Age: 23
Born: August 27, 1993
Orland Park, IL
Height: 6-0
Weight: 210
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 2nd round, 2014 ; 40th round, 2011 by Cincinnati
How Acquired: Draft
College: Indiana
High School: Providence Catholic (IL)
ETA: Mid 2017

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2014 Top 40 Season in Review
2015 Top 40 Season in Review
Sam Travis: Obsessed with winning (4.13.16)

Physical Description: Undersized, but strong, muscular build. Filled-out frame with limited remaining physical projection. Not overly athletic.  

Hit: Solid approach and strong contact skills. Compact swing lends itself to hard contact to all fields. Swing lacks loft. Solid-average bat speed. Could struggle with velocity as he moves up, as his swing can get long and he has shown vulnerability to fastballs inside. Tracks pitches, works counts and understands the strike zone. Potential solid-average hit tool.  

Power: Fringe-average to average power potential. Solid-average raw power, but in-game has a more line drive-oriented swing. Propensity for hard contact. Strength could eventually allow him to settle into around 15 home runs a season.  

Arm: Average arm strength. Plenty of arm for first base, but doesn’t get to show it off often.

Field: Lack of athleticism and foot speed best suited for first base. Soft hands. Confident picking balls out of the dirt.

Run: Below-average runner. Not a major part of his game. Smart base runner.  

Career Notes: Played for Team USA Collegiate team after his sophomore season at Indiana. Tore ACL in May 2016 and will reportedly miss the rest of the season.

Summation: Potential second-division regular. Tough profile due to only average power and undersized frame. Bat will determine value because he is limited to first base. Solid instincts and hard worker. If bat doesn’t develop, bench player profile. Could move quickly through the low minors.