Daniel Nava can hit

Perhaps the most unheralded and intriguing prospect in Boston's system is Pawtucket outfielder Daniel Nava. Nava was a walk-on at Santa Clara and signed with Boston as a free agent after playing 1 year of Indy ball.

He has done nothing but hit at every level. He has never been viewed as a legitimate prospect because of his age (he is 27 playing in Triple-A for the first time) and lack of tools. He does not possess overwhelming athleticism but is well-rounded and has a good approach at the plate.

Nava destroyed Double-A last year to a tune of .364/.479/.568 in 118 at-bats. He recorded 25 walks and just 12 Ks as well. He is off to a solid start in Triple-A in '10 as well with a .884 OPS so far.

Nava is too old to ever be considered a prospect but I do think he could become a useful 5th outfielder in the future. He is a switch hitter and can hold his own defensively.