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Landon Sims - MLB Draft Profile

2022 MLB Draft Scouting Report for RHP Landon Sims

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2022 MLB Draft Scouting Report & Interview with Elijah Green

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Jake Martin

Gabriel Moreno - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 TOR C 7 50

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

Mar 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 21 yr
Height: 5-11
Weight: 160 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: Not a lot of mass, quick-twitch and athletic body. Additional muscle and mass could be beneficial.

Hit: Slightly open stance with a base slightly wider than shoulder-width. Lots of bend in knees and they point inward. Has a funky hand motion; hands rest on shoulder and barrel tilts behind his back, move up and down every couple seconds. Pretty big leg kick before striding towards pitcher. Leans over the plate while swinging with weight falling towards first base. Front leg lockout creates an upwards bat path. Advanced bat speed. Due to his front leg lockout and lean over the plate, he hits nearly every ground ball to the pull side. He under rotates with his back leg and his weight falls towards the right side of the field, creating a fair amount of opposite field contact on line drives and fly balls. Front leg lockout creates loft in the swing to hit for more power. He does not take a ton of pitches and does not draw that many walks or work many counts. On the same note, he rarely strikes out and fouls off a lot of pitches. Advanced bat-to-ball skills and timing. His swing mechanics are not great but he has an uncanny ability to put the bat on the ball and timing out pitches, offspeed or not. Grade: 50

Power: Due to his small frame, he does not appear as if he would hit for a lot of power. However, he has some sneaky pop due to quick-twitch muscles and an upward swing plane. Above-average exit velocity in the minor leagues. Does not project to be a 20 home run hitter but he can hit a home run from time to time. Gap-to-gap power. Grade: 40

Field: Athleticism assist with fielding ability behind the plate. One-knee catching assists with framing pitches. Catches ball up into the zone. Average receiver and framer. Good at blocking pitches thanks to athleticism. Could be an average big league backstop. Grade: 50

Arm: Not a ton of arm strength. Above-average footwork behind the plate assists in making quick transfers that make up for lack of arm strength. Accurate throws with good footwork create average pop times. Grade: 45

Run: Hustles out of the box and to bases. Not a ton of speed despite athleticism. Athleticism assists more in agility than top speed. Short legs. Grade: 40

Overall: A lot of evaluators are extremely bullish of Moreno. He is a decent defender with a superior ability of bat-to-ball contact. He has also tacked on additional power with added strength and more loft in his swing, all while maintaining contact rates. His strength of making contact comes with weaknesses in chasing pitches and not drawing walks. Pretty low risk but low ceiling. His contact could decrease upon reaching higher levels but it's usually a sustainable skill. If he could be given an OFP between 45-50, I would put him in that classification. Since that is not possible, he is bumped up to a 50.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - Average Everyday Regular
Risk: Low

Monte Harrison - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 MIA OF 11 45

Grades Update: May 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
45 40 30 45 55 70 70

May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 25 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 225 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2014 Round 2 (MIL)
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame. Strong and physical body. Extremely athletic and strong, power/speed combination.

Hit: Slightly open stance, mostly upright with slight lean towards plate; caused from weight in toe-side. Hands and barrel change in stance, sometimes out in front by back shoulder, other times barrel rests on his back shoulder. Base is slightly wider than shoulder width. Has started to use more of a leg lift recently than in prior years. Changes it up, either uses a fairly large leg lift or does a simple stride towards the pitcher. Points his back knee at ball when trying to hit, but could utilize his legs further by getting lower and moving forward through the ball. Open stance causes him to lean over the plate during swing; momentum moves from open stance to over the plate instead of expending all energy forward towards the pitcher. Lean over the plate causes less barrel time through the zone. Locks out his front leg pretty frequently, also causing less barrel time in the zone. Pretty level swing path. Sells out for power, but swing is not too complex, pretty easy effort. Sprays the ball all over the field. Under-rotates back leg causing more frequent opposite field contact. Pretty aggressive swinger, draws a below average number of walks and strikes out more than the average hitter. Struck out 51% of the time across his 51 Major League plate appearances. Hit tool certainly needs to improve to be a Major League caliber player. Grade: 30

Power: Harrison has a ton of raw power from size and strength. Raw power has not translated into game power yet and may never if he does not make more consistent contact. Swing path is fairly level but it does have a moderate upward trajectory thanks to his front leg lockout. He does have speed so that does contribute to some of his extra base hits but he also has true raw power. All of his power is locked away during games because he simply does not make enough consistent contact. Grade: 45

Field: Really solid defensive outfielder. Takes good jumps to balls and has quick reactions with accurate reads. Played some center field for the Big League Marlins in 2020 and posted average marks for DRS and OAA. Passable in center field especially with his current athleticism and speed. Might have to move to a corner outfield position later in his career because of his size. Grade: 55

Arm: Absolute cannon for an arm. Consistent outfield velocities in the high 90's. If he his speed and athleticism deteriorate with age, he most definitely has a home in right field thanks to his arm. Grade: 70

Run: Speed and athleticism are part of the package for Harrison. His 60-yard dash is a touch above 6.5 seconds and he ranked in the 94th percentile of sprint speed in 2020. Absolute burner in the outfield grass and on the bases. Grade: 70

Overall: Monte Harrison is one tool away from becoming a 5-tool player. Unfortunately the hit tool is not and may never be a strength of Harrison. While having four out of the five main tools is obviously a plus, his lack of contact has also severely limited his ability to hit for power in games. While he can field, run, and throw at a superior level, he does not project to be an elite center fielder. It may not be enough to even be an average Major Leaguer if he cannot improve his contact ability. He did decrease his strikeout rate after being traded from the Brewers to the Marlins by a marginal amount, but he struck out in over half of his plate appearances upon reaching the Major Leagues in 2020. His entire Major League career will rely on his contact ability and whether or not he can improve it.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Second Division Regular
Risk: Extreme

Lewin Diaz - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 MIA 1B 8 45

Grades Update: May 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
45 40 45 50 60 50 30

May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 217 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2013 IFA (MIN)
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame. As strange as it may sound, it looks like he could still add additional muscle. Despite his large size, he looks moderately wiry, and could add mass. Lost too much weight before the 2018 season and regained muscle going into the 2019 season.

