2022 MLB Draft Review: Baltimore Orioles

Full list of draftees

The Orioles are a team on the rise, to put it lightly, and this draft absolutely helped push that along. With five of the first 81 picks, they had by far the largest bonus pool to play with and brought in a massive influx of talent, including five players who signed for seven figure bonuses. Baltimore went with bats early on and switched to a high volume of pitching around the middle of day two, often focusing on hitters with elevated strikeout rates with strong underlying metrics in the power, speed, and plate discipline departments. In fact, each of the first four college players they drafted (though technically one was as a pitcher and didn't sign anyways) and five of the first six ran at least a 19.7% strikeout rate this spring. I really like the talent they came away with here, as it goes far beyond potential superstar Jackson Holliday at the top. The most interesting thing they did was perhaps using money that may have been earmarked for third rounder Nolan McLean and instead putting it towards seventeenth rounder Carter Young, who had first round aspirations before struggling mightily at the plate this spring.
Full index of team reviews here. Full rankings here.

1-1: SS Jackson Holliday, Stillwater HS [OK]. My rank: #4.
Slot value: $8.85 million. Signing bonus: $8.19 million ($656,900 below slot value).
With the first overall pick, the Orioles took the kid that put together perhaps the most impressive spring in the country. Coming into the season, he was noted as a hit-over-power bat that stood out for his feel for the game despite over swinging at times during the summer, with most projections putting him in the second round. Then when the winter thawed in northern Oklahoma, he came out looking significantly bigger, faster, and stronger, and that immediately translated to results on the field. Holliday has always shown great feel for the barrel from a leveraged left handed swing that gets that barrel long through the zone, and in 2022 his newfound strength allowed everything to come together as he bashed home runs all over the field and all season long without sacrificing any contact. It's now a comfortably plus hit tool that is growing into plus power as well, making for an extremely balanced and potent profile at the plate. He also shows a plus arm in the infield and as he's gotten quicker and more explosive, he now projects to stay at shortstop long term. Everything, from the body to the in-game production, is trending up very quickly and the Orioles don't think he's done surprising people. It's hard to poke any holes in the game of a kid who shows advanced instincts and feel in addition to loud physical tools, and the bloodlines certainly don't hurt as the son of seven time All Star Matt Holliday (got it right this time). He had been committed to play at Oklahoma State, where the Holliday family name is as synonymous with the program as Stillwater is to red dirt, but once he rocketed to the top of the amateur baseball world this spring, it was pretty clear he was going pro. That pro career is off to a strong start, as he's slashing .280/.448/.380 with an exceptional 9/16 strikeout to walk ratio over 15 games between the Florida Complex League and Low A Delmarva.

CBA-33: OF Dylan Beavers, California. My rank: #26.
Slot value: $2.32 million. Signing bonus: $2.2 million ($115,000 below slot value).
Dylan Beavers is a really interesting prospect with a great combination of track record and additional projection in the tank. He slashed .303/.401/.630 as a sophomore then held it steady at .291/.426/.634 with 17 home runs and a 54/51 strikeout to walk ratio over 56 games as a sophomore. Beavers is a big, strong, athletic outfielder that does a lot well on the diamond and is steadily getting better. Standing 6'4", he employs an unorthodox operation in the box with a very simple, short swing from the left side that produces plus raw power due to his strength and long arms, even if he doesn't always get them extended. That power comes very naturally as he trusts his hands to do the work and doesn't waste much movement, though I would like to see what would happen if he got those arms extended more frequently. There has always been some swing and miss in his game and his strikeout rate held mostly steady from 2021 to 2022, dropping only slightly from 21.0% to 19.9%, but he did a better job of laying off bad pitches and watched his walk rate jump from 12.7% to 18.8%. It's definitely a power over hit bat and probably always will be, but he's moving in the right direction and I don't think it will be too much of an issue, especially if the Orioles can help him recognize offspeed stuff a little better. The Central Coast native is also a very good athlete for his size and runs well, giving him a shot at center field if he's not bumped by a better defender (like Jud Fabian) and doesn't slow down with age. With a strong arm, he should be above average in right field should he end up there. To top it off, Beavers is very young for a college junior and didn't turn 21 until after the draft, giving Baltimore even more time to mold him into what they want. I see a 25+ home run bat with solid on-base percentages and enough speed to provide additional value on both sides of the ball. So far, he's off to a red hot start between the Florida Complex League and Low A Delmarva, slashing .338/.469/.523 with an 11/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 17 games. 

2-42: 3B Max Wagner, Clemson. My rank: #49.
Slot value: $1.86 million. Signing bonus: $1.9 million ($38,100 above slot value).
If you want to talk about pop up prospects, Max Wagner is as "pop up" as it gets. He didn't get regular playing time as a freshman in 2021 and slashed just .214/.305/.345 in a part time role, but won the everyday third base job at Clemson in 2022 and became a one man wrecking crew not seen in the program since Seth Beer. As a draft-eligible sophomore, he slashed .369/.496/.852 with 27 home runs and a 51/45 strikeout to walk ratio over 58 games and won the ACC Player of the Year award. He shows a quick, powerful right handed swing that is direct to the ball and wastes little movement, finding the barrel with extreme consistency this spring and showing off plus power in games. The exit velocity data is strong as well, portending to that power continuing to show up in pro ball with wood bats. He has always struggled with swing and miss, but he got his strikeout rate down to a reasonable 19.7% this spring as his pitch selection improved and he drove up his walk rate to an impressive 17.4% as well. Meanwhile, the Green Bay native has plenty enough arm strength to stick at third base and show well there. As he jumped onto scouts radars early in the spring, he was battling that right-right corner profile a bit, but when you put up a 1.348 OPS while playing in the ACC, that limitation matters less and less. He should be the everyday third baseman in Baltimore soon enough with a similar offensive outlook to Dylan Beavers, if perhaps a bit less upside. So far, he's slashing .250/.403/.396 with a 13/9 strikeout to walk ratio through 13 games between the Florida Complex League and Low A Delmarva.

