Sean Coyle

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Position: 2B/SS
DoB: 1/17/1992
Height and Weight: 5'8, 175
Draft History: 110th overall in 2010

Coyle is a polished hitter with surprising pop for his size. Scouts seem bullish on his defensive actions and his arm, but it seems more likely that his future is at 2B rather than SS. Considered a tough sign last year, the Sox pried him away from a UNC commitment with a $1.3M bonus.

After getting his feet wet very briefly (10 AB) in the GCL last August, Coyle was ambitiously assigned to Greenville this spring, where he has put up the following interesting line in 16 games: .196/.415/.391

Beneath the slash stats we are looking at 46 AB, 16 BB, 15 K, 2 HR, and 3 2B. Clearly he's having some trouble with strikeouts, which is not that surprising since he came right out of high school to low A ball. But there is a lot to like here so far, given the demonstrable on base skills and quite a bit of pop.

A few links:

Soxprospects.com summary.

Interview on espnboston.com.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Coyle spent some time on the DL but is now back and doesn't seem to have missed a beat at the plate.

Current slash stats: .245/.388/.518

Underlying those stats are 22 BB, 27 K, and 16 XBH in 110 ABs.

There is no need to rush this kid given his age, but it would be nice to see him get a crack at Salem before the year is out.
 

Midre Cum Ingz

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As I said in the other thread I have never seen a middle infielder drop a .900 OPS a year out of HS in full-season ball and have it go completely unnoticed.

Maybe it's the sub-.250 average...

The kid has a .143 IsoD and a .273 IsoP using wood for the first time as a teenager.

It's just stupid. Unreal.
 

Buzzkill Pauley

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As I said in the other thread I have never seen a middle infielder drop a .900 OPS a year out of HS in full-season ball and have it go completely unnoticed.
Yamaico Navarro, 2008. Sure he had turned 20, but no one really cared about his .901 OPS (181 PA) because Lowrie was the anointed SS-of-the-future, while the lineup was dominated by Anderson, Reddick, and Nava. Similarly, Coyle's setting the table for Head and Jacobs, while Tejeda became the new smexy at 2B after his superb spring training.


I agree Coyle's been great so far, but his line's based on ~100 ABs. Be patient -- if he still looks this good at the end of the season, it won't be unnoticed.








 

someoneanywhere

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I agree Coyle's been great so far, but his line's based on ~100 ABs. Be patient -- if he still looks this good at the end of the season, it won't be unnoticed.
If this were AA, and maybe even A+, I'd share that sentiment. But in Low A what you look for is athletic and baseball separation, which may or may not be reflected in slash lines or stat lines. I am not saying promote him -- not by any means. Keep him in Greenville, let him play out the year, let him get used to the grind of pro ball. He actually won't look this good by August, I bet. But what he has shown is that he's a separator, and those are the guys who not only can play the game but can make the adjustments you need to make as you move up.

Take Gibson as a counter-example. If you watched him down here, you saw that some of the frothing about his athleticism was overboiled; you knew he was going to struggle. Slow feet, slow hands, just slow athletically overall. The entire time he was in Low A, I never saw him hit a ball hard, not even an out. (I'm sure he did. But I go to 30ish games a year and I never saw it.) Coyle is better spelled "coil." He's all spring, in all parts. And for my money, he's proven what he needs to prove in Greenville already. Letting him play the game for a year as a pro is in some (not all) ways a different question from the matter of his proving his ability.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Coyle has had a bizarre run over the last ten games: 42 ABs, 10 Ks, 5 BBs, and 8 hits - every one of them for extra bases. I don't think he's hit a single since coming back from his injury.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Coyle went on the DL again after getting hit in the head with a pitch and is now back playing regularly in Greenville.

In his four games back, Coyle has maintained an aversion to hitting singles - he's collected two hits, both for extra bases, and now has as many 2B on the year as 1B (hit totals = 12 1B, 12 2B, 5 3B, 6 HR). I really don't have an explanation. Maybe he has an insanely low GB rate? Or maybe he's been really unlucky on ground balls leaking through the infield and short flies falling between infielders and outfielders?
 

Bigpupp

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[quote name='Morgan's Magic Snowplow' timestamp='1308531114' post='3598513']
Coyle went on the DL again after getting hit in the head with a pitch and is now back playing regularly in Greenville.
[/quote]



Just to clarify, he didn't get hit in the head with a pitch, but instead had a bunt come up and hit him in the face causing some cuts. Note big difference but I thought it should be noted.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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While his two injury spells during May and June seemed to throw him off for a bit, Coyle came on strong once again in July, finishing with a .284/.420/.523 slash line for the month. He now has a .244/.362/.480 line for the season and has been showing even more power than during his initial splash in April. He has 20 2Bs, 6 3Bs, and 11 HRs in 76 games.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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I haven't updated this thread in forever. Coyle's 2012 in Salem was somewhat of a disaster but he's off to a very hot start this year (repeating the level), with a .321/.406/.786 line through seven games.
 