Hit: Moderately open stance with low hands by waist. Pretty upright with a little bit of plate lean. Knees point together and fairly narrow base. Large leg lift before striding towards the pitcher. Hands stay low during leg lift which is pretty rare. Swing is mostly hands, could use a lot more of his lower body. Back knee points towards ball as he hits it and clears his back leg forward during and after contact, but would get a lot more force into the ball if he got his back leg closer to the ground to utilize his strong lower half. Creates opposite field contact on fly balls by under-rotating back leg. Lots of pull side ground balls and line drives. During Diaz's first professional season, he walked more than he struck out. While he still strikes out less than average, he has been more strikeout prone in recent seasons. Really aggressive at the plate, does not walk very often. During limited big league time in 2020, he struck out 29% of the time and walked 5% of the time. Those are clearly numbers that would not find sustainable big league success. Grade: 45

Power: Diaz generates average to above-average Major League pop. His swing plane is pretty level, especially since he uses mostly hands and not a ton of lower half. He hits the ball hard thanks to his massive size and bat speed. Diaz does possess some athleticism but not a lot of top speed. Most of his extra base hits are in part to how hard he hits the ball. The main thing holding back is the use of his lower half and his swing plane. He could make more contact and hit the ball in the air more if he used his strong lower half, driving knee down towards the ball and moving forward through contact. Grade: 50

Field: Solid defensive first baseman. Has shown plus skills defensively including footwork, hands, and reactions. His athleticism greatly assists with his fielding ability. Might deteriorate with age if he adds on more size to his massive frame. Might be worth it to sacrifice some defensive skills for power and hitting anyways. Grade: 60

Arm: Not that an arm is all that important over at first base, but Diaz has an average arm. Plays similarly to other major league first basemen in terms of power, strength, and accuracy. Grade: 50

Run: Typically given average or slightly below-average marks running, which is fairly typical for a first baseman. However, during his short amount of time in the Major Leagues in 2020, he was ranked at the 8th percentile among players for sprint speed. Not a burner by any means and will most likely get slower with age. Grade: 30

Overall: If all of the above tools were for a player who played shortstop or catcher, they would be on pace to be a Major League starter. However, Lewin Diaz is an average hitting first baseman who did not do well during his Major League debut. There is some value attributed to being an average hitter and an above-average defender at first base but not a lot of upside if that description paints the whole picture. Diaz could improve his upside and value if he makes a swing adjustment utilizing his lower half more effectively. He has made adjustments in his career and does have strength and athleticism in his frame so it is completely possible for Diaz to contribute more value. As for now, he is sort of a high floor, low ceiling guy.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Second Division Regular
Risk: Moderate

Brett Baty - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 NYM 3B 5 50

Grades Update: Feb 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
50 50 40 60 45 50 40

Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 210 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2019 Round 1
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: 6-foot-3, 210 pound frame. Lengthy, has some present muscle in his build. Still could fill out and gain additional strength. Decent athleticism, good considering size.

Hit: Starts in a slightly open stance, feet a little wider than shoulder width and hands near shoulder with bat tilting upwards. Starts swing with a medium leg lift and swings on an uppercut swing path. He typically pulls his ground balls and line drives while spraying his fly balls to all fields but typically opposite field. Sells out for power big time, rarely holding back. Swing-and-miss could be a problem if not improved before reaching the major leagues. Despite striking out a good amount, he has the ability to work a count and draw a walk as well. Three-true outcome player. His main problem in the contact department is that he sells out for power. His legs have an equal bend or lack of bend at the end of his swing, locking out both of his legs. His barrel is in and out of the zone pretty quickly because his legs simply turn instead of moving lower into contact. Very few contact points in the zone, but when he hits it he really hits it. He could hit for more contact, it will simply come down to making adjustments. His nearly 30% strikeout rate in the minor leagues will not play in the major leagues. An adjustment is necessary. Grade: 40

Power: Brett Baty can most likely put on a show during batting practice. He sells out for power and probably smokes batting practice pitching. As of now, it has not consistently transitioned into games. With a current 6-foot-3 and 210 pound frame, he could still very well put on strength and gain additional power. Even with his contactless swing, he could put that power into practice during games once he gets more experience. Has a lot of opposite field power. Struggles pretty badly against left handed pitching but smokes right handed pitching. Grade: 60

Field: Due to present athleticism in his build, Baty has pretty good footwork, solid hands, and average range. Probably an average third baseman. Could move to first base if athleticism decreases over time. Grade: 45

Arm: Baty's arm is above-average. Ball carries well across the diamond and he makes consistently accurate throws. During his senior showcase, he maxed an infield velo at 88 miles per hour. It could only improve from there after spending a season with the Mets. Grade: 50

Run: Baty does have present athleticism with his extra large build. He runs well for his size but is an average runner at best. Grade: 40

Overall: Loud potential plus power is the carrying tool, with a solid, near average defensive profile to help keep him in the lineup. Should the hit tool come to fruition, Baty should mature into a solid-average everyday regular.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - Average Everyday Regular
Risk: High

Francisco Alvarez - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 NYM C 1 55

Grades Update: Feb 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
55 60 55 55 50 60 40

Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 19 yr
Height: 5-11
Weight: 220 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: 5-foot-11, 220 pound frame. Stocky, sturdy build. Thick and powerful legs. Extremely compact. Most likely done growing but at age 19, he could still add strength. Quick feet and more agile than he looks.

