In John Sickels’ latest piece, he discusses Cesar Puello in comparison to Joc Pederson, prospect for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sickels says that Puello and Pederson are basically mirrors of one another, which led him to write this, among frequent requests to discuss both players.

Here’s some of what he had to say about Puello…

Puello is a 6-2, 195 pound right-handed hitter and thrower, born April 1, 1991. All of his tools are considered solid or better, particularly impressive raw power and a strong throwing arm. His speed is also above-average and he’s evolved into an efficient and effective stealer. His arm is strong enough for right field and he’s shown enough range for center. Offensively, has 20/20 potential if everything comes together, though scouts have questioned his swing mechanics and problems with breaking pitches. Injuries have been a problem: he has had a variety of nagging physical maladies, especially in 2012 when he was limited to 66 games by a broken hamate bone and a persistent hamstring injury. So far he’s been healthy in 2013…

On a physical basis, Puello has a higher ceiling than Pederson. But his floor is also much lower, too. He could develop into an All-Star outfielder, but he could also end up as a Triple-A lifer or a journeyman type who gets lots of chances but never lives up to his full potential.

Puello is in the midst of a successful season and he is impressing fans and scouts alike. It looks like he has put in the time to improve his mechanics and any concerns about his work ethic have vanished. In this year alone, I’ve made more jokes about Cesar Puello walking than ever before because he has been showing better judgment at the dish and his improved eye has led to better pitches to hit – which explains the .292 average and .503 slugging percentage.

However, it is important not to fall too much in love with the numbers or his athletic talent just yet. Remember that this is his first season in AA and he has had just 169 plate appearances there. Calling him up right now would result in a ton of strikeouts and struggles with pitch recognition. There is absolutely no reason to rush him to the majors, but he could see a promotion to Las Vegas very soon, and could end up being a 2013 September callup for the Mets. And if not, he’ll be just 23 next April.