Yonder Alonso's ability to hit will make him a big league regular. The question is whether it's going to be with his current organization.

The seventh overall pick in the 2008 draft is a first baseman by trade but has been playing left field at Triple-A because of Joey Votto's presence with the major league club. While Alonso certainly could get time in left field with the Reds down the stretch, it's also no secret he could be utilized as a prime trade chip; there are a number of rumors floating around right now with his name being mentioned.Alonso hasn't shown as much power as expected for much of his pro career, in part because of a broken hamate (hand/wrist) bone he suffered in 2009. It's a tough injury for a hitter to deal with, especially one who relies so much on his hands and forearms, as Alonso does. Power is the last thing to return from such an injury, and Alonso admitted it still was not 100 percent while he was finishing out the '09 campaign and then playing in the Arizona Fall League. While he was fully healthy again to start 2010, he didn't start really showing power until the second half of the season.But Alonso has bounced back with a solid season at Triple-A this year, posting a .298/.372/.490 (BA/OBP/SLG) stat line, with 11 homers and a good contact rate.So what's different about this year? "Just consistency," Alonso said when I talked with him at the Triple-A all-star game Wednesday. "I think I have a better understanding of how to deal with the grind of a long season, get through it, and be more consistent day in and day out."Alonso also feels he was able to take something away from the time he was hurt. "It definitely takes awhile for the power to come back, but I think I benefitted from it by becoming a better all-around hitter and getting on base more," Alonso said.Alonso always has shown very good plate discipline and a balanced swing. He can hit to all fields when he's right, with a feel for getting the barrel of the bat on the ball. His swing is more geared toward line drives, and he can hit the ball to the opposite field well, but he can turn his good raw power into game power when he looks to pull the ball, enough to project him to be a 20-25 homer hitter with a high on-base percentage. He also has shown some aptitude for making in-game and in-season adjustments, which will serve him well in his transition to the big leagues.Alonso has had problems with southpaws in the past, dating back to college, but this season he has been hitting both left- and right-handed pitching well. Alonso's bat path has been more consistent this season, he appears to have his bat control back and he's staying on the ball longer against left-handed pitchers, all encouraging signs that he can keep hitting them well.Still, we go right back to the problem regarding his position, as reports on his transition to left field continue to be pessimistic. But Alonso feels he's improving. "At first it was terrible," Alonso said. "But I think it's come a long way. I'm better now, and I think I can play [there] and hold my own. I haven't had any problems lately, so hopefully it stays that way. Positioning, the reads, where to throw the ball -- it was tough. It takes time."Keep in mind we're talking about a big league club that has had no problem running "defensively challenged" Jonny Gomes out there in left field quite a bit this season. That said, Alonso is not a great athlete, he does not possess a strong throwing arm and he's well below average in terms of speed, meaning he won't cover a lot of ground out there or cover up for poor reads or route-running mistakes.The Reds have been willing to sacrifice defense for a bat there in the past, so Alonso wearing a different organization's uniform by this August certainly is not a given. Regardless, Alonso's bat is going to produce at the big league level if and when he gets the opportunity.

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