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Physical Description: Strong,
sturdy frame. Thick lower half. Minimal remaining projection.
Hit: Starts open with his hands high and
some pre-pitch movement. Leg lift timing device. Has previously
used either a high leg kick or a toe tap, so likely still
developing feel for preferred timing mechanism. Long, uppercut
swing. Swing is on the stiff side. Fringe-average bat speed.
Very rudimentary approach. Struggles recognizing secondary
pitches, especially breaking balls. Will extend out of the zone
and has a lot of swing-and-miss in his game. Potential well
below-average hit tool.
Power: Plus raw
power. More power to pull side at present. When he squares the
ball up, it goes a long way. Power comes from a combination of
strength and bat speed. Combination of poor approach and lack of
contact skills make it unlikely power potential will actualize
in-game.
Run: Well below-average speed.
Field: Hands and footwork are fringy at
third base. Limited range and mobility, especially laterally.
Still developing a consistent pre-pitch setup. Stiff when
charging the ball. Likely will end up at first base, but if he
can stick at third, projects as a below-average defender.
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Arm: Above-average arm strength. Struggles with
accuracy when throwing on the run.
Career Notes:
Rawlings First-Team All-American in high school. Top 50 prospect
in the 2018 draft. Committed to Vanderbilt. Had a low-90s
fastball and hard slider that made him a prospect on the mound
as well. Signed for significantly over slot but less than some
teams thought he would need to sign. Participated in the Fall
Instructional League in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Participated in the 2021 Fall Performance Program. Participated in
2022 Winter Warm-Up, although he was not initially announced as
a participant. Was anong the minor league leaders in home runs
for part of 2022.
Summation: Potential bat-first organizational player.
Has a long way to go developmentally and needs to show
significant improvement to succeed in the high minors. High-risk
profile. Biggest strides need to be made at the plate,
especially with his approach and bat-to-ball skills. Needs to
learn to use all fields and improve pitch recognition. Will
always have swing-and-miss in his game, but will need to keep it
at a manageable level in order to tap into his raw power, which
is his best tool. Bat profiles better at third base than at
first base. Long-term defensive home will depend on how he
develops physically and maintains his athleticism.
Links
Spring Training Video of Nick Northcut (3.23.19)
Scouting Report Update (4.14.2020)
State of the System: Corner Infielders (4.22.20) |
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