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Coty missed a week with (I think) a jammed thumb but came back strong tonight, going 2/5 with a dinger. He now has a .333/.391/.738 line. Given that he's repeating the level, I think we see him in Portland by mid season.
 

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Speier wrote about Coyle for BA today, in it he said that while the power surprised most, internally the Red Sox project him to be a 20-30 HR player (?!?!).
 
Also said he earned a promotion to Double-A with his play this spring training but in the end they wanted to let him finally dominate a level before promotion.
 
“I guess my power really kind of took off this spring when I stopped swinging with my shoulders and my body and started realizing how to swing with my hands and keeping my head still,” Coyle said. “That’s the cause of the consistency of squaring some balls up, I think: Keeping my head still and using my hands instead of my entire body has made me quicker to the ball and more consistent.”
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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Its been basically a lost season for Coyle, with the knee injury just killing him after he showed that really intriguing power early on.  I'm not sure what the organization will do at the 2B position and how that might affect where Coyle goes, for the rest of this season and next.  Mookie Betts arguably looks like the more promising 2B prospect at this point and has grabbed the High A slot, so for Coyle to get regular time he either needs to stay in Greenville for the rest of the year (which undoubtedly stings) or go to AA.  The Seadogs already have Ryan Dent and Heiker Meneses, so bumping Coyle up to AA might require one of them to be promoted to AAA or let go.  And even if Coyle does go to AA, he's going to have Betts right on his tail next year.  I think the power is too intriguing to write Coyle off just yet, especially since the injuries have really limited his ability to get into a sustained groove and improve things like his pitch recognition and K rate.  But it hasn't been a great last couple years, and his fragility is kind of worrying as well.
 

mabrowndog

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Morgan's Magic Snowplow said:
Its been basically a lost season for Coyle
 
You ain't kidding. And he's hurt again, just as the Salem Sox are a game into their playoff run. The injury also nixes plans for him to play in the Arizona Fall League, with Mookie Betts replacing him on the Surprise Saguaros roster.
 

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Coyle, who is on the DL for elbow soreness, missed the first round of the playoffs but it has yet to be determined whether he will or will not be able to play in the championship series. An MRI showed that there’s no cause for alarm with the condition, and nothing that will require surgery, but at the same time, Coyle’s injury-filled season — the 21-year-old played just 48 games with Salem, blasting 14 homers while hitting .241/.321/.513 — creates an urgency for him to put himself in the best position possible to enter 2014 at full strength. Coyle was sidelined at different intervals for thumb, knee and elbow injuries.
http://fullcount.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/2013/09/06/red-sox-minor-league-roundup-clay-buchholz-absolutely-ready-mookie-betts-afl-bound-sean-coyle-seeking-health-chris-martin-matt-price-strike-out-everyone/
 

mabrowndog

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He's been exclusively a DH since August 14, so if it's his right elbow that's hurt at least he wouldn't be aggravating the injury by throwing.
 

Mugsy's Jock

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If you're looking for an under appreciated prospect, check out Sean Coyle...

In his age 22 season, he's tearing it up for the AA Sea Dogs, at present hitting .343 with a .958 OPS in 20 games. (He lost 3 weeks this season to a hamstring.) Had injury issues last year as well, but did manage 14 HRs in under 200 ABs at Salem, and in his 3.5 years in pro ball he's stolen 55 bases against 8 caught stealing.

The Red Sox certainly have a pipeline of undersized second basemen with some pop.
 

JakeRae

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BCsMightyJoeYoung said:
He basically has the same line as Mooky now .. OPS over 1.000 .. He's playing mostly 3b
 
Except he's walking half as often and striking out three times as often. Unlike Mookie, he is producing that 1.000 OPS with a completely unsustainable BABIP that was at .459 going into today. He's off to a great start this season, but Mookie Betts he is not.
 

Mighty Joe Young

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JakeRae said:
Except he's walking half as often and striking out three times as often. Unlike Mookie, he is producing that 1.000 OPS with a completely unsustainable BABIP that was at .459 going into today. He's off to a great start this season, but Mookie Betts he is not.
I wasn't suggesting he was .. But he's slowly but surely rebuilding his prospect status. If he can just stay on the field I think he has a future
 

Mugsy's Jock

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Sean's double-digit hitting streak was snapped in the nightcap tonight. He went 0-1, but did have a BB, a HBP, and a SB.

