I had probably the same reaction as most when the Orioles announced Trent Mummey as the team’s fourth-round pick a few weeks ago.
Nice name, but….who?
And like some of you, I dug a little deeper to see what kind of havoc Mummey brought on SEC pitchers this year.
What I found was very, VERY impressive.
Mummey tore the cover off the ball to the tune of a .366 average, 20 points less than Hunter Morris, his teammate at Auburn and fellow fourth-round pick, but still impressive.
Mummey finished third on the squad with 17 home runs, which would have been good enough for the team lead on most NCAA teams.
Mind you, the Tigers had 11 players selected in the 2010 draft, more than any other team.
His 54 RBI also ranked third, behind Morris’s 76, and Brian Fletcher’s 75. He scored 46 runs, rapped 15 doubles and showed off his above-average speed, swiping eight bases.
All of that offensive firepower, and that’s not even the best part. Hold onto your butts…
…Mummey only played in 36 games, 34 of which he started. He missed the first 28 games of the season with an ankle injury.
If you prorate his numbers through a full 64 game season, like the one Morris enjoyed, his numbers look ridiculous:
.366 average, 27 doubles, 30 home runs, 96 RBI, 82 runs scored and 14 stolen bases.
Let me remind you that the NCAA leader in home runs finished with 27, and the RBI leader topped out at 89.
Granted, Mummey would have inevitably encountered some kind of slump, or another injury had he not come down with a lame ankle, but the point is proven.
This kid can rake.
And the best part on top of the best part…
…Mummey is usually thought of as a defense-first player.
In addition to being named first-team All-SEC, he was also a recipient of the 2009 NCAA Division I Gold Glove after playing spectacular defense, despite his less than impressive offensive numbers (.289 with 15 homers and 42 RBI).
Mummey possesses many skills that the Orioles have in their system. He has close to top-notch speed (22 stolen bases in 37 Cape Cod League games last summer). He has some pop in his bat, and this season he showed the ability to hit for average. He’s also developed a pretty good eye at the plate, making him all the more dangerous.
Toss in stellar defensive play, and Mummey gives the Orioles all those skills in one player, something they do lack.
Most of the “typical” lead-off guys in the system feature top-end speed, with little plate discipline or power (see, Xavier Avery, Kyle Hudson). They have a few with a decent combo of speed and discipline (see, L.J. Hoes and Paco Figueroa), but getting one player with all three traits?
That’s straight Mummey.
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