Cole Roederer - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	OF	12	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
45	40	45	55	50	45	50

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 175 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2018 Draft - Round 2C
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: There's room to grow on the frame. Short, but more lanky than stocky. Plenty of room for good weight to be added.

Hit: Square stance. Stands tall. Hands at should her height. Hands move down into position during load. Small leg kick. Short and east stroke to the ball. Quiet hands highlight a swing with succinct movements. Upper and lower half work together for a smooth swing. Shows a good feel to get the barrel on the ball. Swing is geared to pull the ball, he can get pull happy. Being able to find other outcomes than pull side will be very important in defining his role. Grade: 45

Power: When he connects with a ball it's a beautiful site, so watching him in BP leaves a lot of room to dream on the power. The smooth swing makes for a pretty picture and easy pop when he connects with the ball. Pull side power is clearly there, but he struggles to get that same pop when he has to go to the opposite field. There is more power than what he showed based on quick hands, especially if he can disperse it to all fields. Though that may result in more line drives to the wall than over it. Grade: 55

Field: He's got good instincts. Might stick in center, but will have no problem on either of the corners. His speed plays better on the defensive side of the ball. Grade: 50

Arm: His arm is fringy at best. Will be serve best in left field, maybe center. It will not play well in right without improvements. Grade: 45

Run: The way it plays now, the speed is above average at it's best. That could change as his frame fills out. Grade: 50

Overall: His bat is by far his best asset. There's more power in his swing. His lefty stroke will be able to hit the ball out of the park pull side, but as he starts to use all fields his homer numbers are liable to drop. It's an easy and compact swing that should have no problem playing as he climbs the ladder. There's an outside shot he can stick up the middle, but likely plays best in left field.

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

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Kohl Franklin - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	11	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	CH	Cmd/Cnt
45	40	50	55	55	45/40

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 190 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 Draft - Round 6
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Tall, lean 6'4" frame. Listed at 190, looks thinner than that. Good pitchers frame with physical projection remaining. Athletic movement with long limbs.

Delivery & Mechanics: Pitches from first base side of rubber. Repeats mechanics well from the windup. Herky jerky with the hands. Starts off chest high as he comes set and drops them to the waist before bringing them back to chest level. High 3/4 arm slot. High, but controlled leg kick as he delivers. Head stays still but does go up and down with his motion. High effort delivery with a lot of moving parts but he repeats well. Works at very high tempo. Shorter stride and leg kick from the stretch. Incorporates lower half well.

Fastball: Sits 89-92, has topped out at 97. Pitch has tremendous arm side run, and sink. So much arm side run that it is difficult for him to throw it consistently for strikes. Velocity has recently popped. Was sitting high 80s in high school. He will add strength to frame and hopefully add a tick or three consistently to fastball. Will throw the pitch at the front hip of lefties and get it to catch the plate due to tremendous movement. Most of the time if he misses it's high and out. Attacks up and outside. When he misses its out of the zone. Grade: 50

Curveball: This pitch has been inconsistent going back to his prep days. He was instructed to not throw it much in high school by his father, who is now his agent. Has had blister problems in the past that are tied to this pitch. Working with the organization in developing a new spike grip. Very nice depth and shape to the pitch, but wasn't mixing it in until second time through the order, even in his abbreviated 3-4 inning appearances, and even then it was almost exclusively against right-handers. With more refinement it can be a plus offering. Grade: 55

Changeup: Throws a hard changeup that mimics fastball with arm side fade. Throws it almost exclusively to lefties, but lower in the zone. It's a firm offering at 80-84, and looks like the fastball with similar arm speed. It's an above-average offering. Grade: 55

Control and Command: The movement on his fastball makes it difficult to throw strikes consistently with the pitch. I think he actually commands his curveball the best of the three, but he's still toying with a new grip so that can change. Need to see more. He repeats his delivery well and I think over time he will become a more consistent strike thrower. He will throw fastball for strikes while still missing location. Changeup is meant to be a chase pitch low and below the zone. He throws the curveball up and lets the depth do the work, and that pairs it well with the fastball long term. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Franklin is a development project, but one that comes with big league bloodlines. Won't be a guy that moves quickly through the minors, but will go level by level making incremental improvements on the way. The development of his curveball is the deciding factor here. Can be a number four starter if the pitch evolves, swing man type if it doesn't. He's essentially a two pitch guy as he rarely throws curve to lefties and change to righties, so he will have to refine command to have sustained success that way.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter
Risk: High

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Ryan Jensen - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	10	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	SL	CH	Cmd/Cnt
45	40	60	50	30	40/40

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 180 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Draft - Round 1
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Small, whippy frame. Would be one of the smallest starters in the majors if he sticks as a starter. Strong lower half, gets the most out of frame. Not much physical projection rema

Delivery & Mechanics: The mechanics here are high effort, lots of legs. From windup he starts with a large step back and will bend plant knee slightly with a big leg kick and long arm swing before delivering the pitch. Throws from a traditional 3/4 slot, but gives hitters, especially lefties, a long look at the ball due to the arm action. He does hold his velocity late in games.