Had two hits in the first game...bringing his season-long OPS up to .985 in 145 ABs, not to mention going 10-0 in stolen bases.

If he stays healthy, he's pretty much demanding a spot on the Pawsox too.
 

OptimusPapi

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I was wondering about that. At some point you are going to have Cecchini manning third again with Middlebrooks possibly taking the DH spot if he is not called up. The only place I could think of sticking him is LF with Hassan moving over to RF. Would that be a feasible position for him?
 

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OptimusPapi said:
I was wondering about that. At some point you are going to have Cecchini manning third again with Middlebrooks possibly taking the DH spot if he is not called up. The only place I could think of sticking him is LF with Hassan moving over to RF. Would that be a feasible position for him?
 
You seem to be forgetting Brentz .. how long is his injury for ?
 

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OptimusPapi said:
I was wondering about that. At some point you are going to have Cecchini manning third again with Middlebrooks possibly taking the DH spot if he is not called up. The only place I could think of sticking him is LF with Hassan moving over to RF. Would that be a feasible position for him?
I'd imagine the reason he's not up yet is that he missed time last year due to injury and as a result only made it into 60 games with 240 ABs.  Less than 200 of those even in Salem.  He's doing really well but he's been promoted fast without ever being asked to put together a solid full season at any stop in the low minors.
 
That said, if he's hitting like this through the rest of June and into July the desire to get him a single block of experience with one level falls serves no purpose if he isn't being challenged.
 
As for how Cecchini, WMB, and Coyle could all share time in the same lineup, well, if Betts is the primary CF Coyle could easily move into 2B on a regular basis in place of Mike McCoy who would be no real loss if cut.  Farrell has mentioned WMB taking time in the OF when he's back too so I'd imagine they'll get him some time there during his rehab stint.  Given that both Dan Butler and Alex Hassan have massively regressed this season from last year and both are post-prospects it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if they got benched to free up time for WMB at DH and LF.  Meanwhile Coyle could still get some 3B time and Betts some 2B time when WMB is in the OF by having Cecchini DH.
 
Not really much of a problem getting them all in the lineup.  In fact, I hope the new trend of moving guys around to develop some positional versatility continues.  The ability to plug someone on a hot streak in at multiple positions is greatly underrated if you ask me, as is the value of a day off for regulars.
 

bringbackburks

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Now up to. 348/.422/.579 and 12-12 on sb's after almost 50 games. I can't see him moving up any time soon, but this stretch of injury free play is extremely exciting. I know he's played some third, but does anyone have an idea whether that's something he could do in the majors or is he another corner OF candidate if he has to move off 2b?
 

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He's only just started playing 3B this year.  
 
I think people are overstating the need to promote him.  I realize that is a loaded word so we think he's "earned" a promotion and should get it, but the Red Sox don't have a lot to gain from promoting him unless they think he is going to be playing in Boston this year, which I doubt.  The differences in the pitches he is going to see between AA and AAA aren't going to spur a bunch of development and a couple hundred AB at AA as opposed to AAA aren't going to tell the Red Sox how good of a prospect he is.  The biggest thing he needs to show is that he can stay on the field, and he can do that in Portland just as easily as Pawtucket.  
 
FTR I typically endorse a promote until challenged philosophy but I don't see a huge difference between Portland and Pawtucket right now.  If Coyle were in Salem and we were talking about getting him to Portland, then I'd be all for it, and, again, if there was a good shot the Red Sox wanted him for the 25 man roster.  
 

grimshaw

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First post. I've lurked here as well as Soxprospects forever.
 
I think Coyle is a nice trade chip since 2B has shown to be his best position.  He's got very slow reactions and a below average arm at 3B.  He also strikes out a lot (80 out of 240 AB) in 2013 and 43 out of 164 this year) which doesn't always translate well above AA, since he may just mash fastballs.  My observation is that he needs to decide whether he's a power hitter or gap to gap who shortens up his swing and keeps the OBP up.  There is a lot of upside though with that raw power so maybe LF is the next step.
 

Plympton91

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grimshaw said:
First post. I've lurked here as well as Soxprospects forever.
 
