Jeff Bianchi didn't start thinking about reaching the big leagues until he made it to Double-A.
Media Center
Related Topics
Related Stories
Now the idea of playing alongside the best in baseball is often in his head.
"I'm not going to deny it," the Lampeter-Strasburg graduate said. "Once you get to this level or above, it starts creeping into your mind and makes it more real. I'm at the point where it's realistic."
It has been a year of rapid advancement for Bianchi, who was drafted by the Kansas City Royals with the 50th overall pick in 2005.
The 6-0, 175-pound shortstop started last season with the Class A Wilmington Blue Rocks. It was his second consecutive assignment to that team and there was a feeling his career had stagnated.
Bianchi knew he needed to make progress.
"Going into the year, I felt this was probably my biggest so far," he said. "I definitely feel that I had a solid year offensively and defensively. I think I elevated my game to the next level and hope to continue to do so in the future."
Bianchi hit .300 with four homers and 28 RBIs in 60 games for Wilmington. It was enough to earn him a coveted promotion to Class AA Northwest Arkansas.
At that level, Bianchi didn't slow down. He batted .315 with five homers and 42 RBIs in 68 games and was twice named the Texas League player of the week.
The Royals thought enough of Bianchi's development that they assigned him to play in the prestigious Arizona Fall League. He's hitting over .300 again, this time for the Surprise Rafters.
This is how it unfolds sometimes. The evolution of a prospect doesn't always follow a straight, vertical line. Sometimes there are setbacks and questions. Sometimes adversity is a tough opponent.
Bianchi's path hit a detour during his first full professional season. He suffered a partially torn rotator cuff, which required surgery and limited him to 12 games in rookie ball.
Although he came back the following year, his performance dipped and he was starting to get the dreaded label of being injury-prone. It's a label that's difficult to shake.
"I feel like all of that is in the past right now," Bianchi said. "Obviously I get questions about it a lot. It was a huge part of my career, especially so far. I've grown from those injuries as a person and a player. Now I'm healthy and I can go out and play every day."
Bianchi was lauded for his mature approach at the plate when he went pro straight out of high school. After missing most of the 2006 season, he struggled at Class A Burlington in 2007, batting just .249 with a .296 on-base percentage. His power numbers went up at Wilmington the next year, but the Royals didn't promote him.
That's why 2009 was so important. He needed to show he was healthy and ready to reach the promise that was attached to him when he was drafted.
Bianchi proved he could fight through the roadblocks and excel.
"Any time you go through a rough stretch like that, I don't know if it's doubt that enters your mind," he said. "It was more frustration. It was all a learning curve. What do I have to do to improve and learn from that?"
As a fifth-year player out of high school, Bianchi is in what's called his protection year. The Royals have to decide if he's part of their long-term plans by putting him on their 40-man roster — making him eligible for a big-league call-up.
If the Royals don't protect Bianchi, they'll likely lose him in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft. It seems unlikely the team would take that chance with a player who is starting to reach his lofty potential.
Bianchi, who turned 23 last month, will probably start next season at either Double-A or Triple-A with a chance to move closer to his ultimate goal.
After a couple of rough seasons filled with injury and frustration, his career appears to be back on the right path.
(1080)