Hit: Starts with a really wide base and a slightly closed stance. Hands start near his back shoulder and move back towards the catcher while simultaneously using a toe-tap trigger. Swings with a mostly level but slightly uppercut swing path. His back knee moves down through contact while he slightly locks out his front leg and leans a little bit over the plate. Despite this, it is a compact swing. These swing mechanics create hard pull side and weak opposite field contact on line drives and ground balls. Front leg lockout generally creates more power with less contact points in the zone. Alvarez does a good job balancing a swing with power potential and more than an average amount of contact points. Has slightly above average bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline. His back knee working down through contact allows his bat to stay in the zone longer. This somewhat offsets his front leg lockout and upper half lean over the plate which causes the barrel time in the zone to shorten. Above-average offensive production from the catcher position. Grade: 55

Power: Alvarez has a stocky 5-foot-11, 220 pound frame that assists with his power production. Compact swing gives his bat some juice. More gap-to-gap power than home run power but can certainly run into some home runs. Given he is still only 19 years old, he could easily gain additional strength and turn those extra base hits into home runs. Generally more pull side power but has potential to put the ball over the right field fence. Alvarez has more speed than the average catcher, however, speed does not generally contribute to his extra base hits. Grade: 55

Field: Behind the dish, Alvarez has average receiving and blocking skills. Passable as a catcher right now, can only improve from this point forward given his age. Perfect stocky frame for a catcher with plus athleticism and time to improve. Grade: 50

Arm: Alvarez continually clocked pop times below two seconds. Throws were accurate and carried to the base. In 2019, he threw out nearly 30% of would be base stealers. Arm really plays behind the plate. Grade: 60

Run: Alvarez hustles out of the box and runs pretty well for a catcher. Given his frame and the fact that speed only decreases with age; do not look for Alvarez to be a future base stealer. Grade: 40

Overall: A high priority sign of the 2018-19 international class, the Mets inked then 17-year-old catcher Francisco Alvarez for $2.7 million. The Venezuelan native thrived in an an aggressive stateside assignment that saw him more than hold his own over three rookie league levels in 2019. Alvarez features a well rounded impact profile that boasts potential above-average hit and power, along with solid average production behind the dish and a plus arm.

OFP: 55
Role: 60 - Above-Average Everyday Regular: Occasional All-Star
Risk: High

David Garcia - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 TEX C 29 40

Grades Update: Mar 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
40 40 45 30 50 55 40

Mar 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 21 yr
Height: 5-11
Weight: 170 lbs
Hits/Throws: S/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame. Medium sized backstop. Usually catchers have pretty thick lower halves, but Garcia has not filled out in that regard yet. Needs to fill out further to handle the full season grind of catching.

Hit: The switch-hitter has pretty similar swings from both sides. Even stance, pretty good bend in both legs, more on the left side. On the right side, barrel rests on his shoulder while barrel sways over his head on left side. Pretty sizable leg lift before striding towards the pitcher. Base is wider than shoulder width due to bend in knees. Level swing plane, decent bat speed. Generally a pull side hitter from both sides of the plate. His barrel time through the zone is limited by the lack of use of his lower half. More of a contact approach. Decent bat-to-ball skills but cannot get a ton of power because of lower half. His walk and strikeout rates have both moved in the right direction since his debut in 2017. Approach and discipline are both maturing with time. The biggest thing that is working for Garcia is his ability to improve. Ever since 2017, pretty much all of his offensive numbers have gotten much better. That shows an apt to get better, work hard, etc. However, what does not work is the use of his lower half. He starts fairly crouched in his stance but does not get any lower throughout his swing. Legs are in the strongest position the lower they are to the ground. He does not get his back knee down or move his weight forward through the ball. He has an ability to make contact with the ball but he could get more force into it and make additional contact if he made adjustments. Much better hitter from the left side. Grade: 45

Power: Not a lot of power to speak of in part (once again) to the lack of use of his lower half. He does take a fairly level swing path and he could definitely elevate the ball more with some front leg lockout but there would be no use. He simply lacks the strength as it currently stands to be a consistent homerun hitter. More of a singles and the occasional double hitter. He did improve his power in 2019 after hitting one home run a piece in 2017 and 2018, he bumped it up to 5 in 2019. Could be a gap-to-gap guy if he puts on more muscle, he certainly has time to do so. Extra bases will not be assisted with speed. Grade: 30

Field: Garcia has only spent 140 games behind the plate spread throughout three seasons. Could be a number of reasons for this; injuries, inexperience, or the Rangers are handling with care. Quick feet behind the plate, good athleticism for a catcher. Struggles a little bit with receiving and blocking but has only gotten better with more experience. Certainly has the athleticism to block pitches, but framing is tougher to project. Grade: 50

Arm: Fairly strong arm behind the dish. Registered a pair of sub-2 pop times. Quick footwork and transfers contribute to pop time but he also has some arm strength. Has had some struggles with accuracy but for the most part is pretty on-line. Grade: 55

Run: Not a burner by any stretch of the imagination. Is a below-average runner for all players but is fairly average amongst catchers. He has more quick-twitch athleticism relating to agility than he does relating to top speed. Grade: 40

Overall: Tough to stick a grade on Garcia due to limited usage the past three seasons before 2020. A few different factors helped me to determine his grade. His lack of playing time either means injuries or the Rangers are handling with care. His non-thick lower half is an issue because catching is a grueling job and it is better suited for stockier guys. On the bright side, his offense has improved every single season in the Minor Leagues. Will never be a power hitter but has present bat-to-ball skills and further adjustments could make him even better. Catching might also decrease his offensive output. The surest bet is to count on Garcia being a backup at this stage but he could certainly improve.

