Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | LAA | SS | 8 | 45 |
Grades Update: Jan 2021
| OFP | Role | Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 40 | 45 | 45 | 55 | 55 | 50 |
Jan 2021 Report
Evaluator: Jake Kerns
Age: 18 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170 lbs
Hits/Throws: S/R
Acquired: 2019 IFA
RuleV: 2024
Physical Description: Signed as a tall, projectable prospect that was lean throughout. Long levers. Beginning to fill out and add strength. A good athlete. May grow into a 3B.
Hit: Crouched and balanced stance from the right side. Slightly open. Knees inward. Keeps his hands high by his right ear. Moderate amount of bat movement/body sway prior to loading. Moderate leg kick as he steps into the pitch. Repeatable swing that is mostly linear. Near-mirror image swing from the left side, but is less fluid in his actions and has more effort. Looks more comfortable from the right, but produces above-average bat speed from both sides during BP. Shows good rotation in his hips, but footwork in the box could improve, namely from the left side. Lacks barrel control from the left side and looked awkward in the box against live pitching during showcases and instructs. Has strong hand-eye coordination that allows him to foul off a lot of pitches, but the bat speed wavers and he has trouble catching up to velocity. Aggressive at the plate and presently lacks in his approach, which is unsurprising given his age. Has a feel for bunting. Shows enough raw ability, most notably with his hand-eye coordination, to suggest he can improve over time, but he'll need to continue to fill out and put in the work to improve his barrel control and pitch recognition. Tool could be average in time. Grade: 45
Power: Below-average present raw power with room to grow. Swing creates natural lift, and the ball jumps off the bat during BP. Presently lacks the strength to impact the ball upon contact against live-pitching. Approach is not yet geared toward driving the ball, but did show some gap power from the right-side of the plate during showcases. Left side lags behind. Had significant physical projection when he signed and is now flashing the underlying ability to indicate his power could approach average or better at full maturity. Grade: 45
Field: Moves well laterally and keeps his feet moving. Fluid actions. Not especially quick, but gets a good initial step toward the ball. Keeps it in front of him and stays low on it. Charges the ball with authority. Strong hand-eye coordination; follows the ball and can make the play off a bad hop. Displays a good backhand going to his right. Above-average range that allows him to make the routine plays and some of the more difficult ones. Shows good instincts in the field. Plays with some flair. Has the tools to stick at SS, but might fit best at 3B if he fills out. Grade: 55
Arm: Average arm strength with average carry across the diamond. Arm strength may improve as he fills out. Quick transfers. Shows several release points, including a low-sidearm/submarine when he's trying to get the ball out quick. Typically side-arm, but will go low-3/4 if he needs to add something to it. Throws on-target in looks to both 1B and 2B. Arms plays up because of his ability to get the ball out. Would play at 3B. Grade: 55
Run: Showed average times during showcases as an amateur, but may slow as he fills out. A heads up runner once he's on base, but will not be a true threat to steal. Grade: 50
Overall: Vera's glove is ahead of his bat. He has innate hand-eye coordination which gives hope to his future hit tool, but he is very raw at the plate and much of his upside depends on his ability to add strength. He's begun to do so. There's a reason to believe he could be an average hitter with average power as he physically matures, but it's going to take time. His defense is advanced and helps give him a reasonable floor, but he'll ultimately go as far as his bat takes him. He has everyday potential.
OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench or Utility
Risk: High
