Kouzmanoff : Potential NL Rookie Of The Year

Padres 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff doubled and scored on Paul McAnulty's single in the second, and also hit his first spring homer with two outs in the sixth om Friday against the Cubs. He finished the game 2-for-3 with with two runs and one RBI. He is now 5-for-12 (.417) with four runs, two doubles, one homer, two RBI and three walks in five spring games.

Kouzmanoff has great credentials to be the hitter the Padres have long sought at third. Most experts believe he will hit major league pitching, despite a somewhat unorthodox swing. But can he field the position? Before trading him to the Padres, the Indians had him playing first base in the Arizona Instructional League. The 25-year-old batted a combined .379 with 22 homers and 75 RBI in 94 games between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Buffalo, making him one of the quickest-rising prospects in baseball. Kouzmanoff no longer will have to compete for at-bats with Andy Marte and that makes him a super sleeper in any league and an NL Rookie of the Year candidate.
Source: CBS SportsLine.com