175

Level
BA
OBP
SA
AB
2B
3B
HR
BB
K
SB
CS
2005 NCAA
.340
.457
.593
194
15
5
8
38
61
14
2
2005 A-
.291
.343
.450
278
12
4
8
16
85
8
4
2006 A
.192
.302
.222
99
3
0
0
13
30
3
0
2007 A+
.255
.338
.411
192
12
0
6
17
35
8
4
2007 A
.327
.400
.495
107
6
0
4
8
20
0
2
2008 AA
.219
.307
.359
329
12
2
10
39
107
2
3

Boone was attractive to the Pirates as a switch-hitting CF with some power, good speed and a good arm.  His college K total, however, was alarming, although he at least drew a lot of walks.  Boone's 2005 college stats may have been affected some by a pinched nerve.  He continued to have shoulder problems at Williamsport, which relegated him to DH duty for much of the season there.  He hit fairly well overall, but with horrible plate discipline.  Boone opened 2006 recovering from foot surgery and rehabbing his shoulder.  He made it to Hickory in late May, still unable to play in the field.  After struggling for a month, he went back on the DL and did not return.

Boone seemed ready to make up for lost time in 2007, getting off to a strong start at Hickory and earning a quick promotion.  He started off well after the promotion—his plate discipline was much better at both levels, although it still needs work—but he had to go on the DL after injuring his left shoulder sliding.  He tried to come back in late June and even had one game with two doubles and two homers, but he started struggling.  After a 1-for-28 slide that left him with mediocre numbers at Lynchburg, he went on the DL due to the same shoulder injury and did not return.  He opened 2008 with Altoona and started off very hot—six of his ten HRs came in April—but he began slumping after a few weeks and went on the DL due to shoulder problems in mid-May.  After he returned in late June he didn't hit at all and began striking out in over a third of his at-bats.  I don't know whether his poor hitting resulted from the shoulder problems or from offspeed pitches, which he never handled all that well.  Boone will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in the fall but there's no risk of him being taken and no likelihood of him being placed on the 40-man roster.  He'll probably return to Altoona in 2009.  By then he'll be 26, so his prospect window has probably closed.

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