Dezenzo tied an Ohio State record with 19 home runs in 2022, yet questions about his bat-to-ball skills and defense dropped him to the 12th round in the Draft. He consistently has produced elite exit velocities since turning pro and made his big league debut two years after signing, homering twice in 15 starts with the Astros and making their Wild Card Series roster. Houston's offseason acquisitions of Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker diminish his chances of claiming a starting job in 2025.
Dezenzo combines high-end bat speed in his right-handed swing and the strength in his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame to create well-above-average raw power that plays to all fields. He could produce 25-30 homers per season if he can make consistent contact, though he has worrisome chase and swing-and-miss issues, even against fastballs in the zone. He particularly struggles with sliders and changeups, and the latter pitch has led to suboptimal production against left-handers the past two seasons.
While Dezenzo will flash solid speed at times, he's more of a fringy runner who lacks a quick first step and doesn't do much on the bases. Primarily a shortstop with the Buckeyes, Dezenzo has played mostly third base in pro ball but is an erratic defender with limited range, so-so hands and an average arm at the hot corner. He spent most of his time in the Puerto Rican Winter League this offseason playing first base and left field, which are better long-term options.
Though Dezenzo tied an Ohio State record with 19 homers in 2022, he lasted until the 12th round because of questions about his hitting ability and defensive home. He has produced some of the highest exit velocities in the Minors since turning pro and got off to a .407/.474/.628 start in High-A during the first month of last season. Despite cooling off in Double-A and the Arizona Fall League while dealing with foot and wrist injuries, he could power his way to the big leagues in 2024.
Dezenzo's bat speed, strength and launch-heavy approach generate well-above-average raw pop from the right side of the plate. His pop plays from foul pole to foul pole and could translate into 30 or more homers per season if he makes enough contact. He struck out at a 29 percent clip between Double-A and the AFL and had trouble with non-fastballs, though Houston thinks he'll do more damage when he's fully healthy.
Mostly a shortstop with the Buckeyes, Dezenzo is reasonably athletic for a 6-foot-4, 220-pounder but has below-average quickness. His best hope to stay on the dirt is at third base, where he has sure hands and average arm strength but limited range. Erratic at the hot corner and unable cover enough ground at second, he could get a look in left field.
Dezenzo slammed 38 homers in three full seasons at Ohio State, tying a school record with 19 in 2022. He has stood out by producing some of the highest exit velocities in the Astros system since signing as a 12th-round pick last July. He began his first full pro season in High-A and batted .407/.474/.628 in his first month to earn a swift promotion to Double-A.
Dezenzo creates well-above-average raw power with a combination of bat speed and strength and consistently produces high-end exit velocities from the right side of the plate. The question is how much he'll be able to tap into it against more advanced pitching, because he has an aggressive approach that leads to swing-and-miss concerns. His pop does play to all fields and could translate into 25 or more homers per season if he can make consistent contact.
At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Dezenzo moves well for his size and presently has average speed, though he may lose a step as he gets older. Primarily a shortstop with the Buckeyes, he has played mostly third base and second base as a pro. He shows an average arm and sure hands at third, where he has a chance to become a decent defender, but he lacks the quickness for the keystone, leaving left field or first base as his backup options.
These run values are leveraged, meaning the base/out situation at the time of the event does impact the run value (thus introducing context outside the batter's own contribution).
Note: xHR tells how many of this player's home runs would have been out of other stadiums. The "Adjusted" view here accounts for different wall heights, distances and environmental effects using Statcast Park Factor data.
Standard
Year
HR
2024
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
2025
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Player
3
3
3
3
4
3
3
4
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
3
3
Note: xHR tells how many of this player's home runs would have been out of other stadiums. The "Standard" view here accounts for different wall heights and distances but excludes environmental effects. It is based purely on the observed trajectory of the hit.
! Note: Shifts are through the 2022 season, Shaded starting from the 2023 season, Shift: three or more infielders are on the same side of second base, Shade: positioned outside of their typical responsible slices of the field. Learn more about how positioning is defined here