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

Sherten Apostel - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 TEX 3B/1B 11 45

Grades Update: Mar 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
45 40 40 55 40 70 30

Mar 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 235 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2015 UDFA (PIT)
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: Extra large 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame. Gained a ton of mass from 2019 Minor League ball to 2020 Major League debut. Physical body, well built, lots of strength.

Hit: Starts in a moderately open stance with hands near back shoulder and bat tilt parallel over shoulder. Base slightly wider than shoulder width. Starts with weight in toes causing slight lean over the plate. Large leg lift back towards the plate which causes him to sort of coil into himself, causing more lean over the plate. Creates less barrel time in the zone. A little bit of front leg lockout creates a slightly upward bat path. Similar to most hitters, he generally hits pull side ground balls and line drives while he sprays fly balls more. Typically sells out for power. Has a tendency to lean over and reach for outside pitches to simply make contact. Has the ability to draw a walk. Will still swing at some pitches outside of the zone but possesses an average walk rate. Below-average strikeout rate. Not the best bat-to-ball skills but could certainly improve with age and experience. What works is that he is simply a genetic freak and he hits the ball hard. What does not work is the huge plate side lean while he swings, it severely limits the barrel time through the zone. He cheats on pitches on the inner half while sort of lunging out at pitches on the outside half of the plate. Would be better served to get his back leg down, stay more upright, and move his barrel through the zone. Grade: 40

Power: Has a lot of raw power thanks to his size and strength. Would translate more efficiently to game power if he made additional contact. His bat path takes an upward trajectory thanks to front leg lockout. He cheats on inside pitches, his legs have equal bend upon swinging, and he leans over the plate causing less barrel time in the zone. But when he hits it, he hits it a far way. Does not have good or even average speed so it is all power-related. Prototypical power hitter. Grade: 55

Field: Not a lot of range at the hot corner. After a few years, he will most likely have to shift over to first base. Pretty good comparison to Miguel Sano, strong armed corner infielder. Could be passable over there as it currently stands but probably a tick below average. Just so big, his athleticism will probably deteriorate quicker than that of his peers. Grade: 40

Arm: Strong arm. Incredible strength and power behind throws. Unfortunately, the arm will somewhat go to waste as he will most likely have to shift over to first base. Grade: 70

Run: So large, just does not move really well. His sprint speed ranked in the 17th percentile in 2020. Speed affects acumen for extra base hits and fielding. Will most likely only decrease with age. Grade: 30

Overall: Prototypical power hitting corner infielder. As it currently stands, he probably will not be even an average Major League contributor in part to his shortcomings defensively and making contact. However, he is only 21 years old and the potential is certainly there. The concerns are valid but it would not be a horrible idea to at least give him a shot and let him develop his ability even further.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench or Platoon
Risk: High

Jack Kochanowicz - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 LAA RHP 14 40

Grades Update: Jan 2021
OFP Role FB CB CH Cnt/Cmd
40 40 45 55 40 45/40

Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 20 yr
Height: 6-6
Weight: 220 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2019 Draft, Round 3
RuleV: 2023

Physical Description: 6-foot-6, 220 pound frame. Tall and lanky with long limbs. Whippy arm and present athleticism.

Mechanics: Small semi-windup, occasionally using a hands-over-the-head motion; tall and fall. 3/4 arm slot with live arm action. Arm is whippy. Strides towards right handed batters. Extension seems average for his height, nothing extraordinary.

Fastball: 89-93 touches 95. Seems pretty straight, a little bit of arm side run occasionally. Grade: 45

Curveball: 11-5 movement. Fails to get on top of it consistently. Not a super reliable pitch due to inconsistency but really solid when it works. Spin rate near 3000 with good true spin to match. Grade: 55

Changeup: Rare changeup is in the upper 80's. More of a show me third pitch than anything else. Has decent depth but not used very often. Grade: 40

Control and Command: Hands high separation creates some arm drag and puts him slightly off-line. Could potentially affect his command. Repeats mechanics well despite being off-line.Lacking footage makes it hard to determine his entire pitch profile and command. Based on the available film, his mechanics show that he would be in the strike zone an average amount and inconsistent in commanding his pitches. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Kochanowicz has a less than stellar 3-pitch mix with a passable fastball and an above average curveball. Based on his current repertoire, decent mechanics, and average ability to throw strikes, he profiles to be somewhat of a long reliever/spot starter. He has potential given his large frame and easy mechanics but he either needs to focus on pure stuff or better location, instead of the average combination of the two.

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

Drew Millas- Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 OAK C 21 40

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

Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin


Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205 lbs
Hits/Throws: S/R
Acquired: 2019 Round 7
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame. Strong and physical body, especially lower half. Above-average athleticism for a catcher.

Hit: Starts in an open stance with a wider-than-shoulder-width base. Hands at shoulder height with barrel titting over his back. Switch-hitter, his right handed stance is slightly wider and more open. Uses a semi leg-lift and swings on an upward plane due to front leg lock-out. Decent bat speed. Most likely a pull-side hitter from both sides of the plate. Really wide base after leg lift with front leg-lock out and a slight lean over the plate generally causes hard pull side and weak opposite field contact. Sells out for power. Slightly below average ability to draw walks and bat-to-ball skills. As a natural left-handed hitter, he sells out for more power on that side. Front leg locks out as he tries to elevate the ball. He does have some natural strength, but not enough to be a 20 home run type of player. Would be better suited to move his knee down and forward through contact to spray more balls and make additional contact. He does not lock out as much on the right side but he is better from the left side. Can catch up to fast pitches so has potential to improve his hit tool barring adjustments. Grade: 30

Power: Average bat speed and some present strength in the frame creates some gap-to-gap power. Bat path is on an upward plane creating more loft in his swing. Generally power would be generated to pull side. Does run well for a catcher which could create some extra bases but he does have current gap-to-gap power. Sells out for power but would be better suited to try and hit for more contact. Grade: 40