CBB-67: OF Jud Fabian, Florida. My rank: #35.
Slot value: $1.03 million. Signing bonus: $1.03 million.
Jud Fabian is a fascinating player with a ton to dive into. A good prospect out of high school, he reclassified and came to campus at Florida a year early, then put himself in line for a multi-million dollar payday in the 2021 draft. The Orioles were rumored to be willing to give him close to $3 million a year ago, but the Red Sox snagged him one pick earlier and offered him significantly less. He went back to school and while he didn't get quite as much this time around, Baltimore finally got its man. In 2021, Fabian was noted for loud tools but evaluators worried about a 29.4% strikeout rate and a streaky bat that could come up empty for weeks at a time. Early in 2022, it looked like he was beginning to overcome those swing and miss issues, but streaky is as streaky does and he finished at 22.3%. Much better for sure, but still higher than you'd like to see, especially from a senior. So what's his deal? Fabian shows off plus raw power from the right side, consistently finding the barrel when he does make contact and elevating the ball with tremendous authority with a quick uppercut. He also possesses an extremely strong eye at the plate, limiting his chases while recognizing spin out of the hand – that led to a very strong 20.0% walk rate. The problem lies in his pure bat to ball skills, which are well below average as his uphill swing path doesn't keep his barrel in the zone for long. Even though he consistently picks the right pitches to swing at, he regularly swings through them even in the zone and there can be stretches where he looks like he's swinging at watermelon seeds. The rest of the offensive profile is so strong, though, that the Orioles are willing to bank on his power and pitch recognition making up for those bat to ball skills in the long run, perhaps with some help from their exceptional player development staff. The Ocala, Florida native also brings great value in the field, with above average speed and plus instincts making him a plus defender in center field. Add in that he's still age-appropriate for this class due to enrolling early, and it's an all around flawless profile aside from that one pesky but important thing – hitting the ball. That hasn't been an issue thus far in his pro career, where he's slashing .377/.494/.721 with three home runs and an 18/16 strikeout to walk ratio over 17 games between the Florida Complex League, Low A Delmarva, and High A Aberdeen.

3-81: RHP Nolan McLean, Oklahoma State. My rank: #190.
Slot value: $794,000. Signing bonus: did not sign.
The highest drafted player to go unsigned in this draft, Nolan McLean was a draft-eligible sophomore who will head back to Oklahoma State to further establish what is a pretty raw profile at the moment. A well known two-way prospect out of high school that also competed to play quarterback for Mike Gundy's football program, McLean made it to campus and showed enticing ability on both sides of the ball but never quite put it together. He showed off tremendous raw power at the plate and slashed .285/.397/.595 with 19 home runs and a 107/37 strikeout to walk ratio over 64 games, but those 107 strikeouts were the most in college baseball history and that's a problem. The Orioles wound up drafting him as a pitcher on the heels of his 4.97 ERA and 39/13 strikeout to walk ratio over 25.1 innings out of the bullpen, where he ran his fastball into the upper 90's and showed off an improving slider. He doesn't have a ton of track record on the mound and for now it's hard to project him as a starter, which is part of why he's heading back to Stillwater to get more consistent innings. His money wound up going to 17th rounder Carter Young.

4-107: C Silas Ardoin, Texas. My rank: #139.
Slot value: $571,400. Signing bonus: $571,400.
Adley Rutschman will be entrenched behind the plate in Baltimore for as long as the Orioles can keep him around, but Silas Ardoin brings a very solid profile to slot in behind him. Ardoin didn't hit much over his first two years at Texas, where he was a glove-first regular and his defensive prowess outshined his lack of impact at the plate. That changed in 2022, when he broke out to slash .271/.391/.513 with 12 home runs and a 46/39 strikeout to walk ratio over 69 games, crushing his previous home run career high of one. The Louisiana native is still a standout defensive catcher, where he is very agile when it comes to blocking baseballs and recovering to put himself in position to throw out runners. A slingshot right arm helps as well, making him one of the most well rounded defensive catchers in the class. At the plate, he has always shown the ability to recognize pitches and work counts like a catcher should, but he has gotten stronger and found the barrel much more frequently in 2022. While he doesn't possess standout exit velocities, he regularly squares the baseball up and maximizes his below average raw power into fringe-average game power. Ardoin rarely chases and looks very pro ready, giving him an opportunity to join Rutschman in Baltimore sooner rather than later. So far, that pro-ready profile has translated to a .205/.418/.231 slash line and an even 14/14 strikeout to walk ratio through 12 games between the Florida Complex League and Low A Delmarva.

5-137: RHP Trace Bright, Auburn. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $426,800. Signing bonus: $400,000 ($26,800 below slot value).
Trace Bright hasn't quite gotten the on-field results you want, but he has spent his career going up against Auburn's tough SEC schedule plus whoever they meet in the postseason. He dropped his ERA from 8.74 as a freshman to 6.98 as a sophomore and 5.16 this year as a junior, adding in a 94/38 strikeout to walk ratio over those 80.2 innings this season. The numbers won't pop off the page, but despite the high ERA he rarely got blown up and has always done a pretty good job of limiting damage. Bright stands out for his deep arsenal, led by a fastball in the low to mid 90's that can touch 97 from a lower release point. He adds a potentially above average slider and curveball with distinct movement, getting more sweep and power on the former and more depth on the latter. Rounding out the arsenal with a solid changeup, it should make for a very fun profile to play with to try to maximize his success. The Montgomery native has fringe-average command but stays within himself and his misses usually aren't egregious, and with an athletic, repeatable delivery, he's not far off from solid average or even above average command. There is projection remaining in his 6'4" frame and he makes for a high probability #4 starter with some upside. So far, he has made one appearance each in the Florida Complex League and at Low A Delmarva, tossing five innings of one (unearned) run ball, allowing just one walk and no hits while striking out seven.

6-167: OF Douglas Hodo III, Texas. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $319,800. Signing bonus: $305,000 ($14,800 below slot value).
Douglas Hodo is an interesting one with an attractive combination of tools, performance, and polish. A three year starter at Texas alongside Silas Ardoin, he had his best year yet in 2022 slashing .319/.418/.532 with ten home runs and a 74/42 strikeout to walk ratio over 69 games. He's hard to miss on the baseball field, playing hard on both sides of the ball and making things happen. Hodo possesses average raw power from the right side, but takes big swings and can really turn on the ball, with enough explosiveness in the box to send it out the other way on occasion. He can lapse into becoming a bit of a free swinger at times and struck out at a 21.8% clip this spring, probably more a product of that big uppercut than of a poor eye. Learning to tone it down in the box and trade some power for contact may help going forward, and his plus speed adds value when he puts it in play as well. In fact, his 26 doubles tied for the national Division I lead this spring. That speed and aggressive style of play helps him in center field as well, where he projects to stay long term with enough arm strength to make it work. Given that he's light on above average or even potentially above average tools across the board besides his speed, it's probably more of a fourth outfielder profile than an every day one, so the fact that he can handle all three outfield spots easily is a big boon. He's off to a bit of a slower start in pro ball, slashing .148/.378/.185 with a 12/8 strikeout to walk ratio through eight games between the Florida Complex League and Low A Delmarva.

