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Physical Description: Tall,
strong frame. Quick-twitch athlete. Athleticism stands out on
the field. Has added strength in his upper body since he joined
the system, and specifically was noticeably stronger when he
reported to Alternative Training Site workouts in 2020.
Hit: Starts slightly open with his hands down
by his belt. Tweaked his setup in 2020, starting with his hands
lower down at his chest before bringing them back up in his
load, a change made in an attempt to lift the ball more. Simple
swing mechanics. Direct swing. Quick hands. Aggressive and will
attack early in the count, but can recognize spin and will take
a walk. Will take what the pitcher gives him. Has some
swing-and-miss in his game and will expand the zone at times.
Approach has improved, but will require some refinement against
more advanced pitching. Starts upright. Tapped into unexpected
offensive potential after signing when he changed his initial
setup from that taught to him in college in which he started
from a low, wide stance then came up and back. Potential
above-average hit tool.
Power:
Above-average raw power after 2020 swing adjustments. Increased
strength and added loft in swing allow him the drive the ball to
all fields, but especially to the pull side. Prior to 2020
change, had below-average raw power. Still needs to show that
the swing changes work in real (rather than sim) games, but they
could significantly change his in-game power projection.
Previously, his swing was not geared for over-the-fence power.
Speed will likely lead to more doubles and triples on hard-hit
line drives rather than simply his power. Change in initial
setup at the plate in Lowell allowed him to tap into
significantly more gap-to-gap power than expected when he
signed.
Run: True plus-plus speed.
Potential difference-maker on the bases. Needs to refine
base-stealing instincts, but has the type of speed that puts
immense pressure on the defense. In the low minors, at least,
speed has allowed him to post unsustainable batting averages on
balls in play, as defenses have not been developed enough to
throw him out on even some routine plays.
Field:
Potential average defender. Has the speed and athleticism teams
covet for center field, but is still raw and needs to continue
developing in the outfield after moving from second base during
his pro debut. Has improved what was initially a slow first step
in the outfield, struggling with initial reads. Was able to make
up for that due to his speed, but clearly was not yet
comfortable. Has the tools to develop into an above-average
defender, but tough to project that given his late start and
gradual development at the position. First moved to right field,
where the line to the plate was similar to that at second base,
before converting full-time in 2019 to center field, where his
speed could allow him to develop tremendous range. At second
base, showed soft hands and fluid actions, though athleticism
was somewhat wasted. |
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Arm: Fringe-average arm strength. May develop
as he continues getting used to the outfield.
Career Notes: Led his high school team
to a state title his sophomore year. Put together a strong
season for Wareham in the 2017 Cape Cod Summer League. Made it
to the Super Regionals with Long Beach State in 2017. Has
performed at a much higher level as a pro than even the
organization was expecting, due in large part to abandoning much
of what he was taught in college and switching to a more natural
swing. Participated in the Fall Instructional League in 2018.
Flirted with hitting .400 for much of his time in Salem in 2019,
but a slight slump in the week or so before his promotion to
Portland brought his average below that mark. Played at the
Alternate Training Site in 2020, where he showed significant
improvements in his power.
Summation: Potential fringe starting
outfielder with two carrying tools. Ceiling of an everyday
center fielder. Nailing down his future projection is tough
without a chance to evaluate swing changes made in 2020 without
true game action. Speed is not a question, and hit tool should
get to above-average if he can refine his approach. If 2020
power development is real, he could become a dynamic offensive
player. Has already shown strong ability to make contact and
drive the ball into the gaps. With his speed, has the potential
to put a lot of pressure on the defense and inflate his average
with infield singles and slugging by taking extra bases. Could
also steal 30-plus bases if he improves his instincts. Is still
continuing to develop in center field, but likely to develop
into at least an average defender there and has the raw tools to
become an above-average defender. Has one surefire major league
impact tool in his speed, so should have a role on a major
league roster even in the worst-case scenario, especially if MLB
retains the runner-on-second rule in extra innings going
forward.
Links
State of the System:
Outfielders (5.13.20)
Video from Pawtucket (8.18.2020)
Video from Pawtucket (8.20.2020)
Video from Pawtucket (9.1.2020)
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