I think Coyle is a nice trade chip since 2B has shown to be his best position.  He's got very slow reactions and a below average arm at 3B.  He also strikes out a lot (80 out of 240 AB) in 2013 and 43 out of 164 this year) which doesn't always translate well above AA, since he may just mash fastballs.  My observation is that he needs to decide whether he's a power hitter or gap to gap who shortens up his swing and keeps the OBP up.  There is a lot of upside though with that raw power so maybe LF is the next step.
It may be right that Coyle will be a trade chip, because they're going to have to eventually use some of this up the middle depth they've got to acquire some middle of the order bats at the other end of the defensive spectrum. But, that's a huge drop in his K rate this season based on the stats that you just posted, and if it keeps up would be an incredibly optimistic sign that this season is a real breakout.
 

joe dokes

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I've got one question about Coyle.....I finally got to see him play last weekend.  Sat not too far from where he was playing 3B.  He looked smaller than Pedroia.  He looked like Eddie Gaedel at the plate. No way he's 5'8" like he's listed.  Does that affect his trade value?
 

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grimshaw said:
First post. I've lurked here as well as Soxprospects forever.
 
He also strikes out a lot (80 out of 240 AB) in 2013 and 43 out of 164 this year) which doesn't always translate well above AA, since he may just mash fastballs. .
He's definitely doing better on this front this year... From striking out one in three at bats in 2013, to barely one in four (45/175) at Portland this year. And at the 51-game mark, that accompanies a 1.029 OPS, with both his .435 OBP and .594 SLG a hundred points better than last year.

I so hope this guy makes it to Boston before he gets traded, but if he goes I sure hope it isn't for some dopey middle reliever. Incredibly exciting performance this year.
 

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I watched him twice this week. Without saying that he'll be the next Pedrois, he plays very much like Dustin. One hundred % every moment. He stands in on double plays, he runs hard and he doesn't get short changed at the plate.
I agree that he looks smaller than #15 but he appears to be a real dirt dog.
 

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Cross posted from daily thread, because I had to...
 
https://twitter.com/SeenCoyle/status/482013493559050240
 
Images of Coyle and Owens watching Space Jam together fill me with joy....
 

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Coyle named Eastern League Player of the Week:

 
The Eastern League of Professional Baseball Clubs has selected Portland Sea Dogs second baseman Sean Coyle as the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of June 22nd through June 29th. 
 
Coyle appeared in six games last week for the Sea Dogs where he hit .524 (11-for-21) with two doubles, a triple, two home runs, 12 RBI, and scored seven runs. Coyle led the league in average (.524), RBI (12), walks (7), SLG % (1.000), and OBP % (.643). He also ranked among the league leaders for the week in hits (11-2nd), home runs (2- Tied 2nd), runs scored (7- 2nd), and extra base hits (5- 2nd). The 22 year-old hit safely in all six games he appeared during the week. He collected a season-high five RBI on June 29th and fell a home run shy of the cycle in a 13-9 win at Reading. He collected three hits and reached base safely four times on June 26th and June 29th at Reading. On June 26th he hit a three run double in the seventh inning collecting the game winning RBI as the Sea Dogs went on to defeat Reading 9-4.
 
 

ivanvamp

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Coyle's minor league stats are pretty impressive, IMO. 
 
2011 (19 yrs old, A):  .826 ops, 14 hr in 384 ab
2012 (20 yrs old, A+):  .707 ops, 9 hr in 437 ab
2013 (21 yrs old, three levels):  .826 ops, 16 hr in 240 ab
2014 (22 yrs old, AA):  .957 ops, 12 hr in 247 ab
 
For a little guy (just 5'8"), he has serious pop.  Looks like he may have 20+ hr power if given a full season of ABs.  Plus, he has 61 career SB vs only 8 CS (88.4%).  
 
I wonder, since he plays 2b and 3b, what organization he'll play for in the majors.  Probably not Boston.  I see him as a pretty decent addition to a package involving a big-time player coming to Boston.
 

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Gotta feel a little for Sean, who's seen so many of his teammates called up to Pawtucket and Boston while he's been left in Portland, just being the Eastern League MVP.

Hey, at least he'll get a cool Eastern League championship ring to flash around...
 

ivanvamp

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So what do we have in Coyle?  
 
.295/.371/.512/.883, 336 ab, 16 homers, 61 rbi, even 13 sb in 14 attempts.  
 
The kid can hit.  Good pop.  Is he a part of the Red Sox' future, or is he going to be a very nice little trade chip?
 

Plympton91

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He doesn't seem to get a lot of love in prospect rankings or scouting buzz, so his value to the Red Sox is probably higher than his value to a trade partner. That means they need to find him a position. I would hope that they start giving him a lot of reps at 3B. In the meantime, he needs to do his part by reducing his K rate. The fact that it is so high in AA is a big red flag, and probably the reason he doesn't get more buzz or the promotion to AAA this year.
 