11-317: RHP Zack Showalter, Wesley Chapel HS [FL]. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: $440,000 ($315,000 against bonus pool).
Unrelated to Buck as far as I know. The Orioles spent fourth round money to lure Zack Showalter away from a USF commitment, banking on his projection and strong fastball metrics. He sits in the low 90's and can get up to 95, getting down the mound well with a low release height and riding action to carry his fastball above barrels consistently. He can spin off some solid sliders with depth, though it does need to add power and can get slurvy. Lastly, his changeup is a third pitch for now that he doesn't use often. Showalter brings projection in his 6'2" frame and his arm works well, promising increased velocity that could really help his breaking ball and turn his fastball into a true weapon. The Tampa-area native can get scattered with his command, which combined with the state of his secondary stuff leads to some relief questions, but he's young and has plenty of time to smooth all that out. I wouldn't expect him to move quickly but the Orioles could have some fun molding this profile.

16-467: RHP Graham Firoved, Virginia Tech. My rank: #222.
Graham Firoved has been around the block, beginning his career at Radford before transferring to the powerhouse Northwest Florida State JC program in Niceville. He moved on to Virginia Tech as a junior and has took on a prominent role in the Hokie bullpen for two years, this spring posting a 4.76 ERA and a 72/28 strikeout to walk ratio over 51 innings. Firoved runs his fastball up to 95 in relief, but the pitch plays above its velocity with great carry up in the zone. He spins an above average curveball as well that plays very well off his fastball, and it's yet another profile I think the Orioles could get very creative with. The Virginia Beach native threw a lot of fastballs when I watched him at Virginia Tech and got hit when he left it over the plate, and he could potentially benefit from mixing in his curveball more often to keep hitters guessing. Firoved also has fringy command that led to all those meatballs, and fine tuning that just a little bit so he can more consistently keep the ball around the letters would also be useful. Given his age (nearly 23), two pitch mix, and command, he's a pure relief prospect for now, but one that could thrive in the Orioles' system. He hasn't pitched too much to start, with two innings of two run ball under his belt on two hits, three walks, and one strikeout between the Florida Complex League and Low A Delmarva.

17-497: SS Carter Young, Vanderbilt. My rank: #193.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: $1.33 million ($1.08 million against bonus pool).
This will be one of the most interesting picks to track in the draft. Carter Young entered the season squarely in the first round conversation on the heels of a strong, if injury-interrupted, sophomore season, but he struggled mightily in 2022 and lost the starting shortstop role at Vanderbilt by slashing .207/.327/.383 with seven home runs and a 66/30 strikeout to walk ratio over 56 games. He announced his intention to transfer to LSU and it looked like he would make it there, especially after he lasted until the seventeenth round, with a firm desire to rebuild his stock in a new environment. The Orioles felt that he was on his way to a huge comeback story in Baton Rouge and gave him roughly the equivalent of pick #56 money to sign, likely close to as much as he might have gotten had the draft been before the season. That big bonus meant that Nolan McLean couldn't sign above slot value in the third round, but the Orioles got their guy. Young is extremely tooled up, producing plus raw power from both sides of the plate and having tapped it for 16 home runs a year ago. At his best, he shows very attractive batted ball data with consistently high exit velocities and deep line drives around the park, even as he was facing tough pitching in the SEC. Meanwhile, he takes very big hacks to get to that power, and swing and miss has been a major concern. A shoulder injury limited him down the stretch in 2021 and many teams were willing to write off his sky-high 30.1% strikeout rate because of that, but he struck out at a 29.2% clip this spring and his performance suffered severely. The Orioles will have to find a way to cut that down, but given how he looked at his best in 2021, that is absolutely possible. The central Washington state native also brings great value on the other side of the ball as an above average defensive shortstop with a plus arm. His instincts and athleticism help him play above his average speed out there, and that defense will buy his bat additional time to develop. There is huge upside here, as evidenced by the massive signing bonus, but also a ton of risk with a guy who struck out at a 29% clip and hit his way out of the Vanderbilt starting lineup. It looks like he has already begun to turn it around a bit, slashing .296/.333/.444 with one home run and a 13/3 strikeout to walk ratio through 12 games between the Florida Complex League and Low A Delmarva.

18-527: RHP Andrew Walters, Miami. My rank: #127.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: did not sign.
When it came to handing out the big bonuses at the end, it likely came down to Nolan McLean, Carter Young, and Andrew Walters as to who got the money, and Young took the deal so Walters will head back to Miami for a senior season. He was dominant for the Hurricanes this season, posting a 1.65 ERA and a 62/6 strikeout to walk ratio over 32.2 innings as a reliever, doing so essentially on one pitch. He sits in the mid 90's with his fastball and can run it up to 99, with great riding life and a ton of deception as he hides it very well. It's not Mariano Rivera's cutter, but against ACC competition in 2022, it played that way. Walters also adds a slider but it's more of a change of pace option to keep hitters from getting too comfortable, lacking hard bite. The Florida native could end up succeeding in the minors on that fastball alone, but sharpening up that slider into at least an average pitch would really help him profile in a larger role in the majors. With above average command and a sturdy 6'4" frame, he does look like he could start, but would need to add a changeup in addition to sharpening up that slider. Going back to Miami will show teams what is and isn't possible with his development because it will be hard to top the performance.

