By Thomas Harding — MLB.com
Moving from first base to the outfield has worked before for Rockies prospect Brad Hawpe. He did it early in his college career just to get on the field at LSU. Now, making the move again could be his ticket to Coors Field.
For the 2003 minor-league season, Hawpe moved to right field for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers and played well enough to earn Texas League All-Star Game MVP honors, but a shoulder injury ended his season early. But Hawpe has continued to make progress while playing for the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League.
Hawpe went into Tuesday’s play with a .232 batting average, two homers, six doubles and 13 RBIs. But that doesn’t explain his turnaround from a 2-for-30 start. He was 17-for-52 (.327) since breaking out of it.
“I started slowly — it felt kind of funny being back in baseball,” Hawpe said. “Here recently, I’ve felt a lot better. I’ve been taking good passes at the ball. I’ve got a week and a half left. We’ll see what happens from here.”
Before the position change, the going sentiment was Hawpe would have to see his career unfold in another organization. Hawpe, who helped lead LSU to the 2000 College World Series title with three home runs in the tournament, was not going to supplant Todd Helton at first base with the Rockies.
His willingness and athletic ability turned him from talented trade bait to a viable candidate to help the Rockies. Hawpe, 24, has the power potential that has been sorely lacking in the Rockies’ system. Helton is the only hitter produced by the club to emerge as a big-time run producer in the Majors.
But not even Helton hit for as much power on his way to the Majors. Hawpe smacked 22 homers at Class-A Asheville in 2001, and hit 22 more homers while posting a Carolina League-leading .347 batting average at Salem in 2002.
Hawpe seemed headed for a similar performance at Tulsa, with 17 homers and 68 RBIs in 93 games before he suffered a separated shoulder diving for a ball in the outfield.
“He’s a guy with tremendous raw power, probably the most raw power that we have in our organization,” Rockies player development director Bill Geivett said. “We’re looking for him to hit his stride next year. We feel he’s a guy that is going to be part of the future success of the Rockies.”
The position change is making a Colorado future possible.
The groundwork was laid early in his career at LSU, before his pro future was a primary concern. Through his sophomore year, he played often in the outfield because the Tigers had Jeff Leaumont, who would play in the New York Yankees’ system.
Over the past year, Hawpe has handled the permanent position change smoothly.
During Spring Training 2003, Hawpe saw most of his big-league game action at first base but spent workout time learning the outfield from Rockies first base coach Dave Collins. The spacious outfields Hawpe is patrolling in the Fall League can only quicken his progress.
Instead of letting Helton stand in his way, Hawpe hopes to stand alongside him.
“Being with Colorado, I’ve gotten to know people like Todd Helton,” Hawpe said. “Helton, Preston Wilson, guys like that are great people and great ballplayers. It’s hard not to want to hit in a lineup that has those two guys, not to mention the rest of the team. They’ve been good to me, and I’d love to spend my time with the Rockies, for sure.”