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Kyle Karros has quietly emerged as one of the most promising prospects in the Colorado Rockies system. Since being drafted in the fifth round two years ago out of UCLA, the 23-year-old third baseman has slashed .303/.393/.455 with a 134 wRC+ over 1,000 plate appearances. His numbers this season are in that same ballpark. Over 305 plate appearances, the bulk of them with the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats — he was promoted to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes on July 18 — Karros is slashing .297/.398/.463 with a 142 wRC+.
As our lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen wrote back in January, the son of former Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Eric Karros “needs to develop power.” The progeny’s right-handed stroke produced 15 home runs a year ago, and this season he has left the yard six times. Given his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame, there is a pretty good chance that he will tap into his power with more experience. Longenhagen recently updated Karros to a 40 FV prospect while ranking him 14th in the Rockies system.
On the eve of his becoming an Isotope, Karros discussed his approach to hitting, as well as his baseball relationship with his father.
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David Laurila: How would you define yourself as a hitter?
Kyle Karros: “I’ve really bought into being a complete hitter first, and allowing power to just come naturally. I’ve kind of always put an emphasis on not chasing homers. Doubles are my game. I also feel like you grow into home runs. You learn what counts you can take advantage of. You get more efficient with your swing. But right now — this year, especially — I’ve bought into really controlling the zone. I think what allows me to do that is having a right-center type of approach. That allows me to let the ball travel a little deeper. If I’m on a fastball to right-center, that puts me on offspeed where I’m able to pull and elevate.”
Laurila: Is letting the ball travel more new to this year?
Karros: “Yeah, I think so. I mean, I have trouble taking coaching advice when I haven’t really felt it for myself. This year, I’ve really felt it. Some of it is having the experience from last year, from my first full [professional] season. I’m able to really feel my approach, and really buy into it, rather than just having my dad offering me hitting stuff, or [Rockies hitting coach] Nic Wilson offering me hitting stuff. A new approach that is brought to you by a hitting coach isn’t going to have the same power on you. You’re not going to go up there with the same conviction unless you have felt it for yourself and made it your own. That’s when it becomes most powerful.”
Laurila: Has your father been more hands-off or more hands-on over the years?
Karros: “He’s been very hands-on. Last season, we actually got into it pretty good. I was like, ‘At this point, I need you to just be my dad. I don’t need you to be my hitting coach.’ We get into it over hitting, and it just wasn’t worth having that getting in the way of our relationship, a father and a son. So he’s taken a backseat more recently and kind of let me do my thing. I have enough resources here with the Rockies to where I get enough hitting stuff.
“I mean, I will go to him, because he loves talking about baseball. I’ll go to him every once in a while and give him his opportunity to chime in, get his two cents in. But as far as the everyday, like, ‘Hey, what were you looking for in this at-bat?’ — that’s kind of taken a backseat. Now it’s more of him just being my dad, which I’ve loved.”
Laurila: I remember your father having some big home run seasons. Was he nudging you toward more pull-side power?
Karros: “No. He’s actually always been huge on doubles. I mean, if you look at his minor league numbers, there were a lot of them. He’ll tell me the story of when he got to the big leagues. Tommy Lasorda was his manager. Tommy started pressing him to hit more homers, and those came after a couple years in the big leagues. But as far as getting there with an approach that works, it was never about chasing homers. If you start chasing homers in the minor leagues, and you lose your hit tool, you’re going to be nothing in the big leagues.
“I think the [organization] trusts that if my hitting ability is there, with time, age, and experience, the homers will come. I fully believe in that as well. Again, I think you’re going about it backwards if you’re hitting homers before you are complete hitter.”
Laurila: What type of adjustments have you made besides letting the ball travel more? For instance, would I see a different hitter if I looked at film of you when you were drafted?
Karros: “I think you would. The swing oftentimes stays the same — it’s what got you here and kind of the habit you’ve built — but my setup and approach have changed a ton. So, while you might be able to see that as far as what my stance looks like, my bat path is pretty similar. The way I’m firing at a baseball is probably pretty similar.”
Laurila: You’re considered a very good defensive third baseman…
Karros: “That’s been a priority of mine. At UCLA, I made the lineup as a freshman because of my defense. Ever since then, I’ve put a premium on defense, realizing just how important it is. You have to do more than just hit.”