2022 MLB Draft: One potential hometown pick for every AL/NL West Team

If you've followed me for any amount of time, you probably know that I love a good hometown pick. Over the offseason, I recreated all thirty teams if they only used players from their "home turf," and last year I practiced this same exercise for the draft. None of the AL/NL West ones came true, not that I expected them to, but some did in other divisions. So, thinking about our friends making up the AL and NL West divisions, if each of them were to take a shot on a hometown kid, who might that be? Let's go team by team.
AL/NL Central
AL/NL East

Arizona Diamondbacks: OF Gavin Turley, Hamilton HS, Chandler, AZ
Hometown: Midway, Utah. My rank: #46.
I'm not sure exactly how this situation played out, but it looks like Gavin Turley grew up in Midway, Utah, just over the Wasatch Range from Salt Lake City. His brother Noah went on to play college baseball at the University of Arizona, and and it looks like Gavin followed him there to finish his high school career at regional powerhouse Hamilton High School in Chandler, a southern suburb of Phoenix. Anyways, the Diamondbacks usually prefer to go hit over power with their prep bats, as evidenced by names like Jordan Lawlar (2021), Corbin Carroll (2019), Alek Thomas (2018), and Matt McLain (2018), but they did briefly break that trend with A.J. Vukovich in 2020. Gavin Turley is a supreme athlete that has shown some of the best raw tools in the class, showing plus in a smatter of different areas. He's a right handed hitter with an extremely loose, busy operation at the plate, unleashing powerful swings that produce big time exit velocities. His hit tool has been less consistent and the barrel accuracy is not always there, but he has had stretches where he gets hot and looks like a surefire first round pick. Turley has also turned in some plus-plus run times and shows big arm strength, giving him huge upside in the field just like at the plate, though he does need refinement out there and may end up in right field rather than center. Arizona would need to show some patience in developing him, but the payoff could be huge in a five tool player that can significantly impact the game in multiple areas. Turley may come into play with Arizona's CBA pick at #34 or their second round pick at #43 if they're feeling aggressive, but by the time they pick again at #82, it might be prohibitively expensive to sign him away from an Oregon State commitment should he still be on the board.
Other options: C Daniel Susac (Arizona via Roseville, CA), 3B Jacob Berry (Louisiana State via Queen Creek, AZ), OF Justin Crawford (Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas, NV), OF Mason Neville (Basic HS, Henderson, NV), OF Joe Lampe (Arizona State via Petaluma, CA)

Colorado Rockies: RHP Riley Cornelio, Texas Christian
Hometown: Monument, Colorado. My rank: unranked.
There is some real talent from the Front Range in the big leagues today, mostly on the mound in Kevin Gausman (Centennial), Marco Gonzales (Fort Collins), Kyle Freeland (Denver), Mark Melancon (Golden), and the Rogers twins (Littleton). The region's top two prospects this spring, at least that I am aware of, are both pitchers as well, though both headed to Texas for college as neither Colorado, Colorado State, Denver, nor Wyoming offer baseball. While Andrew Morris has taken over as the Friday night starter at Texas Tech, Riley Cornelio is seeing his first ever consistent innings at TCU after combining for just 17.2 between his freshman and sophomore seasons. Cornelio was a highly touted recruit out of Pine Creek High School on the far north side of Colorado Springs, earning some draft buzz but ultimately fulfilling his commitment to the Horned Frogs. He was off to a strong start in 2022 with a 2.87 ERA through mid-April, but has been a bit more human lately and now sits at 4.28. The 6'3" righty has explosive stuff in a fastball that's been up to 97, a sharp breaking ball, and a decent changeup, and his command has improved considerably during his time in Fort Worth as he's toned down his high effort delivery. There are more starter traits here than there were out of high school, though he's old for a junior and will turn 22 before the draft. If the Rockies wanted to throw him back in the bullpen, the stuff could play up and they wouldn't have to worry as much about his still-inconsistent command. He fits in the fourth to sixth round range and could be an under slot candidate given his age.
Other options: RHP Andrew Morris (Texas Tech via Boulder, CO), OF Gavin Turley (Hamilton HS, AZ via Midway, UT), SS Andrew Pintar (Brigham Young via Spanish Fork, UT), 3B Skyler Messinger (Texas via Niwot, CO), OF Justin Boyd (Oregon State via Parker, CO)

Houston Astros: RHP Brandon Birdsell, Texas Tech
Hometown: Willis, TX. My rank: #99.
Usually, the Houston area is teeming with talent, both in the prep ranks and in players that left for school. A few years ago, the Cypress Ranch High School varsity team had four players that would go on to be top fifty picks – JJ Goss (Rays), Matthew Thompson (White Sox), Colton Cowser (Orioles), and Ty Madden (Tigers). That's not so much the case this year, with most of the talent in the state hailing from DFW, San Antonio, and even the Permian Basin. One name from Southeast Texas has taken a step forward this year, though, and that is Brandon Birdsell. A native of Willis, which is about 45 minutes north of downtown Houston on I-45 just past Conroe, Birdsell has been all over the state. He spent his freshman season pitching sparingly at Texas A&M, then transferred to San Jacinto JC in Houston where his stock exploded. However, he went unselected in the five round draft in 2020 and moved on to Texas Tech, where he continued to receive draft buzz before shoulder problems ended his season prematurely. Healthy in 2022, he's pitching as well as ever and has worked his way back into discussion in the top couple of rounds. The 6'2" righty sits in the mid 90's with his fastball and regularly tops out in the upper 90's, coming from a short arm action that hides the ball well and helps him command it. His power slider flashes plus in the mid to upper 80's, and he also flips in an occasional curveball and changeup as well. It's a full starter's arsenal, and the Astros develop pitching at a high level. He turned 22 in March and is on the older side, but that should hardly be a problem given how he's thrown when healthy. As of now, the Astros' first shot at him will probably be with their third round pick at #103, but if he continues to throw well into the postseason, he may not be available there.
Other options: SS Gavin Guidry (Barbe HS, Lake Charles, LA), SS Trey Faltine (Texas via Richmond, TX), RHP Cole Phillips (Boerne HS, TX), OF Jared McKenzie (Baylor via Round Rock, TX), C Silas Ardoin (Texas via Moss Bluff, LA)