Field: Excellent defender behind the plate. Smooth hands catches ball up into the zone and sticks pitches in the strike zone. Good receiver. Athleticism contributes to advanced blocking ability. Fielding could fast track him to the Major Leagues as a backup catcher. Grade: 60

Arm: Strong and accurate throws to the bases. Consistent sub-2 pop times. Compliments his fielding ability well. Grade: 60

Run: Millas moves really well for a catcher thanks to his present athleticism. He is no burner by all means but he runs a sub-7 60-yard dash. Hustles out of the box and moves down the line pretty well. Grade: 45

Overall: Glove-first catcher. Could definitely improve his hit tool and become a league average hitter if he no longer locks out his front leg and sells out for power. Superior glove and arm could fast track him to the Major Leagues. Could be a big league mainstay if he makes adjustments. He has not played an affiliated game yet due to injuries upon being drafted. Catcher is a physical position and requires a durable body. We have a small sample size so far with his injuries but he poses a high risk.

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

Jordan Weems - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 OAK RHP 17 40

Grades Update: Feb 2021
OFP Role FB SL CH Cnt/Cmd
40 40 55 40 50 45/40

Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin


Age: 28 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 175 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2011 Round 3 (BOS)
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: 6-foot-3, 175 pound frame. Tall and extremely lanky. Long limbs with hair nearly as long. Despite being 28, it appears as if Weems could fill out further.

Delivery & Mechanics: Exclusively pitches out of the stretch. Drop and drive; throws from a high 3/4 arm slot, nearly over the top. Moderate effort. Arm is long at first, but creates some whip near the end of delivery. Stride is on-line and he moves down the mound well, creating good but not extraordinary extension. Repeats mechanics well, creates some deception due to long limbs. Hand high separation creates some swim with his glove hand and lead leg.

Fastball: Fastball is his primary pitch almost to the point of overuse. 93-97, touches 99. Average spin but utilizes almost all of it, creating good ride up in the zone. Not a lot of horizontal movement, pretty straight. Grade: 55

Slider: Utilized as a put-away pitch for right-handed batters. High 80's with average spin and bite. Not as effective as the other two pitches. Decent horizontal movement. Grade: 40

Changeup: Primary put-away pitch. Solid tumble and compliments fastball really well. Straight changeup, but occasionally has some fade to it. Hitters struggle to read it out of the hand and are fooled often. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Hands-high separator creates some swim in his glove-side hand and lead leg. Causes a little bit of arm drag leading to misses up and in or low and away to right handed batters. Impacts control of the strike zone. Walk rate was higher than average in 2020. Control: 40 | Command: 30

Overall: Weems has a solid three-pitch mix that plays in the Major Leagues. Hard fastball with good ride, a put-away changeup and a show-me slider is solid for a relief pitcher. Profiles more as a reliever than a starter. Mechanics lead to less-than-stellar control but it might assist in his strikeout numbers; effectively wild. Weems was drafted as a hitter in 2011 and converted to the mound in 2016. While his 2020 showing was good, his lack of experience is a double-edged sword that gives him room to grow and also makes him a higher risk.

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

Tirso Ornelas - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 SD OF 25 35

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

Mar 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 200 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2017 IFA
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame. Physical body with balance of present strength and athleticism. Noticeable fill out between 2018 and 2019. Probably still has some room for additional muscle.

Hit: Slightly open stance with base a wider than shoulder width. Hands start at shoulder height with the barrel tilting diagonally over head, not quite over shoulder. Knees have a lot of bend, weight stays in his toes. Slight leg lift while striding really far towards the pitcher. Bat path is mostly level with a little bit of upward loft. Above-average bat speed. Points his knee at the ball at contact point and continues to move down through contact which adds strength to swing. However, he leans over the plate and strides so far he has no room to move forward, barrel time in the zone is limited causing hard pull side and weak opposite field contact. Not a lot of contact up the middle. Occasional front leg lockout creates the loft in swing, less barrel time in the zone but sells out for additional power. Works the count pretty well, takes the ball well, legs move before hands. Adjusts well to all pitches, hits fastballs the best. What works is his approach at the plate. He could make more contact at the plate; his lean over the plate caused by weight in toes. He also strides extremely far, with no additional room to move forward. Both of these factors result in less barrel time in the zone. Staying more heel-side and keeping the upper body upright while maintaining a narrower base could lead to more contact. Grade: 40

Power: Present strength and physical frame help create a lot of power potential. Probably hits for a lot of power in batting practice, however, that has not translated to the game yet. He occasionally locks out his front leg creating an upward bat path but he does not do it all the time. Even if he did it all the time, his ability to make contact would be severely limited. Ball is hit harder to the pull side but he gets more loft to the opposite field. Current gap-to-gap or XBH power, could transform into a home run hitter with further development. Grade: 40

Field: Present athleticism helps with fielding ability. Average footwork, route taking and jumps. He does not profile to be a gold-glove award winner but he certainly will not be a detriment in the field as it currently stands. Should be an average corner outfielder. Grade: 50

Arm: Has some carry and accuracy with throws. Arm is similar to his fielding ability, does not have a cannon but it's playable in right field. Might profile more as a left fielder with fielding ability and arm, but is certainly passable in right field. Grade: 50

Run: Hustles around the bases. Above-average home to first times. Present athleticism assists in his agility and top speed. The only problem is Ornelas is 6-foot-3 and is only 20. Players like that usually age into more mass which reduces speed. Above-average speed right now but will probably regress once reaching the Major Leagues. Grade: 50

Overall: Ornelas is an extremely tough grade. The potential in the bat is certainly there. He is only 20 years old and possesses a physical frame. His other tools play in the Major Leagues as a corner outfielder if he can develop his hit and power tools. Apparently in 2019, he overhauled his swing to try to hit for more power. It did not translate into any sort of statistical success. It's a tough call on what to do with him developmentally. He had better statistical success in 2017 and 2018, while employing more of a contact approach. But there is so much power potential that he was not developing during those seasons. His plate discipline and approach raise his floor but his future development with the bat is a huge risk. His OFP and role could definitely increase based on his development.

