Last year the Pirates traded for SS Ronny Cedeno in mid-season, and he responded by going 5-21-2-.258-.307-.394-.701 in 155 at bats. For the season he hit 10 HRs in 341 ABs. Prior to 2009, Cedeno never hit more than 6 HRs in a season. Has he turned into a power hitting SS at the age of 26?
Quite possibly if you think Cedeno can continue hitting like he is hitting in the Dominican league. Here is what Dejan Kovacevic wrote about him in this morning's Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
If the Pirates had to pick one player they most wanted to see upgrade his game this winter, it probably would have been Ronny Cedeno, their tenuous everyday shortstop. And it would appear he has: In 40 games for Aragua of the Dominican Winter League, he has 10 home runs and a .300 average. He still is not walking much, though, with just six in 150 at-bats.
Cedeno increased his FB% from 29.7% to 38.1%, and his HR/FB% from 3.9% to 10.4% in 2009. One negative is that his LD% dropped from 18% to 11.1% in 2009.
Is this a sign of things to come for him? It appears the Pirates are willing to find out in 2010, and fantasy leaguers should not dismiss him. He is entering his age 27 season in 2010, and we all know to keep an eye on guys in their age 27 season. We will find out if his power surge in 2009 and in the Dominican League is a fluke or is here to stay.
Cedeno will come real cheap in auction leagues and can be drafted in the very late rounds in straight draft leagues. He could out-homer plenty of shortstops drafted ahead of him, as long as you are willing to take a hit in the Average category.