Los Angeles Angels: RHP Riley Kelly, Tustin HS, CA
Hometown: Santa Ana, CA. My rank: #61.
The Angels' first love is college arms, but Orange County is a bit light on those this year. Instead, we'll go with a local pop up prospect in Riley Kelly, who has had a very loud spring for Tustin High School a few miles down I-5 from Angel Stadium. A projectable 6'4" righty, his fastball has crept up to around 90 and touched 94 this spring, with more in the tank for sure. His bread and butter, though, is his hammer curveball, which posts huge spin rates and ridiculous vertical drop. Many high schoolers that are lucky enough to possess electric breaking balls struggle to command them, but Kelly has shown good feel to spot it. There is a lot of work to be done for the tall righty, who currently comes from a high, short release point with mediocre extension, but if the Angels believe in their pitching development, they might be able to unlock a lot by tweaking his mechanics. Very few kids can spin the ball like Kelly can and it's hard to teach something like that, so if he's still in play when the Angels pick at #89, it could be an over slot opportunity. He's committed to UC Irvine, so he may stay in Orange County anyways.
Other options: SS Mikey Romero (Orange Lutheran HS via Menifee, CA), 3B Jacob Reimer (Yucaipa HS, CA), SS Jordan Sprinkle (UC Santa Barbara via Palm Springs, CA), RHP Max Rajcic (UCLA via Fullerton, CA), SS D'Andre Smith (USC via Diamond Bar, CA)

Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Kassius Thomas, Sierra Canyon HS, Chatsworth, CA
Hometown: Northridge, CA. My rank: #103.
Sierra Canyon High School in the San Fernando Valley has not one but two pitchers in its rotation that could go in the top couple of rounds this spring in Jaden Noot and Kassius Thomas. We'll give the Dodgers a shot at Thomas, who has impressed evaluators with a strong spring and is looking at roughly a third round selection, where Los Angeles holds the 105th overall pick. He would likely require an above slot bonus to sign away from a Duke commitment there, but the Dodgers likely would not pull the trigger with their first pick at #40. Thomas is a 6'1" righty with a low to mid 90's fastball that has regularly topped out around 95 this spring, flashing a plus slider as well as a curveball and changeup that really round out his arsenal nicely. He has feel for all four pitches, with a quick arm that portends further velocity gains as he gets stronger. The Northridge native can battle his mechanics at times, losing the strike zone and occasionally getting around his breaking stuff, but the Dodgers develop pitching extremely well and I expect that wouldn't be an issue for their staff. There's some real upside here as a mid-rotation starter, especially if a team like the Dodgers gets their hands on him.
Other options: RHP Jaden Noot (Sierra Canyon HS, CA), RHP Luis Ramirez (Long Beach State via East Los Angeles, CA), RHP Marcus Johnson (Duke via Fontana, CA), RHP/UT Austin Charles (Stockdale HS, Bakersfield, CA), 3B Jacob Reimer (Yucaipa HS, CA)

Oakland Athletics: OF Dylan Beavers, California
Hometown: Paso Robles, CA. My rank: #17.
Dylan Beavers grew up in Paso Robles and attended high school just south of there at Mission College Prep in San Luis Obispo, then turned around and headed north to the East Bay for college. He fits in with recent A's picks like Denzel Clarke, Max Muncy, and Logan Davidson as a strong athlete with a track record of performance. Beavers has consistently tapped above average raw power in from the left side in games with a smooth, loose swing, also showing more patience this spring and getting good pitches to hit. There is some swing and miss in his game due to his lanky, 6'4" frame and some inconsistencies in his swing mechanics, but youth is on his side as he won't turn 21 until August and has that much extra time to develop. A good athlete with a strong arm, he has a chance to stick in center field and become a true five tool player. There is a ton of upside here, especially for a college bat, and his overall game is pretty similar to James Madison's Chase DeLauter. Both are young for the class, tall left handed hitters with unorthodox swing mechanics but big power, and good runners that could be well above average defenders in right field. The main difference, though, is that DeLauter hit .298/.397/.589 in the Cape Cod League while Beavers managed just a .233/.286/.300 line. The A's pick at #19 this year and that's the perfect spot to swipe up the Cal product.
Other options: OF Brock Jones (Stanford via Fresno, CA), OF Payton Brennan (Rocklin HS, CA), C Malcolm Moore (McClatchy HS, Sacramento, CA), LHP Cooper Hjerpe (Oregon State via Capay, CA), OF Joe Lampe (Arizona State via Petaluma, CA)

San Diego Padres: RHP Tyler Bremner, Scripps Ranch HS, San Diego, CA
Hometown: San Diego, CA. My rank: #140.
The Padres love prep talent, especially prep bats, but most of the talent to come out of the San Diego area in this class is on the college side. Tyler Bremner is the top prospect on the prep side coming out of Scripps Ranch High School on the north side of the city, and he could definitely make sense for the Friars around the middle of day two if they want to buy him out of a UC Santa Barbara commitment. Bremner is an athletic 6'1" right hander that stands out more for projection than the present product. He sits in the low 90's with his fastball, topping out around 94, adding a curveball and a changeup. The fastball is his best pitch, as he gets good extension down the mound and the pitch can really jump on hitters. As he adds velocity, it could become a plus pitch in time. His curveball is a bit behind, with slurvy action and not much present bite, while his changeup is an average pitch. The Padres would be buying Bremner's athleticism, which helps him stay extremely loose in his delivery and throw strikes. They'll hope that they can work with the considerable raw talent to sharpen those offspeed pitches and turn him into an impact starting pitcher.
Other options: OF Spencer Jones (Vanderbilt via Encinitas, CA), LHP Brycen Mautz (San Diego via San Diego, CA), OF Anthony Hall (Oregon via San Diego, CA), RHP Derek Diamond (Mississippi via Ramona, CA), RHP Troy Melton (San Diego State via Anaheim, CA)

San Francisco Giants: OF Henry Bolte, Palo Alto HS, CA
Hometown: Palo Alto, CA. My rank: #42.
The Giants already have a proud Palo Alto High School alum on their roster in Joc Pederson, and they could add another in Henry Bolte, a favorite of West Coast scouts (or Oregon SS Josh Kasevich, who figures to go in the second or third round). Bolte has been a slow and steady riser in this class, showing off a wide variety of impact tools that have teams interested as early as the back of the first round. It will be expensive to buy him out of a Texas commitment, but if the Giants want to keep him home, pick #30 seems early enough that it shouldn't require too big of an over slot bonus. He's a big kid at 6'3", showing off plus power when he turns on one but also the ability to go the other way with authority. He's still learning how to apply it as a full package and put loft under his hits, but he's improving and should continue to do so in a player development system as strong as the Giants'. Bolte is also a plus runner that might have a chance to stick in center field if he doesn't slow down as he fills out. There's real upside here as an impact hitter that could hit 20+ home runs a year and steal a few bases while playing good defense.
Other options: LHP Cooper Hjerpe (Oregon State via Capay, CA), OF Brock Jones (Stanford via Fresno, CA), SS Josh Kasevich (Oregon via Palo Alto, CA), OF Dylan Beavers (California via Paso Robles, CA), OF Payton Brennan (Rocklin HS, CA)

