Get to Know Corey Dickerson

     Recently the Rockies called up one of their top outfield prospects in the Minor Leagues. Corey Dickerson has hit well at every level and earned his call up through hard work and production on the field. In his first start of his career he went 2-4 with two doubles and an RBI in Saturday's victory against the Nationals.

(MLB)

   
     Primarily a left fielder, Dickerson bats left and throws right. He was born on May 22nd 1989, he is 6’2”  and weighs 210 pounds. Dickerson was selected in the 8^th round of the 2010 draft out of Meridian Community College. Dickerson is well thought of by the organization as he was also drafted in the 29^th round of the 2009 draft but declined to sign and went back to school for another season. He made his debut in 2010 for the Casper Ghosts and had a tremendous start to his career by hitting .348 with 22 doubles, nine triples, 13 home runs and 61 RBI in just 69 games on the season. He was moved up to Asheville in 2011 where he had a monster power year for the Tourists. He finished the year hitting .282 with 27 doubles, 32 home runs and 87 RBI. He began the 2012 season with Modesto before being called up halfway through the season to Tulsa to finish the year off. He cooled off a bit when he reached Tulsa but still hit for power and showed the ability to drive the ball where it is pitched. Combined on the year he hit .304 with 40 doubles, seven triples, 22 home runs and 81 RBI. 
     
     He has a big swing from the left side of the plate and has the ability to keep the barrel of the bat in the zone for an extended amount of time giving him the best chance to make good contact with the ball. His swing is smooth and his long stance allows him to stay back on the pitches. His weight distribution is good and he loads quickly and accelerates his hands to the ball quickly. He has a tendency to have too much vertical movement in his approach that can change his eye level and cause him to lose sight of the ball as it comes in, this can lead to higher strikeout numbers. He still is developing as a professional outfielder and needs to work on his actions getting around the ball. He made nine errors in the outfield during the 2012 season which is something that he will need to work on if he plans in becoming a key corner outfielder in the future for the Rockies. His swing and overall approach at the plate has drawn many comparisons to Orioles outfielder Nate McLouth early on in his career. 

(Nate McLouth on left, Corey Dickerson on right)

     Time will tell if Dickerson has what it takes to make an impact at the Major League level, but right now all signs point to him being a reliable source of offense for many years to come. His power numbers will most likely not be as prominent in the Majors as they were in the Minors, but his average should remain around the .300 mark after the transition. Unless some injuries happen, he will not see significant playing time this year in the Majors but he can make a statement and prove that he belongs and perhaps he could earn a spot for next year.