1st Tier: Adam Haseley, Keston Hiura
2nd Tier: Logan Warmoth, Evan White, Brian Miller, K.J. Harrison, Stuart Fairchild
3rd Tier: Connor Wong, Kevin Smith, Joey Morgan
Others: Zach Rutherford, Taylor Walls, Ernie Clement, Devin Hairston, Will Toffey
By the title, this sounds like a strangely specific list, but this type of player is very prevalent in the college game. These guys won't hit 30 home runs or steal 50 bases, but they know how to play the game. They're your future Dustin Pedroias, Alex Bregmans, and Logan Forsythes. Obviously, some players fit better on this list than others, as Hiura's hit tool, White's defense, and Fairchild's speed could technically disqualify them from this list, but overall they fit in well with the other guys.
Tier I (Haseley, Hiura)
I wrote about Adam Haseley under the college power hitters demographic, but I am also much higher on his power than most. For the typical observer, Haseley fits here with his broad skill set. Keston Hiura, who hit .442 for UC-Irvine this year, may have the best hit tool in this draft, but hit isn't the first tool you think of when you think of "toolsy" players. Hiura has big time defensive questions stemming from an elbow injury as well as middling play when he's actually on the field, but he might be the most advanced hitter in this class. Out of every player out there, I'd put Hiura up there with Brendan McKay or Haseley as the one I would most want if I needed a pinch hitter in the MLB today. His swing is still a bit sweepy, but it is better than it was last year and he should continue to make improvements with pro coaching.
Tier II (Warmoth, White, Miller, Harrison, Fairchild)
UNC's Logan Warmoth hit himself into the first round this year, slashing .336/.404/.554 in the always tough ACC, and he probably epitomizes this class more than anybody else. He's a slightly above average hitter and an average defender at a tough position, shortstop. He's a decent runner and slashed a respectably average .270/.330/.450 over 27 games in the Cape Cod League, the toughest collegiate summer league there is. Overall, it's a pretty boring profile, but boring isn't always bad. Kentucky's Evan White would rank in the first tier for some, if not most people, but I'm the low guy on him. I love his mature approach at the plate, but I think he's unlikely to develop more than average power, and he doesn't have a Hiura-like hit tool or a Jeren Kendall-like run tool to offset it. His 10% walk rate is also fairly low, though I think he can improve it. On top of that, he's a first baseman – the best defensive first baseman in the class, but still a first baseman. Many see him coming off the board in the top 20 picks after slashing .368/.450/.627 with nine home runs against tough SEC pitching, but as the low guy on him, I ranked White just outside the top 30. Warmoth's teammate, Brian Miller, shares a lot in common with White. He slashed .343/.422/.502 with seven home runs in an almost-as-tough ACC, and he also plays first base. He's not as good defensively as White, but he is also more likely to be able to transition to center field in pro ball, as he is a bit faster. His profile gets even more interesting because like White, he has a long, flat swing that doesn't produce much power. He does walk a little bit more (12.1%). Most people would be confused to even see the two compared, and I still rank White well ahead of Miller. Oregon State's K.J. Harrison could have been ranked under the power hitters' demographic, but the power is just light enough – for now – that he fits in this category. Despite being one of the youngest college juniors available (he turns 21 in August), Harrison is one of the more advanced college hitters on the market, slashing .330/.396/.515 with eight home runs in the Pac-12 this year. He has the ability to hit for more power (his 21 extra base hits are down from 28 last year), but he focused more on contact and spraying the ball to all fields this season, and the power should come back as he advances. Harrison is limited to first base (though he has an outside shot at catching), and his 37/24 strikeout to walk ratio isn't exactly what you'd hope for, but he is a solid option in the second round that could be somewhat similar to the Mets' 2016 second round pick, Peter Alonso. Lastly, Stuart Fairchild couldn't be any more different from Harrison, profiling more as a poor man's Jeren Kendall. Fairchild is fast enough that I almost didn't include him in this demographic, stealing 46 bases over his three years at Wake Forest (including 20 this year), and he profiles as an above average defender in the outfield. Like Kendall, he has a lot of swing and miss to his game (17% strikeout rate), but his swing is not as clean as Kendall's and does not produce as much power. He slashed an amazing .359/.438/.645 with 17 home runs in the ACC this year (albeit in Wake Forest's hitter-friendly home park), but his .232/.323/.330 line over 34 Cape Cod League games leaves me as the low guy on Fairchild, who some think could crack the top 40 picks.
Tier III (Wong, Smith, Morgan)
Connor Wong is just about the weirdest catcher you've seen. At just 5'10", 170 lbs, he looks more like a second baseman than a backstop, and he can actually play all over the infield if needed. He also stole 26 bases for the University of Houston this year. I'd consider him a Keston Hiura-lite type of player, with the ability to catch but not nearly the offensive capabilities. Maryland's Kevin Smith, who joins Brian Miller in the "boring name" group, also has a weird profile. He has power, and actually ranked among the "others" in the college power hitters demographic, but his 13 home runs were just about the only thing he had going for him at the plate this year, slashing an underwhelming .268/.323/.552. Unlike most power hitters, he is an agile defender, and could actually stick at shortstop. Washington's Joey Morgan is another catcher, one with all-around decent tools who profiles well as a backup at the major league level. He was on very few prospect lists at the beginning of the season, but he slashed .324/.427/.500 in the Pac-12 and unlike some of the other catching prospects in this draft, is a near-certainty to stick behind the plate.
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