MLB Draft
Prospects Live Staff
Landon Sims - MLB Draft Profile

2022 MLB Draft Scouting Report for RHP Landon Sims

MLB Draft
Prospects Live Staff
Elijah Green - MLB Draft Profile

2022 MLB Draft Scouting Report & Interview with Elijah Green

MLB Draft
Prospects Live Staff
Cole Young - MLB Draft Profile
MLB Draft
Prospects Live Staff
Bryce Hubbart - MLB Draft Profile
MLB Draft
Prospects Live Staff
Zach Neto - MLB Draft Profile

Houston Astros

Valente Bellozo - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU RHP 37 30

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role FB SL CH Cont/Cmd
30 30 40 40 50 55/50

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Geoff Pontes

Age: 21 yr
Height: 5-10
Weight: 170 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 IFA
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Below average physical size and frame. Short with a smaller compact frame. Strong and explosive despite size.

Delivery & Mechanics: Sped up operation that starts with a side step and transitions directly into an up tempo elevated leg lift and rushed drive. He manages to stay on time and he does a good job of finishing off over his front side. Three quarters arm action with crossbody finish, falls off hard to the first base side.

Fastball: Below average velocity at 88-92 mph in our looks during the summer of 2019. Cuts the pitch a bit which does create some angle but makes it harder for Bellozo to command. That said, Bellozo tends to be around the strike zone with the pitch and does a good job of working both sides of the plate. A below average offering with some upside for more if he adds a few ticks. Grade: 40

Slider: Sweepy slider in the low-70s, a pitch that worked as a third offering versus Short-Season hitters, but one that will need added velocity for it to play in the upper-levels, shows fairly strong command of the pitch and an ability to sequence keeping it in below average range and out of poor territory. Grade: 40

Changeup: Above average feel for the changeup at an early stage in his professional career. Shows good tumble and fade and he shows the ability to land it armside and gloveside. Above average run and shows the ability to consistently pronate. Best bat missing pitch, and his feel for the pitch overwhelmed short season hitters. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Advanced strike throwing profile that plays up the entire arsenal. Ability to manipulate any of his pitches and land them to all four quadrants. Despite sped up off-beat operation stays remarkably on time at foot plant and release, traits that lend themselves to repeatability. Rarely misses the zone with any of his pitches. High level of efficiency has translated to results, as Bellozo has walked just 28 walks over 110 professional innings (6.7% walk rate). Shows four quadrant command. Control: 55 | Command: 50

Overall: Below average stuff with above average pitchability and feel. Bellozo is a different bred from other Astros pitchers who tend to be rich on stuff and poor on command. An advanced strike thrower at a young age. His feel for his changeup gives him a chance at a bullpen role despite his current below average fastball velocity. Feel to pitch goes a long way. Unfortunately it's hard to project much in the way of physical gains for a body type so slight. A fun arm, but ultimately a misfit toy that falls into the Up/Down profile bucket.

OFP: 30
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: High

Blair Henley - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU RHP 36 30

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role FB CB SL CH Cont/Cmd
30 30 40 50 45 30 40/40

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Geoff Pontes

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Draft, Round 7
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Tall, lanky and high waisted, slumped shoulders, lean frame with potential to add muscle in the coming years.

Delivery & Mechanics: Side step to elevated leg lift, stands upright on back leg before drive. Henley delivers the ball from a high three quarters arm slot, dropping and driving down. Strong leg block and repeatable mechanics.

Fastball: Below average pitch at 88-92 mph, with an East to West plan of attack. He cuts the pitch heavily which is responsible for plenty of inefficient spin. Has trouble locating it from the stretch and has to pitch aware from batters due to this. Will need to add velocity to fit into a pen role long term. Grade: 40

Curveball: High spin slurvy breaking ball in the 77-79 mph range. Henley's best pitch and a true swing and miss driving weapon. Shows good depth and late horizontal break. Henley's feel for the pitch is above his command of any other offering in his arsenal. Grade: 50

Slider: Tighter break than the curveball with lower raw spin. Pitch fits into the low-80s velocity band and he shows feel too locate on the edges of the zone. More horizontal break than the curveball with less drop. Clear third pitch but a usable offering. Grade: 45

Changeup: Poor quality pitch with limited feel. Will show confidence to throw early in the count and off the plate to lefties. Moderate armside run, but doesn't mimic fastball arm speed or movement. Not a factor. Grade: 30

Control and Command: Limited feel for fastball but strong command of breaking balls. Shows the ability to manipulate each breaker for the location of his target. That feel does not extend to his fastball or poor changeup. Misses with his fastball to his gloveside with regularity, with just limited feel for the armside of the plate. Did a good job of limiting walks in his pro debut leaving hope his control can get to average. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Pretty clearly a tweener profile that needs to supercharge his fastball. With below average to poor fastball velocity it really limits his potential opportunities as a pen arm. However, an added 2-3 MPH might be enough to get him into bullpen profile long term due to the quality of his breaking balls. His high-70s curveball is a weapon and a go to out pitch when Henley is in trouble. Up/down emergency depth at the moment, but another Astros draft pick with interesting characteristics.

OFP: 30
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: High

Cesar Rosado - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU RHP 35 30

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role FB CB SL Cont/Cmd
30 30 45 45 40 40/30

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 25 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 172 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2014 IFA
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Physically mature. Thick build, but not in a bad way. He looks heavier than the listed weight. Appears to have built out the frame very well.

Delivery & Mechanics: Traditional 3/4 arm slot. High effort delivery. Ditched the windup and threw only out of the stretch by the end of 2019, which really helped simplify the mechanics. Hands are stomach height. Keeps front leg open. Hands rise to chest as leg comes up. Before reaching the height of the balance point the hands start dropping. Stays tall as he extends out. Finishes high and facing the plate.