Drek717

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ivanvamp said:
So what do we have in Coyle?  
 
.295/.371/.512/.883, 336 ab, 16 homers, 61 rbi, even 13 sb in 14 attempts.  
 
The kid can hit.  Good pop.  Is he a part of the Red Sox' future, or is he going to be a very nice little trade chip?
I'm of a mind that the Sox should hang onto him for the next year or so and let WMB/Cecchini/Bogaerts sort out who will be playing 3B for the next 5-10 years before moving Coyle.  There is a pretty real chance that if Bogaerts sticks at SS Coyle is the best long term answer at 3B.  Given that a good 3B is almost as hard to find as a good SS in today's baseball landscape the opportunity cost lost by hanging onto Coyle is worth the extra insurance.
 
Really, that is the entire conundrum with the Sox going into this winter though, the young guys they brought up haven't done enough to make you feel good trading the depth out from under them.  It will be a tough choice between getting ML quality players at several need positions now, or hoping to enjoy the long term flexibility we'd gain by riding it out and filling those positional needs with in-house guys, even though that will take additional growing pains.
 

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Plympton91 said:
He doesn't seem to get a lot of love in prospect rankings or scouting buzz, so his value to the Red Sox is probably higher than his value to a trade partner. That means they need to find him a position. I would hope that they start giving him a lot of reps at 3B. In the meantime, he needs to do his part by reducing his K rate. The fact that it is so high in AA is a big red flag, and probably the reason he doesn't get more buzz or the promotion to AAA this year.
 
He managed to cut it down to 24.7% after being at 29% in Salem a year ago, so he is making progress. He needs to keep improving enough to, at least, tread water relative to his level. I still think the hope is basically that he can hit like Mark Reynolds (more doubles, fewer HR, but similar overall line) at the MLB level. Anything more than that is unrealistic. If he can do that, play solid defense at 2B/3B, and contribute as a baserunner he could be a good player. 
 
Part of the reason he doesn't get any buzz is that, even with things going right, he's still probably just a good player. He's not a prospect you can dream HOF dreams about. His ceiling is being a guy that can start. His floor is a AAAA player. He's most likely a guy who bounces around the league as a utility player who can't play short. (Think: Drew Sutton.)
 

joe dokes

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The Allented Mr Ripley said:
He's also been perpetually injured.
 
And he's about 3 feet tall, which probably has an influence on "scouting buzz" and the like. CW still expects small guys to play like Eckstein, not Reynolds. Even though Reynolds, for example, has some value, I think scouts see a guy like Coyle as less valuable even if they think he'll put up lines like Reynolds.
 

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Odds are Coyle will be added to the 40-man this off-season. However I don't think he's ever going to be viewed as a full-time option for the Red Sox. He could certainly be dealt away this fall/winter, but his injury history (as Rip noted), his positional limitations, and his dearth of upper-level minor league experience will combine to reduce his value.
 
He's obviously blocked here at his natural position, and has only played 18 G at 3B this year (his first pro experience at the position). I don't want to jump to any small-sample conclusions, and I certainly don't place a whole lot of faith in fielding statistics (particularly the more archaic ones based on chances & errors, like his paltry 1.78 RF/G in 38 TC w. 6 E). But to expand on Joe Dokes' comment, I don't think it's a stretch to assume his 5'8" build is less than ideal for the hot corner in terms of both lateral and vertical range. (In a somewhat dated piece at Fangraphs, Dave Cameron agrees; FWIW, that post was a follow up to this one, and a precursor to this one, all related to height considerations at 3B vs 2B).
 
Second basemen are typically positioned 20-30 feet further away from home plate than 3B are, and balls hit to second are usually softer hit, so 2Bmen can take more steps to get to where the ball is hit and they have more time to do so once they react. On slow rollers and routine grounders, I'd have no doubts about Coyle's abilities playing third in the majors. But on dives to his left or right and on leaps for liners over his head -- especially when playing in with runners on and less than 2 outs -- he's at a distinct disadvantage. For that reason, not only do I not see a future for Coyle at 3B, I don't view him as much of a utility option in the majors either. So it's really full-time 2B or bust.
 
If the club holds onto him, he projects to play 2B almost exclusively in Pawtucket with Cecchini (unless he's traded) doing the same at 3B. I just can't buy into any Cecchini in LF/Coyle at 3B theories, and it goes well beyond the logjam of outfielders. If Coyle handles AAA pitching well, he's a solid trade chip 14-18 months from now for a team with a 2B opening, which limits the market since 2B is where many failed but good-hitting SS and 3B end up. If he's only mediocre at the plate, he's nothing but a throw-in.