2023 #53 OF Alexfri Planez Scouting Report
Planez has big raw power and a good arm in the outfield.He'll need to reel in his aggressive approach to tame a boom-or-bust profile.
Build & Background
Tall, projectable and strong frame. Muscular, high-waisted with long levers in a lanky body. 21 and looks like a plus outfield athlete. Signed for $400K out of Venezuela in 2017. Missed some time with an injury in 2022.
What Planez does well
Really, Planez just looks the part of an outfield athlete. There is plus power in his bat without a doubt. He has an above average throwing arm, and is at least an average runner who can play the corners well with that speed and arm. Improved throughout the year with swing decisions but is an aggressive hitter.
Where Planez needs to improve
Ulta-aggresisve approach at the plate. Makes a fair amount of contact for that type of approach but gets beaten low with good breaking stuff and has been overpowered with well located velocity. Came in as tooled up but is about average in the outfield and on the bases. Swing and miss issues and being aggressive hold back and impressive package of tools.
Intangibles
Coaches and management spoke of his improved swing decisions throughout his time in High-A in 2022 and willingness to put it work, which gives hope to figuring out how to be more selectively aggressive and make more contact.
Future
Planez was signed with some of the most exciting tool sets among outfielders Cleveland has brought in. He looks the part. His plus power is his carrying tool, if he can get to enough of it due to his contact issues. He has a big throwing arm and can be good defender in right with some speed as he’s filled out. But he likely won’t project as a centerfielder now and his bat will have to carry him in the corner. There are some fuzzy Oscar Gonzalez traits here, though Gonzalez made a lot more contact and showed a better hit tool at this stage of his development. It’s hard to see an inbetween for Planez. Either his selective aggressiveness as a hitter improves enough to make more contact and he’s a low-OBP, high power corner, or he misses out in Double-A due to contact issues. But he’s ranked where he is due to the upside and that 1/10 chance it works out for his tools.Â
Role: 35 - Boom-or-bust type corner that could flame out in Double-A or provide good power and tools in a corner.