Fastball: 94-95. Arm side run. Likes to make this pitch come back to the outside corner against righties. He tends to bury this pitch when he tries to put a little more behind it. He prefers to use this to change pace off his curveball rather than lead with it. Plays best at the knees, which is where he tries to work it. Grade: 45

Curveball: 77. Not quite a true 12-6 shape, but very close. Will use this pitch in any count. Sharp break creates whiffs. It doesn't get as much vertical movement as you'd like, but it's still a pitch he has a lot of confidence in. He controls it to both sides of the plate, making the pitch play up. Grade: 45

Slider: Can get up to 88. Gets some horizontal movement, but it's more of a gyro offering. Visually, the shape looks somewhere in the middle of a true slider or true cutter. It doesn't fool many hitters, but can get a swing and miss when breaking away from a corner. If he misses in the wrong spot, this pitch can get taken a very long way. Grade: 40

Control and Command: He tends to overthrow quite a bit, causing him to bury his pitches. He also can miss corners. Walks are a big part of his game. That being said, he does a good job keeping everything off the big part of the plate. So the knock in control is more for missing the zone, rather than missing in spots susceptible to hard contact. Control: 40 | Command: 30

Overall: Abandoning the windup was helpful in simplifying mechanics, but there's still plenty of control issues for Rosado. His pitch mix plays well off each other, but there's no pitch that pops as one that can stand alone. He loves to employ the curveball early and often, which makes the fastball play well. Without any significant improvement somewhere, it's going to be a very tough road for Rosado to have a big league future.

OFP: 30
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: Moderate

Luis Santana - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU 2B 34 35

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
35 30 40 30 45 45 40

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 21 yr
Height: 5-8
Weight: 175 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA, NYM
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Small, but very thick frame, especially in the upper body. He looks to be physically mature. High waist for the frame.

Hit: Sets up hands by his head. Very pronounced pre pitch bathead movement. Open stance. Slight bend at the knees. Only the toes of his front foot touch the dirt prior to delivery. Utilizes a leg kick that stops just shy of his knee as a load mechanism. Lots of bat wrap, but he makes up for it with quick hands and good hand eye coordination. That will translate to him not swinging and missing a ton, but with the amount he swings it yields a lot of bad contact. He has trouble going to the opposite field with any sort of intent too. Many times he's just late and inside outs a ball the other way. Better pitch selection would go a long way in helping improve this grade, and his profile as a whole Grade: 40

Power: Any power he has will be gap to gap. There are times he can put his best swing on the ball and drive it to the wall, but there will be limited over the fence pop. Everything is pull side right now. Being more selective might help him to see a boost in this grade, but not a big one. Grade: 30

Field: Likely limited to second base at the big league level, though he has played elsewhere on the dirt at the lower levels. His hands and range are good enough to not be a liability as a defender. Grade: 45

Arm: Arm is more than capable of handling throws from second. Might struggle if moved anywhere else in the dirt. Grade: 45

Run: Isn't quite an average runner. Can steal a handful of bases, but won't ever be a true speed threat on the basepaths. It doesn't affect too much on the defensive side of things. Grade: 40

Overall: The hit tool is what makes Santana intriguing as a prospect. It could be very special if he were to combine his bat to ball skills and feel for the zone to be more selective as a hitter. He swings a lot and it winds up hurting his hit tool. If he does take his way into a hitters count, he can square up nicely on the pitch, but by swinging so much those situations have to be gifted by the pitcher. Adjustments could see the hit tool soar into potentially plus territory. The rest of the profile probably isn't strong enough to make a big league impact without hit tool improvements.

OFP: 35
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: Extreme

Nathan Perry - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU C 33 35

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
35 30 40 50 40 45 30

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Joe Drake

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 195 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2017 Draft, Round 5
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Big, strong frame that matches listed numbers. Athletic build for a catcher. Long legs, higher waist, thick butt. Fairly lean throughout the body. Body is live enough to play the field if he doesn't stick behind the plate. Room for a little good weight.

Hit: Sets up with slightly wider than average base nearly square to the pitcher. Sits into his legs a bit; hands are chest high with the bat resting on the shoulder. Uses quick, moderate leg kick as trigger; torso and hips coil and the hands slide straight back. Above-average bat speed; swings to lift the ball and drive it. Average patience and feel for the zone, will expand against offspeed. Can go the other way, but typically a slugger's approach. Below-average contact skills lead to swing and miss in the zone and against offspeed. Grade: 40

Power: Above-average raw power from raw strength and ability to rotate. Above-average bat speed. Approach helps him get to most of his power in games and would maximize it with better contact skills. Plenty of pop to leave the yard to all fields, but most will come pull-side. Plodding runner, will only take extra bases on balls deep in the alley. Grade: 50

Field: Hands are a little stiff; doesn't catch everything he should, mishandles transfers occasionally. Solid receiver and framer who overframes on occasion. Agile behind the plate but not a good blocker. Liability on balls in the dirt. Struggles keeping balls in front of him with body or glove. Below-average instincts behind the plate right now, may be inexperienced. Will go to the mound when the pitcher is struggling. Not an MLB quality backstop without big steps forward as a blocker, but the rest of the profile is fine. Sees time at 1st base as well. Stretch needs work. Hands still a bit stiff, actions are decent; will sacrifice the body to knock the ball down, too. Grade: 40

Arm: Fringy arm strength behind the plate with average actions. 2.13 pop time. Grade: 45

Run: Moves decently, but lacks speed. Bottom of the scale H-1st times (4.53), slow out of the box. Station to station guy who can take an extra base on rare occasions. Grade: 30

Overall: Perry is an athletic, powerful catcher with poor defensive skills at the moment. He has the mobility and receiving skills to be a good defender behind the plate, but needs quite a bit of seasoning. High variance player who needs to stick behind the plate to be a big leaguer since the offensive skills aren't enough to slide to first base. Ceiling is a backup catcher if the defensive skills max out, floor is org depth if he has to move off the position.

