Player of the Decade: Dustin Ackley, North Carolina, 2007-2009

The 2007 Freshman of the Year had a career .412 average. While he never was BA's Player of the Year, he was a factor in each of his three seasons and helped North Carolina make three trips to Omaha. Pitchers Daniel Bard and Andrew Miller helped get the Tar Heels over the hump to Omaha, but Ackley kept them there, leading the way for three years and amassing 28 hits in Rosenblatt Stadium, more than any player in CWS history.

I know the Mariners drafted Ackley last year. (He was the 2nd overall pick, right after the Nats took Strasburg.) I recall that he signed very late. (Boras!) What I don't know is if he played any minor league ball last year? Did he play in the AFL? Is he playing in a Winter league?

EDIT: I found his Fall League numbers: 20-games 73-ab 13-r 23-h 5-2b 0-3b 1-hr 12-rbi 31-tb 12-bb 19-so 1-sb 2-cs .412/.425/.315 .836-ops. Obviously too small a sample size to make any conclusions. But at a surface level, looks like he needs to add some power and maybe not try to steal bases. He's like a new Wade Boggs minus the chicken-eating and Margo Adams.

He played in the AFL. He's not playing in a winter league.

He's been working out trying to learn 2B. He signed a MLB contract so he'll be in camp with the Mariners although I wouldn't expect him to play much.