CF Enrique Bradfield, American Heritage HS [FL]
Full index of profiles here
DoB: 12/2/2001. B/T: L/L.
Commitment: Vanderbilt.
Enrique Bradfield is one of the premier leadoff-types in this high school class, and he's definitely in the right place to get a lot of exposure. For one, he plays in the Miami area, which is particularly strong this year with nearly ten high school players who could be drafted in the top five rounds this year if signable. Additionally, he's part of the best recruiting class outfield in the country, joining likely first round picks Pete Crow-Armstrong and Robert Hassell as Vanderbilt signees. While he may be competing with LA-area infielder Milan Tolentino and Georgia Tech infielder Luke Waddell for the least power among potential top 100 draftees, the rest of his game is very strong and he could intrigue a team that likes more old-school prospects.
The first thing everyone will notice about Bradfield is the speed. He has true plus-plus wheels that enable him to impact the game on both sides of the ball, perhaps more than any other player in the class. That's key, because he's a very skinny kid at a listed 155 pounds who won't hit for much power at all. He has a loose left handed swing that enables him to put the ball in play consistently, then use his wheels to do the rest. The approach can get very slap-heavy, as he has a tendency to just drop the bat to the ball and try to beat out choppy ground balls to the other side, but he has shown the ability to drive the ball with at least moderate authority to the gaps. Defensively, he's one of the best center fielders in the class, and his pure speed in addition to good instincts gives him perhaps the best defensive upside of any high school outfielders around.
Bradfield's ultimate projection comes down to how much extra base power he'll be able to hit for. Expecting more than a couple home runs here and there would be unrealistic, but in order to succeed at the next level, he'll need to prove he can drive the ball into the gaps consistently to best deploy his speed. He'll always be a threat for infield hits, but defenses get better and better as you progress towards the majors and it won't be like tormenting the high school infielders he's faced in South Florida. There aren't a lot of successful big leaguers with Bradfield's profile, with perhaps the most similar player being fellow Floridian Mallex Smith.
All of that said, I think Bradfield has a very good chance to reach the upper end of his projections. That probably means single digit home run totals even if they keep juicing the baseballs, but he could produce upwards of 30-40 combined doubles and triples annually with solid on-base percentages and lots of stolen bases. Combine that with great defense, and it's an old school, prototypical leadoff profile. Because the game has moved away from that type of player in recent years in addition to him being a potentially difficult sign away from Vanderbilt, he has a fairly wide draft variance, but his talent fits anywhere from rounds two through four.
Hitting on the showcase circuit, summer 2019
Opposite field line drive from 2020 game action
No comments:
Post a Comment