OFP: 35
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: Extreme

Willy Collado - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU RHP 32 35

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role FB SL CH Cont/Cmd
35 30 40 45 40 50/40

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 175 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Thin frame with long limbs. Plenty of room to add good weight to the frame.

Delivery & Mechanics: Smooth, easy motion with a sidearm delivery. Hands start at the belt. He raises them to his chest as the leg comes up. Keeps upper half slightly bent as he extends out. Once he lands his torso straightens up. From his shoulder to his fingertips his arm is pretty much a straight line from his arm slot. As he finishes his body pops up and his back leg swings through so his hips finish facing the first base side. He works quickly in game.

Fastball: 89-92. Generates good armside run and sink low in the zone thanks to his arm slot. He likes to work this pitch all around the zone. He has trouble commanding it at times. He won't get many whiffs with the pitch, but between the movement and his arm slot, it generates plenty of groundballs. Adding some good weight could help see a velo bump that will in turn improve the grade. Grade: 40

Slider: It garners some sweep, especially when thrown to the glove side. This is his best pitch. It can create whiffs to both sides of the plate regardless of what handed hitter is at the plate.. The velo separation off the fastball along with the release point help to get swings and misses. This, like any of his pitches, will be used in any count or any situation. Grade: 45

Changeup: 84-85. This pitch has fade and essentially the same movement profile as the fastball. It doesn't fool many batters despite getting more movement than the fastball. More velo separation would help. As is, it doesn't fool many hitters with the speed. It's clearly his third pitch, but he has enough confidence to use it in almost any situation. Grade: 40

Control and Command: Walk numbers are not an issue with Collado. He generally is around the plate with all three of his pitches. Once in awhile he can over rotate during delivery and because of his arm slot he misses really badly, but those are few and far between. More importantly, he can bounce right back into the strike zone. That said, he has trouble hitting his spots. His catchers generally are receiving the ball on the opposite side of the plate that they called for. Control: 50 | Command: 40

Overall: Being unique can be a good thing for a pitcher when the pitcher can pull it off, and Collado has the ingredients to do it. Some extra weight to the frame should add a few ticks to the fastball, which will boost the overall profile. Right now he's different enough to keep guys off balance. The stuff needs to catch up to that. If he can find a way to improve movement on his changeup, add velo to the fastball, or create more velo separation with the changeup then his outlook will continue to improve. Right now, he can serve in the multi-inning relief role the Astros have been using him in. Projecting the weight and velo is really the only way to project him in a future big league bullpen.

OFP: 35
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: High

Julio Robaina - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU LHP 31 35

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role FB CB CH Cont/Cmd
35 30 45 55 45 45/40

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Justin Lada

Age: 20 yr
Height: 5-11
Weight: 170 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2017 IFA
RuleV: 2023

Physical Description: Short, athletic frame. Strong shoulders and lower half. Solid build for size but no project left to add anything to it. Relief innings type frame but athleticism to log back end starter type innings.

Delivery & Mechanics: Clean, repeatable delivery. Over the top arm slot. Works from left side of the rubber. MIdsection leg kick. Gets solid extension for his frame. Good shoulder-torso separation. Uses slide step from the stretch.

Fastball: 89-92. Works well north-south with high arm slot. Fringe-average spin despite arm angle to create effective spin axis. Fringe average command. Grade: 45

Curveball: 12-6 hook. Plays well off the fastball. Above average spin. Throws from a slower arm speed. Consistent shape, spin and ability to throw for a strike consistently makes it an above average offering. Grade: 55

Changeup: Flashes average with good arm speed, fade. Below average command. Inconsistent look. Grade: 45

Control and Command: Below average command. Throws curveball for strikes consistently more than any of his offerings. Hits the zone north and south better than the corners. Repeatable delivery and athletic build point to ability to get to average command. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Type of arm the Astros have success with. Fringe-average fastball that plays better than its velocity and spin and a high spin curveball that plays well off of it. Projectable changeup. Shorter stature with an athletic frame that has no significant projection left. Not entirely unlike Framber Valdez, who grew into more velocity. Back end starter or multi inning type use with improved command and a little added velocity.

OFP: 35
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: High

Garrett Gayle - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU RHP 30 35

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role FB CB Cont/Cmd
35 30 50 60 40/30

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Joe Drake

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 208 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Draft, Round 12
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Thick frame with broad shoulders and a boxy torso. Limbs are relatively long; doesn't give the appearance of much athleticism in uniform. Thighs and butt are on the thicker side. Little projection remaining.

Delivery & Mechanics: Stretch only. Sets at the waist; moderate leg kick to the waist; drops and drives, getting into the back leg well. High 3/4s arm slot with solid extension; hides the ball well. High effort delivery that falls off hard to 1st base side. Varies timing with runners on, utilizes a much quicker leg lift, borderline slide step.

Fastball: 90-95, T98, solid armside run. Can run it by guys at the top of the zone, but gives up loud contact when left over the heart. Not much command to speak of and often loses it armside, but improved at Quad Cities. Plays up off the curveball. Grade: 50

Curveball: 83; 1-7 shape. Thrown hard with good depth and some sweep to it; fools hitters when dropping it in for called strikes. Can open and close at bats with it. Good feel for it, better command than the fastball. Will backdoor it to lefties. Confident enough to throw it in any count and even back to back. Far and away his best offering, needs it to be effective. Grade: 60

Control and Command: Wild and sometimes loses the zone entirely, but has taken steps forward as a pro. Clearly just hoping to hit the zone and not any sort of spot. Falls behind batters frequently and is seemingly good for at least 1 walk per outing. Commands the curve much better than the fastball. Even throws to first are off target. Appeared to tick up when he got to Quad Cities. Control: 40 | Command: 30

Overall: Relief-only profile with a strong curve and poor but improving command. Started pitching backwards in low-A to help the fastball play up off the curve. The stuff is good enough that low-level hitters struggle to square it up, but Gayle simply has no idea where the ball is going when he lets it go. Very tough AB when he's on, though. There's a chance Houston maximizes his profile and he becomes a low-leverage reliever in the majors, but it's more likely he's an up and down reliever.

