Jerry Sands

JERRY SANDS
CORNER OUTFIELDER
Born: September 28, 1987
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 225
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 25th Round, 757th Overall, 2008 (Dodgers)
How Acquired: Trade (from Red Sox)
College: Catawba College
Agent: N/A

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

Sands set records for HRs, walks and slugging in Division 2, but still lasted until the 25th round in the draft.  He has power to all fields and has shown solid patience, but has also had high K rates.  He’s played a little in center, but doesn’t have good range and has mainly stayed in the corners.  Otherwise, he’s a capable outfielder with an arm that’s probably just good enough for right.  He’s played a lot at first as well.  The Pirates acquired him, along with Mark Melancon, Stolmy Pimentel and Ivan De Jesus for Joel Hanrahan and Brock Holt.

2008
R:  205/346/438, 146 AB, 4 2B, 10 HR, 29 BB, 43 K, 5-5 SB

Sands played right in the GCL and hit for a low average with a lot of whiffs, but with good power and a lot of walks.

2009
R+:  350/427/687, 163 AB, 9 2B, 2 3B, 14 HR, 22 BB, 28 K, 0-1 SB
A:  260/361/510, 104 AB, 7 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 15 BB, 32 K, 1-1 SB

Sands split his time between right and center in advanced rookie ball, and dominated at the plate.  The Dodgers moved him up to low A for a little over a month and he played mostly first.  He still hit for power, but also struck out a lot.

2010
A:  333/432/646, 243 AB, 16 2B, 3 3B, 18 HR, 40 BB, 61 K, 14-16 SB
AA:  270/360/529, 259 AB, 12 2B, 2 3B, 17 HR, 33 BB, 62 K, 4-4 SB

The Dodgers sent Sands back to low A and he dominated there.  This time they jumped him up two levels at mid-season and he continued to hit for very good power, although for a lower average.  He continued to have somewhat high K rates at both locations.  Neither of his home ballparks were hitter’s parks.  In the field, he split his time between first and the outfield corners.  Baseball America rated him the Dodgers’ 6th best prospect after the season.

2011
AAA:  278/344/586, 370 AB, 21 2B, 3 3B, 29 HR, 38 BB, 86 K, 3-4 SB
MLB:  253/338/389, 198 AB, 15 2B, 4 HR, 25 BB, 51 K, 3-6 SB

Sands opened in AAA, but the Dodgers called him up in mid-April.  He stayed in the majors until early June, then came back up in September.  He held his own in the majors and hit for decent power.  He hit for excellent power in AAA, although it has to be discounted as he was playing at Las Vegas in the Pacific Coast League.  He played mainly in the outfield corners in the majors and split his time between there and first in AAA.

2012
AAA:  296/375/524, 452 AB, 17 2B, 4 3B, 26 HR, 59 BB, 106 K, 1-1 SB
MLB:  208/261/261, 24 AB, 2 2B, 1 BB, 9 K

Sands spent most of the season in AAA and hit for a little less power, but improved his walk and K rates.  They called him up briefly in May and for one game in August.  After the season, he was designated as a PTBNL in the huge trade between the Dodgers and Red Sox.  He played both first and the outfield corners.

2013
R:  364/462/909, 11 AB, 2 HR, 2 BB, 4 K
AAA:  207/311/329, 343 AB, 17 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 50 BB, 105 K, 0-1 SB

Sands ostensibly went into spring training to compete with Starling Marte, Travis Snider, Jose Tabata and Alex Presley at the corner outfield spots and with Gaby Sanchez for the right-handed half of the firstbase platoon.  It was surprising, then, that Sands was in the first round of cuts.  The Pirates must have known what they were doing, because Sands had a disastrous year at Indianapolis.  Other than drawing a lot of walks, he did little at the plate.  His K rate increased dramatically.  The Pirates stuck with him, though, playing him regularly except when he was out for about a month with an injury in mid-summer.  Sands struggled mightily with RHPs, hitting only 204/293/309 against them.  He hit 218/365/397 against LHPs.  He did not get a September callup.

Sands is still on the roster, but obviously is a candidate to come off it.  Apart from whatever minor leaguers the Pirates need to add, they’ll still be searching for solutions in right and at first, so they may need space to add major league players.

UPDATE:  The Pirates designated Sands for assignment to free up roster space when they signed Edinson Volquez and Clint Barmes.

STATS
Baseball Reference–Majors
Baseball Reference–Minors
Fangraphs
MLB.com
MiLB.com
CONTRACT INFORMATION
2014: Major league minimum
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: $5,000
MiLB Debut: 2008
MLB Debut: 4/18/2011
MiLB FA Eligible: N/A
MLB FA Eligible: 2019
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Added to 40-Man: April 18, 2011
Options Remaining: 0 (USED: 2011, 2012, 2013)
MLB Service Time: 0.094
TRANSACTIONS
June 5, 2008: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 25th round, 757th overall pick; signed on June 10.
April 18, 2011: Contract purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
October 4, 2012: Designated, along with Rubby De La Rosa, as players to be named later in trade from Los Angeles Dodgers to Boston Red Sox that was originally made on August 25, sending Allen Webster, Ivan De Jesus, James Loney and two PTBNLs to Boston for Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, Nick Punto and cash.
December 26, 2012: Traded by the Boston Red Sox with Mark Melancon, Stolmy Pimentel and Ivan De Jesus for Joel Hanrahan and Brock Holt.
December 13, 2013: Designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates.