On Tuesday Joe Panik, of the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, was named the Northwest League MVP. This really came as a surprise to no one who follows the league but it did get me thinking a few things. How have past MVP’s done in their pro careers and what can we expect to see from Joe Panik.
Past MVPs
As I looked through the list of past winners I saw some names that I recognized instantly. Matt Downs tied for the MVP award in 2007 while playing for the Volcanoes. Downs now plays for the Astros and had a good season this year batting .280 with 7 hrs. The person he tied with was Luis Durango who at the time played in the Padres system. Durango has seen time in the major leagues with the Padres and now like Downs is with the Astros. On a side note Durango is the fastest player I’ve ever seen in person. Even Jesus Galindo, the fastest player in the Northwest league this season, would be a step slower then Durango.
However, for every player I did recognize there were two players I had no clue who they were. Rob Zachmann, Javier Herrera and others were guys that had great seasons but never made it to the Major League level. You also have players like Danny Buxbaum who had four great season in minor league baseball then just decided to leave baseball.
Does winning the MVP award mean Panik will be a future Hall of Famer? No, but there is one on the list, Tony Gwynn 1981 MVP. Does it mean he will be a bust? No. All it means is that Joe had a season that was worthy of being recognized as the best in the league.
The Panik Future
So what can we expect to see from Joe Panik in the future?
I personally see a lot of similarities between Joe Panik and current major league player Dustin Ackley. Both Panik and Ackley have quick, compact swings from the left side of the plate that can spray the ball all across the outfield. This is a big reason why I see both players as average first hitters, but both guys have pop in their bats. I don’t see Panik being a 20 home run guy if he makes the major league level, but 10-15 home runs a year with a .300 batting average is not out of the realm of possibilities.
Defensively Panik is solid at short stop but he wont be an Ozzie Smith or Omar Vizquel, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t hold down the position. However, I really think Panik’s future lies at 2nd base. Panik’s arm is strong and he has a quick release but I’m just not sure its strong enough for the the major league level at shortstop. At second base Panik can still use his range to go deep into the hole and make the play at first while putting up solid offensive numbers.
Regardless of whether Panik stays at shortstop or moves to second, or whether he hits 15 homeruns and bats .300 in the majors, or doesn’t even make it to the majors at all. He had a great season with the Volcanoes. And in my opinion Panik won the award not only for what he did on the field but also because of who he was off of the field. Having the opportunity to meet and talk with Panik on a regular basis allowed me see just how humble and dedicated he is. I will always be a Joe Panik fan.
Congratulations Joe on your MVP award and good luck on your path to the Major Leagues. I know there are a ton of Joe Panik fans in Salem, OR cheering you on.
[…] The league MVP, Joe Panik, was ranked fourth on the list of prospects. The Giants surprised a lot of people when they took Panik in the first round but he quickly showed that their faith in him wasn’t misplaced. (A more in depth look at Panik can be found in one of my previous articles about Panik NW League MVP) […]