OFP: 35
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: High

Bryan De La Cruz - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU OF 29 35

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
35 30 45 40 50 45 45

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 175 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2013 IFA
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Long, lean frame. High waist. There's still some projection left, particularly in the upper half.

Hit: Even stance. Slight bend in the knees. Upper half stays tall. Hands start over his shoulder, but above his head. Lots of up and down movement from the bat head pre pitch. Hands remain loud through the load. Utilizes a double toe tap to start the swing. Quick hands allow him to get around on velocity. Extremely patient at the plate, not afraid of starting a count 0-2 in any situation. That leaves little room for error, which makes his strikeout numbers higher than where is bat to ball skills are at. He hunts for pitches inside to accentuate a very pull heavy approach. Grade: 45

Power: Quick hands and some loft give De La Cruz some pop. The higher the level, the more the power is limited to his pull side. The raw power suggests more in the tank. He can do damage on very specific pitches right now. Learning to spread the power around the diamond would go a long way. Grade: 40

Field: He's played right field for the Astros. He's got more than enough defensive ability to stick on the corner. This is the best part of his game. Grade: 50

Arm: The arm is strong enough for right field. It would play above average in left. Grade: 45

Run: There is some speed with De La Cruz. He'll be able to steal a base here and there based on speed, but hasn't shown the instinct to do so consistently. Grade: 45

Overall: The calling card for De La Cruz is his defense. He would be an above average defender in left, but has plenty of chops to stick in right field. Right now it's a clear hit over power profile at the plate, but his quick hands make it seem like there's room for those two tools to draw even. The better the pitching, the more he's relied on pulling the ball. The defense would play easily if the bat would allow.

OFP: 35
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: High

J.J. Matijevic - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU OF 28 35

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
35 30 40 50 40 45 45

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Joe Drake

Age: 25 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 206 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2017 CBB
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Strong, well-developed frame with big, muscular legs and backside that stand out immediately. High waist. Broad, filled out shoulders and upper body. Strong hands. Looks like a grown man. Very little projection left, if any. Visible frustration with nearly every call he disagrees with. Plays with borderline cockiness, you can feel it when he's in the box. Suspended 50 games in 2019 for 2nd failed drug test (unspecified).

Hit: Very active setup while waiting for the pitch. Body and hands rock quite a bit before settling in as the pitcher releases. Sets up with moderate knee bend and sits into the rear leg. Wide base, square to the pitcher. Torso leans toward the plate, hinging at the hips, and is slightly closed to the pitcher. Hands sit face-high with the bat angled over the shoulder. Loads with a small leg lift early that returns to its original position and moderately coils the hips. Hands drift back a little before firing. Steep, uppercut swing with high finish; swings hard when he gets something he likes. Very confident in his own knowledge of the zone; patient, waits for something he can attack. Can spoil pitches with two strikes without letting up on swing intensity, but not regularly. Will expand on breakers and offspeed with two strikes; frequent swing and miss overall. Despite the patient approach, overall package is below-average due to whiffs and inability to square the ball up with regularity. Grade: 40

Power: Plus raw power from raw strength and effort in the swing. Does a good job of getting to most of it in game and drives the ball with authority when he connects. Patience and pitch selection are an asset to his power game. Easy pull-side power with the strength to drive it out in the opposite field alley. Inconsistent quality of contact and frequent swing and miss hold him back from higher game power grade. Grade: 50

Field: Splits time between 1B and OF. Actions at first lack fluidity; doesn't feel like a natural position for him. Stretch is fringy, commits early sometimes. Can pick okay. Outfield reads are below average; takes a moment to decide where he thinks the ball will end up. Athletic enough to make the exciting catch, but typically it's a product of a slow read on balls hit at him. Routes range from solid to adventurous; not enough makeup speed to cover up bad reads. Only really profiles for left field and would still be fringy at best. You can see why they've tried him at first. Grade: 40

Arm: Throws strikes from 1B but lacks zip. His arm isn't a detriment to his defensive profile, but it's not an asset, either. Grade: 45

Run: 4.39 H-1st; Solid runner underway, but won't stretch many singles into doubles. Not enough speed to help his range in the outfield. Better base stealer than you would expect, has a knack for getting good reads. Made big strides in AA; could swipe a bag or two at the top level. Grade: 45

Overall: Matijevic is a power over hit guy who doesn't have a true defensive home. He's passable at first base, but orgs will almost always have a better hitter at that spot and his defense is too poor to be an outfield regular, even in left. Most likely ends up as an up and down guy in AAA with a ceiling of a strongside platoon bat if he finds a way to make more contact and shores up his outfield reads.

OFP: 35
Role: 30 - Up/Down Emergency Depth
Risk: Moderate

Austin Hansen - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU RHP 27 40

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role FB CB SL CH Cont/Cmd
40 40 55 45 55 30 45/40

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Ian Smith

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 195 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 Draft, Round 8
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Stocky, medium build. Wide lower half with present strength. Very broad shoulders. Very compact frame overall.

