Signed by the Cubs for $500,000 out of Mexico in July 2015, Paredes was in the middle of his first full season when the Cubs dealt him to the Tigers for Justin Wilson and Alex Avila at the '17 Trade Deadline. He showcased a promising blend of hitting ability and plate discipline in '19 at Double-A Erie, despite being four years younger than the average Eastern League player, then reached the Majors for the first time in ’20, earning a callup on Aug. 17 at age 21. Tough Paredes would struggle in his first big league exposure, batting .220 with a .568 OPS in 34 games, he did rebound during the offseason to win the Mexican Pacific League’s batting title (.379).
The plate discipline that netted Paredes nearly as many walks (57) as strikeouts (61) in Double-A came undone in the Majors, as he recorded respective strikeout and walk rates of 22.2 and 7.4 percent. And while he did show that he could hit the best of fastballs thanks to a quick bat, Paredes largely struggled against big league secondary pitches, posting a .107 average against breaking balls. The good news is that Paredes’ chase rate was still above league average, and he did a good job hitting the ball to all fields. Club officials believe he could develop average game power.
A shortstop early in his career, Paredes shifted over to third base in 2019 and then played there exclusively with Detroit. Paredes has the soft hands, arm strength and instincts needed to profile at the hot corner, although a lack of speed and quickness does limit his range. He should get another crack at the big leagues in '21, with the potential to develop into a solid regular.
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 55 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50
Signed for $500,000 out of Mexico in July 2015, Paredes was having a solid first full season two years later when the Cubs sent him to the Tigers at the Trade Deadline in a deal for Justin Wilson and Alex Avila. Paredes has advanced steadily since then before posting a solid full season at Double-A Erie in 2019. He recorded nearly as many walks (57) as strikeouts (61) while flashing solid extra-base power in a league where he was four years younger than the average player. His Arizona Fall League and Mexican Winter League reflected much of the same.
Paredes’ plate judgment and pitch tracking are very advanced for his age. He rarely gets himself out by chasing pitches, and he usually makes solid contact on pitches in the strike zone. While Tigers officials believe home-run power will emerge with time and maturity, his doubles power could make him a valuable high-order hitter regardless.
If Paredes could do all this while sticking at shortstop, he could be a valuable piece of the future Tigers lineup. Realistically, he seems destined to be a full-time third baseman given his growing body. Having split last season between third base and short, he consistently makes plays on the balls he reaches with soft hands and a strong arm, but his thick frame takes a toll on his range. Though the Tigers could use defensive positioning and infield shifts to minimize that, Detroit’s lack of long-term answers at third and second base give the club some options.
Signed for $500,000 out of Mexico in July 2015, Paredes was having a solid first full season two years later when the Cubs sent him to the Tigers at the Trade Deadline in a deal for Justin Wilson and Alex Avila. Paredes' advanced bat was on full display during his first season with the Tigers, as he garnered All-Star honors in the Florida State League before a July promotion up to Double-A. He more than held his own in the Eastern League at age 19, slashing .321/.406/.458 over 39 games, then tied a bow on his season with a strong showing in the Mexican Winter League.
Paredes' success and overall consistency at the plate reflects just how well he can swing the bat. He has preternatural feel for putting the barrel on the ball and covers the plate well, with an advanced, contact-focused approach that results in low strikeout totals. He projects to have average Major League power, and he hit a career-best 15 homers in 2018, albeit exclusively to his pull-side. Physically mature for his age with a thicker build, Paredes is a fringey runner who could lose a step.
Paredes is a reliable defender at shortstop, with good hands and a strong, above-average arm, but also modest range that might require him to move to another position. Second and third base are options, and he saw meaningful time at both in 2018, logging 45 games between the two positions on top of his primary work at shortstop (74 games). Wherever he lands, the Tigers are excited to see how his advanced bat skills play as he moves up the ladder.
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Arm: 55 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45
While Paredes signed in July 2015 with the Cubs out of Mexico for $500,000, he jumped on a bit of a fast track when he made his pro debut at age 17 and finished that 2016 season competing in the Midwest League playoffs. He was back at that full-season level in 2017 when he was sent to the Tigers in the Justin Wilson/Alex Avila trade at the Trade Deadline. He capped things off with a very strong, albeit brief, showing in the Mexican Winter League.
Few question that Paredes is going to hit. He has an advanced approach at the plate and has been described as looking "hitterish" in the box by some evaluators. He draws walks and doesn't strike out a ton while showing the ability to drive the ball to all fields. The combination of loft and bat speed should allow him to get close to Major League average power, with 12-15 homers annually a realistic projection.
There are more questions about where he might end up defensively long-term. He's largely played shortstop, where the Tigers will continue to let him play, but he'll also see more time at third, where his above-average arm would play, and second. Wherever he lands, the Tigers are excited to see how his advanced bat skills play as he moves up the ladder.
Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Arm: 55 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45
The Cubs have mined Mexico as well as any club in the last few years. They were especially productive there in 2015, when they purchased right-hander Jose Albertos from the Tijuana Bulls for $1.5 million and Paredes from the Mexico City Red Devils for $800,000. Just 17 years old when he came to the United States for his pro debut last summer, he batted .305 in the Rookie-level Arizona League and earned a promotion to low Class A for the Midwest League playoffs. He was spending the year at that level in 2017 when he was sent to the Tigers as part of the return for Justin Wilson at the Trade Deadline.
Paredes has more pop than the other teenaged infield prospects he just left in the Cubs system, Aramis Ademan and Carlos Sepulveda, but is less likely to stay up the middle long term. He has enough loft and bat speed from the right side of the plate to develop into a 15-homer threat. He also has a good feel for hitting, already showing the ability to control the strike zone and use the whole field.
Paredes has enough arm strength to play anywhere in the infield, but his fringy speed and quickness limit his range. He could shift to second base but more scouts think he's destined for third base because he figures to lose a step as he fills out.