Seattle Mariners: RHP JR Ritchie, Bainbridge Island HS, WA
Hometown: Bainbridge Island, WA. My rank: #37.
JR Ritchie probably fits somewhere between the Mariners' first two picks (#21 and #58), but high school pitchers can be very unpredictable and it wouldn't surprise me to see Seattle jump on him early or catch him in the second round and give him a big over slot bonus. They've tended towards college pitchers lately and Gonzaga's Gabriel Hughes or Trystan Vrieling could be also be options in the first and second/third rounds, respectively. But Ritchie might be too good to pass up, especially if he's available in the second round and they have pool space to pay him a multi-million dollar bonus to cross the Puget Sound from Bainbridge Island. The 6'2" righty sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and gets up to around 97, getting some hop on the pitch as well. His best pitch is a plus slider that has been recalled by many of the top prep bats in the class as one of the best breaking balls they'd seen on the showcase circuit, and he also adds a curveball and a changeup that he can locate. Ritchie is ultra athletic and gets down the mound well, with the command to make everything play up. He's also a very smart kid that understands the art of pitching and knows what he needs to do to get better, so he could develop quickly. The one drawback to his profile is his age, as he turns 19 in June, but he also brings the maturity and baseball IQ that comes with an older prospect. He is committed to UCLA and will be eligible as a sophomore in 2024 if he goes that route.
Other options: RHP Gabriel Hughes (Gonzaga via Eagle, ID), RHP Trystan Vrieling (Gonzaga via Kennewick, WA), SS Carter Young (Vanderbilt via Selah, WA), RHP Jackson Cox (Toutle Lake HS, Toutle, WA), OF Jacob Melton (Oregon State via Medford, OR)

Texas Rangers: 3B Jayson Jones, Braswell HS, Little Elm, TX
Hometown: Savannah, TX. My rank: #78.
The Rangers do not pick between #3 and #109, which made this a difficult exercise by ruling out two players I think they would love in Jett Williams (Rockwall-Heath HS) and Peyton Graham (Waxahachie native at Oklahoma). We will go with Jayson Jones, who attends Braswell High School up on US 380 in Little Elm, the far northern tip of the rapidly expanding Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. He's not quite as neat a fit as Williams or Graham because Texas does prefer athleticism and positional flexibility, but they like big power as well and Jones has plenty of it. In fact, the 6'2" slugger generates as much torque as any high schooler in recent memory, with ridiculous strength and bat speed that could blow an old baseball to pieces if the seams were coming loose. That alone makes him an extremely intriguing prospect, though the rest of his offensive game has regressed a little bit. Earlier in his high school career, he showed a relatively balanced approach at the plate and performed well against high end pitching, but starting this past summer he got too power conscious and began pulling off balls and has never quite recovered that approach. Because of that, I'm not convinced he'll ever be able to handle pro pitching and get to his power. The Rangers would be taking a big risk on the Arkansas commit, but you simply cannot develop the kind of raw power he possesses and they could try to work out the rest. They took a similar chance on a falling prep bat last year in Ian Moller and Jones comes into play in the third round for them. On the defensive side, Jones actually moves well for his size and should be able to stick at third base, where his cannon arm would be an asset.
Other options: 2B Jace Jung (Texas Tech via San Antonio, TX), RHP Jacob Meador (Dallas Baptist via Burleson, TX), OF Jace Grady (Dallas Baptist via Elgin, TX), RHP Chase Shores (Legacy HS, Midland, TX), OF Brenner Cox (Rock Hill HS, Prosper, TX)

2022 MLB Draft: an early look at the Pac-12

2021 draftees: 45. Top school: UCLA (10)
2021 preseason writeup (published 12/17/2020)

Top draftees:
1-17, Reds: SS Matt McLain (UCLA)
2-38, Rangers: OF Aaron Zavala (Oregon)
2-55, Yankees: RHP Brendan Beck (Stanford)
2-63, Rays: 1B Kyle Manzardo (Washington State)
CBB-70, Cardinals: OF Ryan Holgate (Arizona)
3-82, Nationals: 1B Branden Boissiere (Arizona)

Though the Pac-12 snapped a streak of three straight seasons of at least three first round picks (including at least one in the top five overall), it still showed well in 2021 with every school except Utah having at least three players drafted and UCLA's Matt McLain leading a barrage of ten Bruins as the league's sole first rounder. This year, the league could get back on that pace, with some huge bats in Daniel Susac, Brock Jones, Dylan Beavers, and Ethan Long all having very real first round aspirations heading into the season. Throw in Max Rajcic and any pop-up prospects that could come along, and we should hear a lot from the West Coast early on. Overall, this is a hitter-heavy list, led by Arizona State placing three. Heading into the 2022 season, the top prospects for the upcoming draft are:

1. C Daniel Susac, Arizona.
Bat: S. Throw: R. 6'4", 205 lbs. Born 5/14/2001. Hometown: Roseville, CA.
2021: 12 HR, .335/.392/.591, 0 SB, 47/19 K/BB in 61 games.
In 2020, Daniel Susac had a chance to go near the back of the five round draft, but ultimately teams could not meet his asking price and he headed south to Arizona for school. The younger brother of MLB catcher Andrew Susac and a cousin of incoming freshman Anthony Susac, Daniel's massive freshman season now has him ready to take over as the best player in the family. Earning a starting role from day one, he took absolutely no time to adjust to the college level and hit right in the middle of arguably the top offense in college baseball, even rising to the challenge with a .363/.397/.669 line in conference play. Because he's a full year older than much of his high school graduating class, he'll be eligible as a true sophomore but that huge season means he already has plenty of track record. Susac stands out in a variety of areas, bringing a profile that offers both upside and balance. He has plus raw power from both sides of the plate, a product of his long-limbed 6'4" frame that's packed with strength from top to bottom. While he can be an aggressive hitter, he still makes very consistent hard contact and keeps his strikeout rates to a reasonable level, especially for an underclassman. At this point, he rarely walks, but that's not a huge issue for now given his feel for the barrel. On the defensive side, the Sacramento-area product moves very well for his size and will stick behind the plate, adding a plus arm with a quick, effortless release that helps him gun down runners. There are very few holes in Susac's game, with the upside of an All Star catcher who can hit 25-30 home runs per season while getting on base at a solid clip and playing good defense. That's a first round projection, with a chance to hit his way into the top half of the round if he can draw a few more walks.