Delivery & Mechanics: Will work exclusively out of the stretch. Sets up at the far third base side of the rubber with a true three quarters slot. Implements a drop and drive delivery, working extremely quickly to the plate. Some effort in the finish of his delivery with a slight head whack. Will get into his back hip extremely well and gets good extension. Arm speed is above average, and he will get the most out of his simple mechanics.

Fastball: 93-96; will get good ride at the top of the zone. Creates a bunch of swing and miss due to near flat approach angle from his low release height. Can try to nibble the corners too much sometimes and will get behind in counts. Overall command of the pitch is average, but the combination of his movement profile, velocity, and approach angle tends to show this pitch an above average offering. Grade: 55

Curveball: Slightly distant third pitch. Sits mid 70s with true 12 to 6 shape. Shows quality depth with a very loopy shape, but does not get on top of the ball at a consistently enough basis. When in on, and you combine the velo separation and movement then it can flash as a plus offering. Grade: 45

Slider: Hansen will work this pitch in the low to mid 80s with wipeout horizontal movement at times. Has been his bread and butter strikeout pitch to this point in his career. Will get very tight, sweeping shape to the break, but sometimes shows the tendency to hold on too long and is prone to yanking pitches glove side. Tunnels well off the fastball, but will need to improve his overall command of the pitch for it to grow into its full potential. Grade: 55

Changeup: Very limited looks in the CH. Showed some feel for the pitch, and can maintain arm speed well. Grade: 30

Control and Command: This is the area of Hansen's game that may ultimately decide if he starts or comes out of the bullpen long term. Will command his FB better than anything in his arsenal, but still will seem to overthrow when he gets behind. SL and CB command are spotty at best, and will be prone to a handful of wild pitches, regardless who's behind the plate. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Houston gave the former Boomer Sooner the chance to start in 2019, but Hansen's profile gives you all the makings of a 6th/7th inning guy who will come in with an explosive FB/SL combo to shake any lineup up. Will be the best option to limit control concerns while likely always being a high K/9 guy.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Low Leverage Reliever
Risk: High

Shay Whitcomb - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU OF 26 40

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
40 40 50 40 45 45 40

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 200 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Draft, Round 5
RuleV: 2023

Physical Description: Has built well on his frame so far. There is still some projection left for the Astros to work with. Kind of a lanky frame at this point.

Hit: This is his carrying tool. Open stance. Hands start at shoulder height, with bat head close to vertical. Utilizes a shin high leg kick to trigger the swing. Hands are quick and smooth to the ball. The hands are the main ingredient in what made Whitcomb a draft pick out of Division II. Grade: 50

Power: Showed some homerun power both in the Cape Cod League and in college. His frame suggests there's probably some pop to be had at the professional level too. As the Astros get their hands on him, he could tap more into his average raw power. Grade: 40

Field: Ultimately his home on the dirt isn't a given. He's a shortstop now, and can play there. Some believe his best chance might be to transition to second base. Grade: 45

Arm: The arm may not wow anybody, but it is strong enough to play at shortstop. He might struggle on some throws due to the below average arm strength. Should be plenty fine if he makes the move to second base, as many are predicting. Grade: 45

Run: Only stole a couple of bases in college. Speed shouldn't kill him defensively. Grade: 40

Overall: The very last pick of the, albeit shortened, 2020 draft out of Division II UC San Diego is a pure hitter. Many believe in his ability to hit the ball at the professional level. Due to his size, he might not be a shortstop long term. That might mean he stays up the middle and winds up at second base. Regardless, that hit tool will carry him as far as he goes in the professional ranks.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench / Platoon
Risk: High

Ronnie Dawson - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU OF 25 40

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
40 40 40 45 45 45 60

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 26 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 217 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2016 Draft, Round 2
RuleV: Eligbible

Physical Description: Medium build, frame is filled out. He's at physical maturity. Looks a tad lighter than the listed weight.

Hit: Sets up with his hands at chest height and tight to the body. Rests bat on his shoulder pre pitch. Slightly open stance and small bend at the knees. Upper body is bent over slightly. Utilizes a quick, mid-shin, high leg kick. He's short to the ball. Puts every ounce of energy possible into each swing, resulting in plenty of swing and miss. Does show the feel to go with the ball and hit to all fields. Some loft in the swing helps it play well with pitches up in the zone. He can have trouble getting the barrel on pitches low in the zone. Has a good idea of the zone east to west, but is liable to expand below the zone, especially with breaking balls. Grade: 40

Power: Between the effort in each swing and the loft, there is plenty of pop when he gets a barrel on the ball. Right now, there is probably above average raw power. In game he can access it sometimes when he gets a pitch to hit up in the zone. The power does play to all fields in game. If he can find a way to get to those pitches down in the zone then he will be able to do more damage in the power department. Grade: 45

Field: He has the speed and instincts to stick in centerfield. He can make the necessary reads and his speed helps him get to the ball. Grade: 45

Arm: The arm is what might keep him from staying up the middle. It's not the strongest arm, but it is fairly accurate. He may be limited to left field because of the strength. Grade: 45

Run: He's not only a good runner, but he uses the speed well. Long strides help him to be an above average runner to begin with. His speed helps cover ground defensively. He shows the instincts to be a base stealer as well. His use of speed really helps it play plus. Grade: 60

Overall: Dawson is a good athlete with an interesting ceiling if it all clicks. His power and speed will play at the big league level, but the hit tool is what needs to see some improvement. Beyond that, his defense will play in center, but his arm strength will likely limit him to left field. Improvements there will tick up the power and give the Astros a solid platoon-type outfielder.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench / Platoon
Risk: High

Zach Daniels - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU OF 24 40

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
40 40 40 50 55 50 70

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Geoff Pontes

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 210 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Draft, Round 4
RuleV: 2023

Physical Description: An explosive young arm that might start the second wave of the Houston Hybrid archetype. Two quality breaking balls, a well sequenced changeup, and a high octane fastball. While the range of outcomes for Lopez is wide he presents a very strong foundational profile. He has stuff and pitch ability beyond his age and some unique characteristics within his mechanics that make him an uncomfortable at bat. Starter fir now, but likely another arm capable of filling multiple roles in the bullpen.

