Non-Hyped Royals Prospects: RF Nick Van Stratten

by Freneau on Feb 3, 2011 9:30 AM EST in Kansas City Royals Minor Leagues

Nick Van Stratten was once almost a hyped prospect. If he wasn't quite hyped in 2008-09, he was at least a mild fan favorite and something of a sleeper. He was even semi-local. For a time, Van Stratten was an alternative to the scores of high-tool, low-skill, low-stats OFs (and position players generally) populating the emerging Dayton Moore farm system. Now, he's decidedly dropped back off of the radar, lost in our scholastic dedication to divining the precise greatness of brighter luminaries. Quick, someone get a fanpost up about who has a better lower half, Wil Myers or Moose?

Van Stratten was taken in the 10th round of the 2006 Draft out of a Missouri Community College. From 2006 to 2009, Van Stratten essentially hit like David DeJesus at the minor league level: nothing spectacular, but with a well-rounded game and very good OBPs. In 2008, at one of the Burlingtons, he hit .345/.400/.489, which really got the attention... of guys like us on the internet at least.

After four years of steady advancement, 2010 was a different story for Van Stratten. Playing on the uber-beloved AA Naturals, Van Stratten hit just .262/.335/.341. 25? Hitting in a launching pad? Not good.

86 rough games at AA isn't a death sentence, but it can be a harbinger. In five seasons in the minors, Van Stratten has posted a .298/.378/.423 line despite some injury troubles. Schaum has labelled Van Stratten a "grinder." Neverthless, with Wil Myers now an OF, Van Stratten's path to the Royals has become even longer. 2011 is a huge year for Van Stratten, who might be playing less for a future slot in Kansas City, than as an appealing minor league FA for a weaker system.

Schaum interviewed NVS last October.

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Nick Van Stratten EARLIER!

by sfeldkamp on Feb 3, 2011 9:42 AM EST reply actions

Seems like a tweener

If he’s lucky he can have a Mitch Maier-like career.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 3, 2011 9:52 AM EST reply actions

Local kid

If he ever makes the big leagues he will be the closest local player to play at the K since Russ Morman (i believe)

anyway, Stratt is such a like-able kid he has become one of the most popular players in the system with his teammates. He treats the minors like the movie bull durham…play hard, have fun and enjoy every day. Part of this has lead him to be often injured unfortunately…

A couple of stories about him I love….he was playing in college against a rival school and a group of fans apparently knew he was not the best student and were razzing him all game…he listened and never responded until his team was up by a healthy lead…He looked at the fans and said I don’t know 2.0 but I do know .450 which is what I am hitting this season. Oh yeah and we just beat you by 15 because I drove in 5 runs, see I can count (i might have taken creative comfort with that story but it is how i remember being told this)

Moose told me another story about him when they were playing for Burlington. Clinton has a hard RF fence and one of the Lumberjacks hit a bomb that Van Stratten took off for…..he ran face first into the wall and almost got knocked out. When he was coming off the field….he looked at Moose with his bloody face and said
’if that bleepin wall was not there I would have caught that damn ball"

Moose laughed and told me that ball was 20 feet over the fence and Stratt would have caught that thing if the wall was not there

by gregschaum on Feb 3, 2011 10:50 AM EST reply actions

Steve Shifflett

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/shiffst01.shtml

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 3, 2011 11:35 AM EST up reply actions

Oh, and Rick DeHart

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/deharri01.shtml

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 3, 2011 11:35 AM EST up reply actions

good call

I think Morman is the closest kid to the K to play for the Royals…If that makes sense….VanStratten would be close to that

of course, Pujols would have been the closest….damn

by gregschaum on Feb 3, 2011 11:42 AM EST up reply actions

cone

Fire Everyone

by billybeingbilly on Feb 5, 2011 12:28 AM EST up reply actions

He woulda been something if it weren't for Delta House

Making watching baseball as fun as doing your taxes.
My Twitter feed.

by Matt Klaassen on Feb 3, 2011 11:13 AM EST reply actions

Learning is Good

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Feb 3, 2011 1:18 PM EST up reply actions

You just wanted to get in

before my obligatory “Nick Van Stratten, rush chairman, damned glad to meet you” gag.

My new blog: Those Other Guys. Critiques welcome.

by jonfmorse on Feb 3, 2011 7:06 PM EST up reply actions

Hi, that was Nick Van Stratten, Rush Chairman

he was damn glad to meet you.

by Sweep_the_Leg on Feb 3, 2011 7:21 PM EST up reply actions

your name is "Flounder"

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Feb 3, 2011 8:32 PM EST up reply actions

Why Flounder?

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 4, 2011 9:40 AM EST up reply actions

uncanny - here's hoping Van Stratten and Butler are on the team at the same time

The whole problem with the world is that fools & fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. ~ Bertrand Russell

by SagehenMacGyver47 on Feb 4, 2011 12:32 PM EST up reply actions

Ridiculously Obscure NVS Fun Fact

I once processed one of his paychecks at work ( I work for a bank ).

"We had opportunities when we smoked balls," manager Ned Yost said.

by Diggity Dawg on Feb 3, 2011 11:26 AM EST reply actions

I bet it was for a million dollars

Ballplayers!

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 3, 2011 11:36 AM EST up reply actions

A gazillion, actually.

It’s always amusing when I come across Royals employees stuff. I just saw a Denny Matthews paycheck the other day.

My all time favorite was when I saw a check written on George Brett’s account to a marble company ( for work in his kitchen or bathroom, I guess ). The funny thing was that I’d just seen #5 at Costco about a week earlier. If the 2 events were reversed, it would’ve been tempting for a laugh to go up to him all crazy-eyed & asking “Hey, George…how’s that marble workin’ out for ya?”.

"We had opportunities when we smoked balls," manager Ned Yost said.

by Diggity Dawg on Feb 4, 2011 11:55 AM EST up reply actions

a brazillion

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Feb 4, 2011 2:16 PM EST up reply actions

so, he is the next Shane Costa?

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on Feb 3, 2011 1:18 PM EST reply actions

Seriously what happened to that guy?

Is he stuck with Ozzie Smith?

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 3, 2011 3:04 PM EST up reply actions

I like guys like this

grit isn’t annoying from the Nick Van Strattens of the world because:
1) They’re actually playing for their lives instead of just looking like it
2) The announcers that gush about them reach a very small audience

Vive la Royalution!

by Coup Day'ton on Feb 3, 2011 6:21 PM EST reply actions