2. OF Brock Jones, Stanford.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6' 205 lbs. Born 3/28/2001. Hometown: Clovis, CA.
2021: 18 HR, .311/.453/.646, 14 SB, 59/49 K/BB in 56 games.
I went back and forth between Daniel Susac and Brock Jones for the top spot on this list, and even though I eventually landed on Susac, Jones might have an even higher ceiling. He's a stud athlete that also played ten games at the safety position for Stanford's football team in 2019, then after hitting an unremarkable .228/.323/.316 in the shortened 2020 season, broke out for a .311/.453/.646 line this spring with his focus solely on baseball. He packs a ton of strength into a compact six foot frame, giving him the best combination of physical tools and performance in the entire conference. Jones shows off plus raw power from the left side, with a very simple, direct swing effectively channeling his strength into game power with 18 home runs in 2021. He's also an above average runner that can make things happen on the bases, and that translates to plenty of range in the outfield. Safeties don't throw the football very often and he doesn't have that big left arm you often see from these compact power hitters, so if he gets pushed off of center field by a better defender, left field is his most likely destination. The good news is that the Fresno product should hit plenty enough to profile as an every day player even at that less in-demand position and could be an above average defender there. Jones works a lot of deep counts and while he draws his fair share of walks, he can also get into trouble with strikeouts sometimes. The pure hitting ability is there and as he gets farther removed from his football career, we could see a reduction in his strikeout rate from the 22% we saw in 2021. If that happens, he should go off the board relatively early in the first round, and for now it's probably a back of the first round profile.

3. OF Dylan Beavers, California.
Bat: L. Throw: R. 6'4", 205 lbs. Born 8/11/2001. Hometown: Paso Robles, CA.
2021: 18 HR, .303/.401/.630, 10 SB, 53/32 K/BB in 55 games.
Dylan Beavers is another huge 2021 performer with upside still untapped that could push him into the top half of the first round with a strong 2022. He's extremely young for a college junior, nearly three months younger than true sophomore Daniel Susac, which is something scouts like to see. Beavers produces above average raw power from the left side that he taps very consistently in games, and with his lanky, projectable 6'4" frame, there is probably plus power in the tank. He's really loose in his swing, often just dropping his hands to the ball and letting his natural strength and leverage do the work rather than really selling out for power. A little bit of mechanical refinement to really get him driving up through it will help in that power projection as well. He's fairly aggressive at the plate and struck out in more than 20% of his plate appearances, something he'll want to cut down in 2022, but for now it's not a huge issue and he projects as at least an average hitter if not above average. Beavers' natural athleticism serves him well in the outfield as well, where he has an outside chance to stick in center field if the team that drafts him doesn't have a better option, and he could make a very solid right fielder or a well above average left fielder if it came down to it, showing more arm strength than Brock Jones. For now, because he doesn't control the strike zone as well as the top tier of college hitters in this draft (and an unremarkable eight game run through the Cape Cod League doesn't help either), he probably projects in the second round, but his youth and frame give him every chance to climb boards in 2022.

4. RHP Max Rajcic, UCLA.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6', 205 lbs. Born 8/3/2001. Hometown: Fullerton, CA.
2021: 2-1, 1.65 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 36/8 K/BB in 32.2 innings.
Like Daniel Susac, Max Rajcic had a chance to go in the back of the shortened 2020 draft if he were signable, and also like Susac, he's eligible again in 2022 because he's old for the class, though still two and a half months younger than his Arizona counterpart. Rajcic is the top pitching prospect in the conference heading into the season, having posted a strong freshman season as the UCLA closer followed by a very respectable run through the Cape Cod League as a starter (4.32 ERA, 28/8 K/BB in 25 IP). He consistently touched 95-96 as a reliever last spring, then sat comfortably in the low 90's as a starter on the Cape with good command of that fastball. His bread and butter is a wipeout slider with extremely high spin rates, coming in with tight, late bite that makes it a plus pitch. For now, he does command his fastball better than his slider, but it has been extremely effective for him nonetheless. Rajcic also throws a changeup with some fade, but doesn't quite have quite as much feel for it as his fastball and slider and he mainly sticks with those two pitches in games. In order to pitch his way into the top two rounds in 2022, he'll want to establish that changeup as at least a consistently useable game pitch, and without it he's more of a third round type. The other big item on his to do list is proving his durability as a starter and holding his stuff throughout the spring, as he'll get less benefit of the doubt as a physically maxed-out six footer with some effort in his delivery. For now, the Southern California product projects in the third round range but I have a hunch he's going to change that.

5. 1B Ethan Long, Arizona State.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6'2", 215 lbs. Born 5/10/2001. Hometown: Gilbert, AZ.
2021; 16 HR, .340/.417/.704, 0 SB, 46/18 K/BB in 51 games.
Ethan Long is in the same boat as Daniel Susac and Max Rajcic as a true sophomore that's eligible this year with an early birthday, and he's actually the oldest of the three and will turn 21 before many true juniors. Long rounds out the quartet of Pac-12 mashers with Susac, Brock Jones, and Dylan Beavers, and his 1.121 OPS in 2021 healthily bested all three of the others. For now, he's mostly a one tool player, but it's a loud one. The Phoenix-area native has plus raw power from the right side, flinging the barrel through the zone with ease with a ton of bat speed that helps him blast baseballs impressive distances to all fields. He taps that power very consistently in games and needed no time to adjust to Pac-12 pitching, still holding a .330/.423/.680 line against in-conference opponents. For now, that power comes with a healthy amount of swing and miss, with his 24% strikeout rate also the highest of the quartet stemming from an aggressive approach and the need to better identify pitches. He also does not provide much defensive value as a below average runner, but more seasoning and exposure in the field this spring could shed light as to whether he could stick in a corner outfield spot or just be limited to first base. Long's strong arm has run fastballs up to 97 and he even earned 6.2 (scoreless) innings out of the Sun Devil bullpen in 2021, so that could help make right field work. If he comes out in 2022 with a more selective approach at the plate and cuts his strikeout rate to under 20%, he could mash his way into the top couple of rounds with an Aaron Sabato/Seth Beer type of profile.