Hit: Below average hit tool, struggled in our looks during the 2019 Cape Cod league. Swings for hard contact to his pullside with a quiet load. Somewhat linear bat path, does a good job of keeping his hands inside and staying compact. Conversely limited extension in well hit balls. Must improve his pitch selection and swing decisions to tap into his two contact and power potential. Showed strong production versus non-conference competition in 2020. Despite this there's significant swing and miss risk within the profile. Grade: 40

Power: Above average raw power that's yet to fully materialize in games. Daniels will send shots to his pull-side in batting practice but it's mostly gap to gap in games. Showed power gains in consecutive years at Tennessee with a big jump in his shortened 2020. Daniels will need to add loft and improve his pitch selection to tap into the hard pull-side contact thats lurking beneath. Grade: 50

Field: Average profile in centerfield maybe a tick better with above average overall skill in the more general category of infielders. Double plus makeup speed allow him to cover significant ground but his reads are not consistent. However, makeup speed will cover a lot of flaws in the grass. Grade: 55

Arm: Average arm with only average carry. Decent distance strength but his max numbers have been more in the average velocity range. Arm is fairly accurate and plays at all positions in the outfield. Grade: 50

Run: Double plus speed, Daniels running ability is his purest tool and one that impacts all elements of his game on both sides of the ball. Clocked consistent 60 to 70 run times during our CCBL observations. Grade: 70

Overall: A tantalizing set of tools and a raw potential profile that may exceed any player in the Houston system. The other side of the coin is he has major gaping holes in his game. His ability to make consistent contact is driven by poor recognition skills and his tools far exceed his instincts in the field. Few players' stock was impacted as much as Daniels. Some may say he was on the brink of a breakout while others may point to the level of his early season competition. The narrative fits however you spin it. In the end Daniels has tools that translate to skills on both sides of the ball it's a matter of honing the bat. Reports from the Fall were strong around Daniels performance at instructs.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench / Platoon
Risk: High

Jairo Lopez - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU RHP 23 40

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role FB CB SL CH Cont/Cmd
40 40 50 50 50 40 45/40

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Geoff Pontes

Age: 20 yr
Height: 5-11
Weight: 150 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Smaller in stature with thin frame, looks smaller than his listed 5-11 and closer to 5-9. Maybe adds a few pounds over the years but it's a smaller righthander body type.

Delivery & Mechanics: Side step to moderate leg lift, drop and drive, gets heavy over front side, drops his slot down low, delivering from a lower three quarters arm action. Nearly side arm with a crossfire finish. Height and arm slot create an incredibly flat approach angle making it tough to pick the ball up out of his hand.

Fastball: Good velocity sitting 93-95 mph in shorter outings. Impressive velocity for a diminutive teenager. Low release and nearly side arm crossfire delivery play up the quality of the fastball. Shows the ability to command at an average level hitting spots in all four quadrants. Swing and miss pitch, but batters can time it as the pitch lacks much late movement. Grade: 50

Curveball: Slower than slider in the 77-79 mph band with downer slurve movement. Will show the pitch at any time and has the feel to steal strikes on the corners. Command is advanced for a teenagers breaking ball. Grade: 50

Slider: Shows great feel for the slider, a sweepy offering at 80-82 mph, his go to secondary and best swing and miss pitch. Most of the contact made with the pitch was of the ground ball variety. Works mostly away from left handers backdooring the pitch at will. Grade: 50

Changeup: Good velocity separation between fastball at 83-84 mph, sub-optimal shape with minimal run. Gets hit the hardest of any of Lopez's offerings. Doesn't pronate well yet. Grade: 40

Control and Command: Below average control and command at the moment. With stuff that moves a ton it's more of a "get it in the zone and let his stuff do the work" profile than a finesse strike throwing one. That said he was an 18 year old that dominated short season in 2019 facing batters on average 3.5 years his junior. In other words take the walk numbers with a grain of salt. I believe based on flashes of above average feel, good sequencing and the balls to challenge hitters that Lopez can get to fringe average control or better. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: An explosive young arm that might start the second wave of the Houston Hybrid archetype. Two quality breaking balls, a well sequenced changeup, and a high octane fastball. While the range of outcomes for Lopez is wide he presents a very strong foundational profile. He has stuff and pitch ability beyond his age and some unique characteristics within his mechanics that make him an uncomfortable at bat. Starter for now, but likely another arm capable of filling multiple roles in the bullpen.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Spot Starter or Long Reliever
Risk: High

Jordan Brewer - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU OF 22 40

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
40 40 40 40 60 60 70

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Anthony Franco

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 195 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/L
Acquired: 2019 Draft, Round 3
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Listed at 6'1, 195. Very narrow frame; no remaining physical projection. Slender shoulders and hips limit ability to add muscle mass.