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

Jaylin Davis - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 SF OF 27 40

Grades Update: Apr 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
40 40 40 55 50 50 60

Apr 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 27 yr
Height: 5-11
Weight: 205 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2015 Round 24 (MIN)
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: Conflicting reports list him as 6-foot-1, 190-pounds and then 5-foot-11, 205 pounds. My money is on the 5-foot-11, 205-pound frame. Well built, physical body, a lot of current muscle on the frame, done growing physically.

Hit: Starts in an open stance, keeping weight in his toes. Utilizes a hand waggle with barrel tilting from over his shoulder to out in front of his body. Feet start shoulder width apart. Does not stay as linear as he can due to open stance and weight in toes, slight lean over plate during leg lift stride. Fairly level bat path, maybe a slight amount of loft. Bat path stays fairly level due to use of his back leg getting down and his front leg moving forward, not a lot of lockout. Under-average bat-to-ball skills. He uses a swing that would generally employ more contact but maintains a below-average strikeout rate. Under-rotates back foot, would generally make him an opposite field hitter. Does spray ball well, more pull-side contact on ground balls but fairly spaced out for all hit types. More opposite-field on fly balls. Knows how to work a count, slightly above-average walk rate. Hits the ball extremely hard. Other than a slight lean over the plate, he has a pretty good contact swing, sort of limiting his contact potential. Might not walk enough to make lack of contact work in the Major Leagues. Grade: 40

Power: Davis has a lot of thump in his bat. Hits the ball extremely hard. His raw B.P. power does not translate perfectly to the game side, but that might be for best. He takes a really good contact approach swing and still hits for above-average power. His bat path is fairly level with a little bit of loft. Power generally goes to the opposite field thanks to his under-rotated back foot but can certainly pull a ball over the wall. Swing would suggest an extra-base hit approach but he just brute forces the ball over the wall. Grade: 55

Field: Capable of playing all three outfield positions. Has only played right field so far in the Major Leagues. Pure speed makes up for below-average jumps and route taking. I think the Giants question his range and he might be destined for a corner position while playing center field if necessity requires it. Grade: 50

Arm: Average arm, throws have some carry and accuracy but it is fairly average for a Major League arm. Despite playing only right field, he might be better suited for left field. Would be an above-average left-fielder. Grade: 50

Run: Was ranked by baseball savant as having a sprint speed in the 97th percentile. That is pure speed. Hard to find videos of his speed on display thanks to his acumen for home runs, walks, and strikeouts. Hustles out of the box on ground balls. Grade: 60

Overall: Davis owns a rare power/speed combination. His game power is limited due to his swing but he would make far less (unpalatable) contact if he sold out for power. Unfortunately, even with a contact-approached swing, he does not make that much contact. A lot of his value at the plate will stem from his ability to improve the amount of contact he makes. Luckily, he is a passable fielder but his real calling card is his power and speed. Real potential is there, but the lack of contact may squander it.

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

Heliot Ramos - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 SF OF 3 50

Grades Update: Apr 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
50 50 40 55 50 60 50

Apr 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 188 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 Round 1
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: 6-foot, 188-pound frame. Average height, pretty solid build, lots of muscle throughout. Combination of muscle and above-average athleticism. Probably done developing physically.

Hit: Slightly open stance, pretty wide base with moderate bend in knees. Hands start near back shoulder with barrel tilt swaying from over his shoulder to pointing in the air. Body is on-line from head to feet, slight lean over the plate once he strides due to slightly open stance. Small stride towards pitcher. Pretty upward swing path due to front leg lockout. Present bat speed with thump in the bat. Uses back leg really well, driving down through contact. Could make additional contact if he moved forward through contact and did not lock out his front leg, more barrel time in the zone. Average if not slightly below average bat-to-ball skills. More pull heavy than anything else but still hits to all fields. Generally ground balls are all pull side, line drives are more pull side but some spray, and fly balls are a consistent spray. Below average strikeout rate and average walk rate. Sells out for power. Grade: 40

Power: Hits the ball really hard. Average or slightly below average bat-to-ball skills because he sells out for power. Bat path takes an upward swing plane creating loft. Generally has more home run power to the pull side but he is still able to hit home runs the opposite way. Would probably profile as a 20-25 home run guy in the Major Leagues. Might be better suited to aim for 10-15 home runs and make additional contact. Hits the ball extremely hard and runs decently, could rack up a ton of extra base hits. Grade: 55

Field: Currently a center fielder in the Minor Leagues but profiles better as a corner outfielder moving forward. Above-average athleticism and average speed make him an average defender and a passable center fielder. Average routes and jumps to balls as well as lateral movement. Grade: 50

Arm: Really strong arm from the outfield. Throws carry well and are fairly accurate. If he is destined for a corner spot, right field seems likely thanks to his arm strength. Could be a plus right fielder. Grade: 60

Run: Above-average runner as it currently stands. He is only 21 years old and is built well so it will most likely regress to an average point when he reaches the Major Leagues. Hustles out of the box on ground balls. Not a burner but doesn't dog it either. Grade: 50

Overall: Heliot Ramos has been a highly touted prospect ever since his selection in the first round of the 2017 draft. A lot to like from a tools perspective. Hits the ball extremely hard and has projectable power. His defensive and speed tools are good enough to pass in the Major Leagues but unspectacular. The main concern is his hit tool. His strikeout rate has always been below average and it got even worse once he reached Double-A in 2019. In fact, he struggled upon reaching Double-A but he still had an overall above-average offensive profile. If he cannot cut down on strikeouts, he will be a three-true outcome player who does not hit for substantial power and only an average walk rate with average defense. However, if he can cut down on strikeouts, he could be an all-star caliber player. The gap between the floor and ceiling all rest in his hit tool.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - Average Everyday Regular
Risk: Moderate

Ryan Jeffers - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 MIN C 4 50

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

Apr 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 235 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 Round 2
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame. Just really large and physical for a catcher. Comparable to Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Kevan Smith.

