Starlyn Caba Stats & Scouting Report College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

Track Record: The biggest bonus the Phillies handed out in the international class that opened on Jan. 15, 2023 went to Caba, a Dominican shortstop who inked his deal as a 17-year-old. Caba got $3 million from Philadelphia, then began his career a few months later in the Dominican Summer League. He was outstanding for 38 games before an injury to his left elbow suffered on a slide required a season-ending surgical cleanup.

Scouting Report: As an amateur, Caba earned a reputation as an excellent defensive shortstop with outstanding bat-to-ball skills. Both of those traits showed up in his pro debut. At the plate, he hit the ball with slightly below-average exit velocities when compared to his peers, but his contact skills were the real story. Caba’s overall and zone-miss rates over the course of 164 plate appearances were 9.5% and 4.2%--exemplary for any level, but especially so for someone his age. Caba is not a particularly physical player and doesn’t project to add much more muscle to his frame, so his power will likely come from doubles and line drives from gap to gap. His plus speed could help him leg out a few triples, too. Defensively, Caba shows elite instincts and actions at shortstop as one of the quickest infield defenders in the Phillies’ system. He has strong footwork to go with plus arm strength, which should help keep him at shortstop for the long run. Caba is also praised for his outstanding makeup, which internal evaluators say helps him act like another coach on the field.

The Future: After recovering from elbow surgery, Caba should be ready in plenty of time for spring training. He’ll make his U.S. debut in 2024 and has the ceiling of a standout defensive shortstop who hits toward the top of an order.

Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Field: 60 | Arm: 55

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