Hit: Quiet setup; wide base with bat rested on shoulder and a bit of pre-pitch wiggle. Small leg kick. Plus bat speed but it's more of a gap-to-gap approach; very flat swing plane as an amateur. Fringe bat control; makes a fair amount of contact but has a tendency to mishit pitches he should barrel up. Aggressive approach; attacks pitches early in counts but not so swing-happy as to undermine the rest of the offensive tools. Grade: 40

Power: Not overly physical but quick-twitch actions enable some explosiveness in the swing. Average raw power. In-game power limited as an amateur by lack of loft in the swing; hasn't had game reps in pro ball to gauge if Astros have made alterations to swing plane. Grade: 40

Field: Played mostly corner outfield in deference to Jesse Franklin at Michigan. Would expect him to get more center field reps as he climbs the minor-league ladder. Was easily plus in a corner; would likely be above-average in center. Grade: 60

Arm: Has more than enough arm for any outfield position; throws with easy zip and carry. Grade: 60

Run: Clocked plus-plus run times as an amateur; has the elite speed necessary to track down fly balls in the gaps and take extra bags on the basepaths. Grade: 70

Overall: Brewer's plus-plus athleticism makes him an interesting upside play. He's an impact defender and baserunner, which should carry him to the big leagues. Brewer has some bat speed and a chance to hit for some power, but that requires a successful alteration to his currently-level bat path. The cancellation of the 2020 minor-league season really hurts players like this. A former JUCO star, Brewer only had one season facing decent competition at the University of Michigan. He'll be 24 years old in August. It'll be an uphill battle for him to get the repetitions he needs as a hitter if he's to become an everyday player before the athleticism carrying the whole profile starts to wane.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench / Platoon
Risk: High

Peter Solomon - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU RHP 21 40

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role FB CT CB SL CH Cont/Cmd
40 40 50 45 55 45 40 45/45

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Rhys White

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 201 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 Draft, Round 4
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: Tall, long limbed, wiry strength. Ideal starter frame that is well-filled out. No projection left because he is at physical peak. Likely to maintain conditioning long term due to high fitness level.

Delivery & Mechanics: Simple set-up with no wasted movement. He drops his shoulders, and releases his pitches from a three-quarters armslot. Because he has no wasted movement he pitches the same way with or without runners on base.

Fastball: Solomon has two variations of the fastball, a fastball is best spotted up in the zone with arm-side movement and a fastball best spotted low in the zone with some sink. The fastball tops out at 95 and sits 92-94. He is very aggressive early in counts with the fastball, looking to use it to get ahead of opposing batters. He generates average swings and misses with the fastball. Grade: 50

Cutter: Solomon likes to mix his low 90's cutter in with the fastball early in counts. Not a pitch he uses to generate whiffs, he has it play off the fastball and is trying to induce weak contact from opposing batters. He uses it sparingly to left-handed batters but sprinkles it in more frequently against right-handed batters where the cut away from them plays up. Grade: 45

Curveball: The former Notre Dame pitcher uses his curveball as a putaway pitch. It has traditional 12-6 shape and is a low 80's offering with above average vertical movement. He loves to use it late in counts after establishing the fastball to generate whiffs. It best plays when spotted low and away to both handedness of batters where it starts in the zone and falls away. Grade: 55

Slider: Peter Solomon's slider gets 1-7 movement and is more slurvy as opposed to a hard sweeping horizontal slider. The slider is a mid 80's offering with below average horizontal movement and above average vertical movement. He uses it after setting up the curve and will exclusively use it late in counts in my looks. Batters at the High A level were given fits by his slider, however it was a brief look and I don't envision him being able to dominate upper level hitters with the slider Grade: 45

Changeup: Solomon rarely uses his changeup in my looks, but the few I saw he lacked a consistent feel of the changeup. It consistently has below average tumble and fade and when you pair that with the lack of feel you can see why it is rarely used. I saw a good changeup thrown with the same arm-speed as the fastball and had average tumble out of the zone which was encouraging, but that is rare. Grade: 40

Control and Command: The former Notre Dame pitcher does an average job of throwing strikes, the problem comes in he lacks command of his offerings. He won't walk a lot of guys but at times when he pitches he struggles to put his pitches in spots where he can optimize each pitch. Control: 45 | Command: 45

Overall: He currently is a starter in the Astros organization but I feel his most likely role is in the bullpen because of his lack of command where he can use all five of his pitches. As a five pitch reliever he has what it takes to succeed in the current three batter minimum. The fastball and curveball are his bread and butter and if he can effectively mix in the cutter and slider and sparingly the changeup he has enough pitches to get through an inning. He is a recent TJ survivor so there is a hope that the velocity takes a tick forward and the other stuff could possibly take a tick forward but that has yet to be seen in games so that's just hopeful thinking on my part.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Low Leverage Reliever
Risk: Moderate

Grae Kessinger - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU 2B 20 40

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
40 40 55 45 50 55 50

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Rhys White

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 200 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Draft, Round 2
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Tally and wiry with room to fill out especially in the upper-body. Built like a wide-receiver.

Hit: Kessinger stands tall with a slight bend at the knee, having a small stride towards the mound and is looking to spray the ball to all fields especially in the gaps. He has a quick bat through the zone, and has a linear bat-path that is geared towards spraying line-drives all over the field. He shows a good understanding of the strike-zone and has above average pitch-recognition which allows him to draw his fair share of walks. Grade: 55

Power: Kessinger has above average bat-speed and has average strength, but his bat-path puts a limit on the power ceiling as things are currently constructed. He has average raw power in batting practice but in games that power plays down. Grade: 45

Field: Kessinger is a versatile defender, where he can be an average to above-average defender at all spots in the infield. He is equally good at going to his left and to his right to go get ground balls, he can throw from a few different platforms, which is what you are looking for in a shortstop prospect. When he plays third or second he is an above average defender, because of the less defensive responsibilities he has, and he has the arm for both positions. As a shortstop I noticed that he likes to play deep in the hole in an attempt to give him the most possible time to make a decision on the ball. Grade: 50

Arm: Kessinger has an above average arm, he is accurate with his throws and he is able to throw off different platforms and with different arm angles. Grade: 55

Run: Kessinger is a solid athlete, who pairs average foot-speed with good jumps and above average instincts. He pairs all that and uses it on the base-paths to be an asset as a base-runner and a base-stealer. Grade: 50

Overall: Kessinger has all the tools to be a low-end regular or a high-end utility player thanks to his versatility as a defender and his ability to make consistent contact. He is able to play anywhere in the infield, and could probably handle a corner outfield spot if needed. If he can unlock some more power there is a chance he the overall profile takes a step forward.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench / Utility
Risk: Moderate

Taylor Jones - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU 1B/3B/OF 19 40

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
40 40 45 55 40 60 30

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Matt Pullman

Age: 27 yr
Height: 6-7
Weight: 230 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 Draft, Round 19
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: He has a rare build for the baseball field. Standing 6-foot-7 with a high waist and a strong lower half highlighted by thick thighs. His upper body is fairly lean, without noticeable definition in his arms and room to add bulk in his torso. He possesses the frame of Aaron Judge without the supreme strength.