Hit: Starts in a moderately open stance with hands near back shoulder. Fairly narrow base, standing almost up and down, but keeps weight in toes causing slight lean over the plate. Small leg lift before striding towards pitcher. Level bat path for the most part with a little bit of upward movement. Hits the ball fairly hard. Jeffers adjusts really well to pitches in different locations. For example, he will drive his back knee down and under-rotate his back foot on low and outside pitches to hit them to the opposite field. Generally, he hits pull side grounders and sprays line drives and fly balls, but is still generally more of a pull side hitter. Adjusts well to pitches so he will aim for power on certain pitches while trying to make solid contact on others. Rare ability. Average strikeout and walk rates. What really works well for Jeffers is his ability to adjust to pitches in different locations and with different speeds. He can draw a walk and will not strike out a ton, but neither of those abilities necessarily stand out. The biggest problem for Jeffers is his lean over the plate while swinging, it limits the barrel time through the zone. He has reverse splits, hitting right handed pitchers better than southpaws. Grade: 50

Power: Due to his physical size, he has a ton of raw power. It does not directly correlate into game power but he still utilizes it well. Above-average power potential for the Major Leagues. Super valuable coming from the catcher position. He swings with a level bat path, if he locked out his front leg, he could probably hit for more power but his contact ability would be pillaged. Mostly power to the pull side but he can hit some the opposite way as well. Grade: 55

Field: Being a massive catcher, Jeffers struggles a little bit with blocking, hand-transfers, and pop times. Luckily, in his lone month in the Major Leagues, he had extremely positive reviews on his framing and receiving metrics. Smooth hands, catches and sticks the ball firmly on the corners. He is definitely athletic for his size but he is below-average in the blocking department. Would be an athletic first baseman if catching does not work. Grade: 55

Arm: Has decent arm strength and throws that carry with accuracy. Was sort of slow making hand transfers and moving feet towards second base which limited pop time. Grade: 50

Run: He runs like a catcher. Slightly below-average speed for his position. Ranked in the 23rd percentile in 2020 for sprint speed. Grade: 40

Overall: Ryan Jeffers possesses a valuable skill set for the modern day Major Leagues. A framing-heavy catcher with a lot of raw power and an average contact ability. After having a strong showing in 2020 over 26 games, Jeffers figures to have some playing time cut if Mitch Garver can stay healthy. However, he is certainly Major League ready and the Twins really liked him, as evidenced by his use in the postseason. Has the ceiling to be an all-star catcher (not like that's saying a ton, the catchers are pretty bunched up talent wise) and his lowest conceivable floor is a Major League backup. There is a lot to like about Jeffers.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - Average Everyday Regular
Risk: Low

Lucius Fox - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 KC SS 32 35

Grades Update: May 2021
OFP Role Hit Power Field Arm Run
35 30 40 30 50 55 60

May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 185 lbs
Hits/Throws: S/R
Acquired: 2015 IFA (SF)
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame. Medium and athletic build with some muscle. Probably done growing physically, could fill out a little more but would take away some athleticism, which is his calling card.

Hit: Switch-hitter is better from the right side of the plate. Slightly open stance, pretty much even. Hands start near back ear and sway where barrel touches back shoulder. Base is a little bit wider than shoulder width. Used a toe tap trigger a couple of years ago before changing to a small leg lift on both sides of the plate. Decent bat speed, uses a good amount of his body to generate force and bat speed. Actually had the same exact average exit velocity on both sides of the plate. Hits a lot of balls to the opposite field, especially right handed. When he swings, his body leans heavily over the plate and he under-rotates his back leg, causing a lot of opposite field contact. Sprays the ball more left handed but really goes opposite-field heavy right handed. His approach and swings are strikingly similar from both sides of the plate. The main reason he finds more success hitting right handed is simply the ability to hit the ball. His above-average walk rates are nearly identical from both sides but he strikes out 6% more while batting left handed. It might not seem like a big difference but he strikes out less than the average hitter right handed and more than the average hitter left handed. Decent bat-to-ball skills, uses his body fairly well, has a good approach. However, he just has not had much minor league success and those numbers typically do not go up upon reaching the Major Leagues. Grade: 40

Power: Not too much power to speak of when it comes to Lucius Fox. He has a level swing plane and does not elevate the ball too often. He has hit a fair amount of doubles in the Minor Leagues but those could probably be attributed to his speed and line-drive approach. He does not have the typical frame of a Major League home run hitter and he might be done growing. Grade: 30

Field: Fox has shown moments of brilliance in the infield while also showing disappointing blunders. The main way to summarize his defense is inconsistent. One day he could make flashy plays with nifty throws and others he could botch a routine grounder. Difficult to project. Grade: 50

Arm: Has the ability to play third base and maybe even some corner outfield thanks to his above-average arm. Throws across the diamond from Fox have varied in the low 90's with some carry. Accuracy has been somewhat of an issue, similar to his fielding it can be inconsistent. Grade: 55

Run: Fox can run really well. Successful base stealer in the minor leagues and a plus runner on the bases. Not sure if they have tried him in center field but he has the legs for it. Ran a 6.41 60-yard dash in 2015. Grade: 60

Overall: Despite his sweet name and possible origins relating to Batman, we may not see Lucius Fox in the Major Leagues too much. He is a speed-first infielder who has not done a whole lot of hitting and an inconsistent glove. If he could make better contact, he could very well be a valuable utility/pinch runner type player. He does not run as well as Terrence Gore but we could also see him in the postseason as a pinch runner.

