South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 46: Ti’quan Forbes

Ti’quan Forbes
6´3´´
180 pounds
Bats: Right
Age: 22
SSS rank among all third basemen in the system: 3

Forbes hit .427 during his senior season in high school and verbally committed to the University of Mississippi as a 6´3´´, 175-pound senior from Columbia, Miss. However, a $1.2 million signing bonus was too much to resist, after being picked by the Texas Rangers in the second round of the 2014 draft.

Forbes, who hasn’t added much weight since his varsity days, struggled during his stint in the Rangers system (2014-17). Encompassing 1,305 at-bats (which concluded at A+ Down East), he combined to hit .246/.303/.330 with 15 home runs, 124 RBI, 23 stolen bases, 87 walks (6.1%) and 337 strikeouts (23.6%). Due to these disappointing results, Forbes was traded to the White Sox on Aug. 31, 2017 for Miguel Gonzalez.

In his first full season with Winston-Salem, many of Forbes’s peripherals improved. His slash line, while still unspectacular, improved to .273/.313/.391 while hitting six homers, knocking home 51 runs, 21 doubles and six triples (all but the OBP and homers were career bests). He also struck out just 74 times, which also gave him a career best 16.34 K%. However, Forbes only walked 21 times last year (4.6%) so he still needs work at accepting the free pass.

While considered to have above-average speed, Forbes proved vastly ineffective swiping bases, as he was successful in only four of 13 tries in 2018. Finally, his 1.77 GO/AO rate indicates Forbes hits the ball into the ground far too many times for someone of his power. Forbes just turned 22 last month, and he was 1.4 years younger than the Carolina League average. Defensively, Forbes spent 69% of his time at the hot corner, 23.4% at second, and 7.6% at short (he also played one inning at first). He committed 21 errors altogether, but is considered a respectable gloveman, with slightly above-average range.

Forbes was promoted to hitter-unfriendly Birmingham in 2019 in what will be a huge year for him, because while there are no real hot corner prospects ahead of him in Charlotte, there are a couple behind him with significantly more power potential (Jake Burger and Bryce Bush). Certainly, Forbes’s lack of overall game power would diminish his role in the majors if he should ever get there. Forbes has gotten off to a .243/.354/.343 start in his first 23 games this season.

Take a look!

Courtesy of our pals at 2080 Baseball.

2019 South Side Sox Top 100 Prospects

46. Ti’quan Forbes, 3B
47. Thyago Vieira, RHRP
48. Corey Zangari, 1B
49. Yermin Mercedes, C
50. Anderson Comas, RF
51. Gunnar Troutwine, C
52. Codi Heuer, RHSP
53. Andrew Perez, LHRP
54. Josue Guerrero, LF
55. Jacob Lindgren, LHRP
56. Ryan Cordell, CF
57. Joel Booker, LF
58. Bennett Sousa, LHRP
59. Blake Battenfield, RHSP
60. Caberea Weaver, CF
61. Matt Foster, RHRP
62. Tate Blackman, 2B
63. Hunter Schryver, LHRP
64. Romy González, CF
65. Carlos Perez, C
66. Trey Michalczewski, 3B
67. Taylor Varnell, LHSP
68. John Parke, LHSP
69. Mike Morrison, RHRP
70. Zach Remillard, 3B
71. Luis Martinez, RHSP
72. Zach Lewis, RHSP
73. José Nin, RHRP
74. Colton Turner, LHSP
75. Jhoandro Alfonso, C
76. Ramon Beltre, 2B
77. Charlie Tilson, CF
78. Hunter Kiel, RHRP
79. Jason Bilous, RHSP
80. Nick Johnson, RHRP
81. Danny Dopico, RHRP
82. Harvin Mendoza, 1B
83. Logan Sowers, RF
84. Maiker Feliz, 3B
85. Brayan Herrera, RHSP
86. Craig Dedelow, LF
87. Wilber Pérez, RHSP
88. Kyle Kubat, LHRP
89. Johan Dominguez, RHRP
90. Mitch Roman, 2B
91. Ty Greene, C
92. Tanner Banks, LHSP
93. Jake Elliott, RHRP
94. Kevin Escorcia, LHRP
95. Luis Rodriguez, RHSP
96. Ian Dawkins, LF
97. Victor Diaz, RHRP
98. Travis Moniot, LF
99. Will Kincanon, RHRP
100. Brian Clark, LHRP

More information on South Side Top Prospects.