2004 Sickels:

Alexis Rios, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
Bats: R Throws: R HT: 6-6 WT: 200 DOB: February 18, 1981

I was skeptical about Alexis Rios going into 2003, but he made me look like an idiot by
battering Eastern League pitching all season. +25 percent OPS, nothing wrong with that.
His SEC was just +11 percent, a marker that a lot of his offensive value is tied up in his
batting average. If he keeps hitting .300, that’s fine, but if he drops down to .260, it will be
a problem. Rios has been over .300 for two years now, so it’s looking less like a fluke and
more like real progress. His power is coming around, and while his walk rate isn’t great,
scouts say he’s made progress reading the strike zone.
He has a right field arm, and has improved his read on fly balls, making his defense a plus
as well. I think Rios needs a full year in Triple-A to consolidate his progress, but he’s
definitely emerged as one of the top hitting prospects in the game. Grade B+.