6. LHP Cooper Hjerpe, Oregon State.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6'2", 190 lbs. Born 3/16/2001. Hometown: Capay, CA.
2021: 3-6, 4.21 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 98/27 K/BB in 77 innings.
Cooper Hjerpe is a favorite sleeper among Pacific Northwest area scouts, with a profile somewhat similar to TCU lefty Austin Krob, except that he's a year and a half younger with more time to build on his game. Hjerpe sits in the low 90's with his fastball but can run it up as high as 97, adding a sweeping slider and a sinking changeup. The fastball comes in with a flat approach angle, while his slider can pop out of his hand at times but can also show big lateral break, while his changeup has great separation from his fastball. Everything plays up because he comes from a low three quarters, nearly sidearm slot, making everything tough to pick up and producing a unique movement pattern. The fact that he fills up the strike zone with all three pitches is a bonus as well, with a repeatable delivery and a strong frame helping him project as a starter in pro ball. For now, he doesn't quite have the out pitch to profile in the top couple rounds, but a step forward with pretty much anything in 2022 could send him flying up boards. It's a back-end starter projection with a chance for more.

7. RHP Will Frisch, Oregon State.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6', 225 lbs. Born 7/14/2000. Hometown: Stillwater, MN.
2021: 3-0, 2.38 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 54/24 K/BB in 56.2 innings.
Will Frisch was eligible as a sophomore last spring due to an early birthday, coming in at #201 on my board, but when the money wasn't there, he decided to head back to school and try his luck again. He's coming off a very strong season as a swingman for Oregon State, often throwing multiple innings and going five innings in strong starts against New Mexico, Washington, and Oregon. Frisch sits in the low 90's with his fastball and has popped for as much as 98 in short stints, coming from a lower arm slot that gives the pitch a flat approach angle, with the ability to run and sink the ball when he needs to. He flips in an average slider and flashes an above average changeup, though I have seen him struggle to keep the latter down at times. The 6' righty doesn't have much projection remaining but does generally do a good job of filling up the strike zone, though he can be scattered at times. He projects as a back-end starter or a long reliever for now, with the chance to improve that projection if he can tighten up his slider and/or get more consistent with his location within the zone, both with his fastball and offspeed stuff. The Minnesotan will also be gunning for more innings in the rotation, which with Kevin Abel (Reds, seventh round) and Jack Washburn (transfer, Ole Miss) gone, should be easier in 2022.

8. OF/RHP Steven Zobac, California.
Bat: L. Throw: R. 6'2", 200 lbs. Born 10/14/2000. Hometown: San Jose, CA.
2021: 5 HR, .240/.344/.359, 4 SB, 35/20 K/BB in 52 games.
2021: 2-2, 4.66 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 19/8 K/BB in 19.1 innings.
Steven Zobac is an interesting two-way player that has a chance to work his way into the top couple of rounds in either role. I prefer him slightly as a hitter, where he's yet to make a big impact at Cal but did hit .305/.443/.542 with more walks (12) than strikeouts (11) in 21 games in the California Collegiate League this summer. He has a compact left handed swing and manages the strike zone well, giving him a good shot at an above average hit tool in time. With a strong 6'2" frame, I could see him growing into average power as well if he adds a little bit of loft, and together that's a very balanced offensive profile. As you'd imagine, he has a strong arm in the outfield that will make him a solid right fielder, and he's athletic and fast enough to steal a few bases here and there. To me, it seems like the kind of profile where everything could click once he focuses solely on hitting. On the mound, I haven't seen any velocity numbers for Zobac since high school, where he sat around 90 with his fastball, so I'd imagine he's probably a slight tick above that now. He has a short but sharp cutter/slider that functions as his primary bat-missing pitch, and in general he throws strikes. The San Jose product will need to prove he can handle longer outings after typically throwing one to two innings at a time last spring and over the summer, and in general he looks a bit more natural at the plate than on the mound in my opinion. He looks like a late day two option as a hitter, which could become an early day two profile with a singular focus.

9. 2B Joe Lampe, Arizona State.
Bat: L. Throw: R. 6'1", 185 lbs. Born 12/5/2000. Hometown: Petaluma, CA.
2021: 3 HR, .294/.383/.461, 6 SB, 27/21 K/BB in 54 games.
Joe Lampe played with Spencer Torkelson at Casa Grande High School just north of San Francisco, then after a very successful year at Santa Rosa College (.424/.477/.687 in 20 games), he followed in Torkelson's footsteps down to Arizona State for the 2021 season. He may not have produced the loud numbers of his predecessor, but he was one of the Sun Devils' most consistent hitters last year and figures to provide a similarly steady presence in 2022. Lampe makes a ton of hard contact and struck out in just 12% of his plate appearances in 2021, showing excellent bat to ball skills and using the entire field extremely well. He'll likely always have well below average power, having knocked just two extra base hits in 37 Cape Cod League games this summer, but his plus speed will likely help him hit plenty of doubles and triples as he shoots line drives from gap to gap. He's selective at the plate and usually finds good pitches to hit, and when he gets them, he's adept at going with the pitch and getting his best swing off. His future position is a bit up in the air, but he should provide positive value wherever he ends up, whether that's shortstop (probably only in the best-case scenario), second base, or the outfield. Lampe looks like a late day two pick and projects as a super-utility type who can get on base consistently.

10. 2B Sean McLain, Arizona State.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 5'11", 170 lbs. Born 3/22/2001. Hometown: Tustin, CA.
2021: 7 HR, .322/.386/.519, 6 SB, 52/13 K/BB in 52 games.
Matt McLain has earned most of the attention as a two-time first round pick, but the McLain family has far more to offer. The youngest, Nick, just reached campus at UCLA after turning down six figure offers out of high school, while middle brother Sean is coming off a strong breakout season at Arizona State and could be a high draft pick this spring. Sean has a fairly similar profile to Matt if you take perhaps a half grade off most of his tools, with a consistent line drive bat that has taken very well to the Pac-12. He utilizes a compact right handed swing, again not unlike his brother, with the chance to tap into average power if he adds some loft. The Orange County product is a very aggressive hitter at this point in his career and rarely walks, so he'll want to show better zone control in 2022 to prove to teams that he'll be ready for pro pitching. His speed and athleticism make him a good candidate to stick at second base in pro ball.