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

Nick Pratto - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 KC 1B 16 40

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

May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 215 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2017 Round 1
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Thick and muscular frame. Done growing height-wise but could still fill out a little bit more. Has filled out a lot already since joining the Royals. Almost done physically but could just add mass with age. Above-average twitch muscles for a first baseman.

Hit: Left handed hitter starts in an even stance with hands a little lower and in front of back shoulder. A little hunch over the plate and knee bend with a base moderately wider than shoulder-width. Stride and swing are simple, just a foot pick up and set back down. Swing is pretty simple, not a lot going on, just throws his hands and twists his back leg. He does a good job staying in his lane and not leaning over the plate, although he will on outside pitches. He sprays the ball all over the diamond, where the ball goes is essentially all based on the timing of his hands. It seems like Pratto's swing would be pretty conducive for making contact but he has struggled making contact as evidenced by his 35% strikeout rate in 2019. He has decent control over the zone, does not chase a ton of pitches but will on occasion. His main problem is his back leg twisting in one spot, it severely limits his barrel time in the zone. Contact improvements could be made by pointing his back knee at the ball while hitting and simultaneously moving forward and driving back knee towards the ground. Another factor could be his timing, his swing is simple which usually creates contact, he might just struggle with timing of pitches, which could definitely improve with age and maturity. Grade: 40

Power: Pratto has a lot of current strength and can hit some balls out of the ballpark. He will not be a 40 home run type of player but averaging 15-20 seems feasible. His worsening strikeout rate (has trended in the wrong direction every season) could be a factor of trying to elevate the ball more and hit for more power. However, his best season came in 2018 where he made fairly consistent contact and struck 14 home runs. Making contact is probably key to hitting for power in Pratto's case. Smart base runner also contributes to extra bags but current strength is the main cause of power. Grade: 55

Field: Athletic first baseman with quick-twitch movements. Has shown above-average flexibility, hands, and range for a first baseman. Should save a pretty good amount of runs. Would not be surprised if he finds some time in the outfield in a pinch. Grade: 60

Arm: Strong arm for a first baseman. Former two-way player. Throws carry with some accuracy. Could factor in at an outfield spot if he proves capable of fielding the position. His arm would definitely play in right field. Grade: 60

Run: Really smart baserunner. Not incredibly fast but understands the situations in which to use his speed. Runs an above 7 second 60-yard dash. Speed could hold him back in the outfield but if he fields like he runs the bases, he would probably take really efficient routes. Grade: 45

Overall: Interesting player. Shed his two-way playing abilities upon entering pro ball but could always try pitching again if the whole hitting thing doesn't work out. Has a simple swing from the left side of the plate but does not make a ton of contact, seems like a timing issue. If he can cut down on his strikeout rate, he would be an average to slightly above-average player at all facets of the game but that is a big if. Good fielding first baseman who could probably play some outfield in a pinch and can hit 15-20 home runs. Floor is fairly high and ceiling could raise with maturity. Will be interesting to see his progression.

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

MJ Melendez - Scouting Report


Rank History
Year Team Position Team Rank OFP
2021 KC C 14 45

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

May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2017 Round 2
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame. Some current muscle spaced out throughout. Catchers usually have a stockier frame with a thicker lower half, but this body type is not unheard of. Could fill out a little further.

Hit: Slightly closed stance with hands near back ear. Barrel sways from over his head to resting on his shoulder. Base is slightly wider than shoulder-width. His timing mechanism varies. Sometimes he uses a large leg lift with his front leg crossing over his body before striding. Other times he uses a simple toe-tap trigger. He keeps his weight in his toes causing some plate-side lean. Melendez does a good job incorporating his lower half into his swing and moving forward through the pitch. Majority of ground balls go to the pull side, line drives are sprayed but more pull side and fly balls are pretty well sprayed with most going up the middle. Really struggles making contact. Has struck out over 30% of the time in all three minor league seasons including a poultry 40% in 2019. It is not necessarily a chase problem, he has average walk rates, but he will swing out of the zone and struggles making contact in the zone. Hits right handed pitching exceedingly better than left handed pitching. The main problem with Melendez is timing and a little bit of balance. His swing is not horrible, he uses his body well. He just struggles with timing and might hesitate on some swings. He also is a little herky-jerky, kind of a lot going on. Mechanics are there, it is just some mental room for improvement. Grade: 30

Power: Has some present power thanks to his strength and swing mechanics. He does not lock out his front leg or lean back, he surprisingly has a pretty good contact swing (despite not making much contact). He just uses his lower half extremely well and gets the most out of his body. Mostly extra-base power but certainly has the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark. Not a speedster, so most of the power is legit. Grade: 55

Field: Melendez has received mixed reviews behind the dish. He generally catches off of one leg which is more conducive for framing pitches. He also has solid footwork on throws with athletic and agile movements. Athleticism helps with blocking skills. I am more impressed than skeptical so I will take the high side. Grade: 55

Arm: Strong footwork definitely contributes to plus pop times down to second base. However, Melendez also gets strong force into his throws thanks to plus arm strength. Throws have good strength, carry, and accuracy. Plus arm but unfortunately catcher throwing is typically overrated. Grade: 60

Run: Not a speedster and legs will probably wear down faster than average because of his strenuous position. Faster than current catcher Salvador Perez but slower than the average runner. Grade: 40

Overall: Solid defensive catcher with some power potential. This combination has played at the Major League level time and time again. His swing actually is not too mechanically bad other than some balance points but he struggles with making contact. It could be something of a mental barrier that he needs to eclipse. If he does, we are looking at an all-star caliber catcher because all of the other tools are there. However, as it currently stands, he would project to be an average second division Major League player.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Second Division Regular
Risk: Moderate