Hit: It's a fairly unorthodox pre-pitch setup -- he coils his shoulders, with his right arm tucked slightly behind his back, potentially as a mechanism for staying closed. He starts with his bat nearly parallel to the ground, and his bat path follows a similarly-flat trajectory. He's gone through a pretty drastic swing change as a pro, originally starting with his bat nearly vertical and a much steeper bat path. The new swing portends itself to more line drives, while potentially limiting the ability to tap into his raw power as frequently. Based on the performance, this tradeoff has been welcomed. His strikeout rates have been nearly unchanged, remaining at approximately league-average (impressive given his long levers), but his quality of contact has improved if we use BABIP as a proxy (especially considering the context of improved defense in the upper minors). Two of his three best stints as a pro have come in the upper levels, showing a positive trajectory for his hit tool in particular. He has a fairly patient approach as well, drawing walks at an above-average clip despite working with a much larger strike zone than the average hitter. Grade: 45

Power: As previously mentioned, he can pass for Aaron Judge if you're watching him from the outfield bleachers. He does not appear to possess the same prolific power Judge does, however. His 2020 MLB cup of coffee was not nearly enough of a sample to get a true look at his power, however in his 14 batted ball events, Jones posted a max exit velocity of 105.8 and an average of 91.9. These numbers lend some credence to his above-average, but not eye-popping, average flyball distances over his last two minor league campaigns. Jones will hit some home runs, but he has not given us reason to believe his mammoth frame will result in gaudy power numbers. Grade: 55

Field: He spent time at four positions in 2019, with the bulk coming at first base. The Astros experimented with him at third base as well, and Jones responded with just one error across 122 innings. It's unlikely he can handle the hot corner full-time at the highest level, but the added versatility should lend itself to more opportunities to establish his role on the big league roster. He also played 30 games in the outfield, where his below-average range limits his value. He's a first baseman, but he isn't just a first baseman. Grade: 40

Arm: Originally a two-way player at Gonzaga, he threw nearly 90 innings across his freshman and sophomore seasons. While the results were mixed, it's safe to say he has plus arm strength and an idea of where it's going. His arm won't be the limiting factor when his eventual defensive home is decided, allowing him to play third base or a corner outfield spot if his remaining defensive skills are up to par. Grade: 60

Run: His brief cup of coffee allowed us to see some objective data regarding his skillset. His sprint speed came in at 29th percentile across MLB last year, and at 27 years old, it's unlikely he will see much of an improvement in this area. Grade: 30

Overall: He will have to hit in order to carve out a big league role. He provides little to no value on the basepaths and, despite the ability to play four positions in some capacity, his defensive value is limited as well. There's a chance his bat is good enough to be an everyday first baseman, but without another gear of development, it seems unlikely as he enters his age-27 season. His most likely role is a bench-bat first baseman who can handle the other three corners in a reserve role.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench / Utility
Risk: Moderate

Chas McCormick - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 HOU OF 18 40

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
40 40 40 50 50 50 55

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Anthony Franco

Age: 26 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 208 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/L
Acquired: 2017 Draft, Round 21
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: Listed at 6'0, 208. Relatively high waist. Thick lower half; strong thighs. Narrow shoulders without overt physicality in upper half. Maxed out physically but fairly strong already.

Hit: Closed, upright stance. Toe tap as fairly quiet timing mechanism, but actual swing is high-effort. Leans deep into back leg, naturally lowering his hands before he brings them forward; leads to extreme uphill bat path. Swings hard and has above-average bat speed but below-average bat control. Stands well off the plate and has a pull-oriented approach; doesn't cover outer half well. Patient approach; draws walks but has notable areas within the strike zone where he can be attacked by MLB pitching. Grade: 40

Power: Above-average raw power to pull side. Has an uphill, pull-oriented bat path that should enable him to get to power in games on pitches on the inner half. Pretty obviously shaped by modern hitting coaching (swing mechanics look similar to a lot of Dodgers' player dev success stories, particularly Chris Taylor). Approach isn't conducive to driving pitches on the other half with authority, but he could run into 15-20 homers a year with everyday reps. Grade: 50

Field: Has played mostly corner outfield in the minors. Average athlete best suited for a corner at the big league level. Grade: 50

Arm: Average arm strength; functional at all three outfield positions but most natural fit in left. Grade: 50

Run: Slightly above-average runner. Doesn't steal many bases but covers a fair amount of ground underway. Grade: 50

Overall: McCormick's a scouting and player development success story. A former 21st-round pick, he had a breakout 2019 season in the high minors and earned a 40-man roster spot with Houston last year. He has some mechanical similarities (namely the steep uphill, pull-oriented swing path) with other late-blooming breakout hitters. McCormick doesn't cover the outer half of the plate, which MLB pitchers could be equipped to exploit. But he's a near-term big leaguer with pull power, patience and some speed. I think he's at least right-handed platoon bat with a non-zero chance of hitting for enough power to be a regular.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Platoon
Risk: Moderate