Before the 2013 season began, there was a bit of a split over who the #1 prospect in the system was: Toolsy center fielder Mason Williams or power-hitting catcher Gary Sanchez?
Sanchez seemed to separate himself from the pack for most of the first half of the season. Before the High-A All-Star Break, he compiled a .277/.340/.486 slash in 220 AB. That is quite an impressive line for a 20-year old catcher in a league that traditionally favors pitchers. The reports on his defense were generally leaning in the "good enough" direction.
The second half hasn't gone so well. In 142 AB, his slash has been a pedestrian .218/.271/.317. He has also struck out 31 times, compared to 40 in the first half.
The first thing you think of when you see this is that he is a young catcher who may just be wearing down a bit as the season goes along. There is also a possibility that an injury he suffered on July 20th has been lingering. Since coming back on July 24th, he is 6-for-39 and doesn't have an extra-base hit in that time frame (Though he has actually stolen two bases)
Overall, he has put together a solid enough season to earn the promotion. He is hitting .254/.313/.420 with 13 home runs and 61 runs batted in. His BABIP of .277 is much lower than his career average, so some bad luck could be involved in his struggles. There is nothing blocking him in Double-A, and Pete O'Brien can handle a bigger workload for Tampa as the season draws to a close.
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