Fastball: Jensen throws two different fastballs, a traditional 4-seamer that sits 94-96 and has touched 100. He throws a two-seamer with plus late arm-side run that sits around 93-94. The movement on his fastball has a negative effect on his ability to command a pitch. So does the high effort delivery and long arm motion. Grade: 60

Slider: Jensen has experimented with different slider grips, but from what I've seen there is a harder slider that he used more in pro ball, and an 82-85 mph version with short, late break that was mostly at Fresno St.. The harder version generates some weak swings from hitters and has touched 90. Not designed to be thrown for strikes from what I've seen. Chase pitch. Grade: 50

Changeup: Jensen's change up sits 85-86 but doesn't have much movement. He's predominantly a two-pitch guy and doesn't use this pitch much. I'm not confident it becomes an average future pitch. Grade: 30

Control and Command: I'm not very confident in Jensen's ability to consistently throw strikes, but with how modern starters are utilized I think he can make it as a starter in the majors. He has trouble repeating due to timing issues and that throws his command awry. Control: 40 | Command: 40

Overall: Jensen's profile screams reliever to me, but several Cubs contacts still think he can start long term. I don't have any info on him from the alternate camp but the organization is very high on the 2019 first rounder. There are so many things working against him remaining in the rotation but the game is changing and starting pitchers aren't asked to throw more than five innings so it's possible he makes it work in a unique hybrid role. Around 120-130 innings a year or something along those lines. Not throwing strikes leads to high pitch counts which limit innings.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter
Risk: High

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Chase Strumpf - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	2B	9	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
45	40	50	40	50	45	45

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 191 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Draft - Round 2
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Wiry with a long torso and long legs. Potentially some room for growth on the frame, but not much.

Hit: Square stance. Hands held up near his head with a bat wiggle. Small leg kick. Hands don't move far during load to get into position. Short compact swing. Simple mechanics and short to the ball. Good bat to ball skills. Can go the opposite way, but some of that comes from being behind on velocity. Patient hitter, but doesn't draw many walks. Will strikeout more from being too patient than swinging and missing. He shows good recognition of the strike zone and pitch recognition. Grade: 50

Power: Any power he has will come from his quick hands. His swing is geared to hit line drives. Occasionally might run into one to lift over the fence, but mostly will find gap power.Does show the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Grade: 40

Field: Can make the plays at second base. Range isn't spectacular, but will play well enough to warrant a spot in the lineup. Grade: 50

Arm: The arm works. He won't be a utility guy based on arm strength, but it works for the short throws from second base. Grade: 45

Run: Not going to steal. There won't be any range added because of his speed either. He's not notably slow, by any means. Grade: 45

Overall: A plethora of average or near average tools give him a future at second base for the Cubs. At his best, he fits a leadoff profile of working counts and making contact. He's comfortable in any count and not afraid to take pitches he doesn't like, which gets him in trouble at times. The short compact swing along with bat to ball skills will play enough to cancel out any questions defensively.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below Average Player - Utility
Risk: Moderate

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Luis Verdugo - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	SS	8	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
45	40	45	50	60	60	50

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 20 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 172 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 IFA
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Small but extremely projectable, Verdugo is much stronger than he looks, and despite not being a quick twitch athlete he's light on his feet.

Hit: Stands upright in the box; slightly open with hands at ear level. Thigh high leg kick with modest bat wrap but quick hands. Hands do most of the work, but he covers the plate very well. Will strikeout due to length in swing, but impressive growth on offense so far. Grade: 45

Power: Superb trunk rotation, has the makings of above-average raw power as he matures. Groundball heavy profile right now, will need to elevate to fully reach power ceiling. Grade: 50

Field: This is a future shortstop. Smooth fluid actions with excellent hands and footwork. Has great instincts and instincts. Positions the body very well, always has momentum moving towards the throw. Grade: 60

Arm: Plus arm. Can make all the throws. Will go deep in the hole and still have enough on it to make the necessary throws. Grade: 60

Run: Don't see him as a base stealing threat. Runs the bases well though. Highly instinctual player. Grade: 50

Overall: Verdugo has always drawn praise on the defensive side of the ball, but the offense showed up as he repeated the AZL. Former colleague Jason Pennini used to talk about how numbers can lie at times, and Verdugo was a prime example. He was much better than the numbers he put up in his first go around in the AZL, and his baseball skills started to translate in games. Ultimately Verdugo can be a plus defender with above-average raw power.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below Average Player - Utility
Risk: Moderate

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Richard Gallardo - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	7	45

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	SL	CH	Cmd/Cnt
45	40	55	55	50	60/55

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 187 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Advanced, mature body. Workhorse frame. Physical for his age. Poised, hard to believe he was only 18 in 2020. More filled out than listed 187 pounds.

Delivery & Mechanics: Athletic, 3/4 arm slot. Repeats mechanics very well. Fast arm. Some deception as he hides the ball behind his body. Long arm stroke, but no timing issues. Really in sync with his body. Some excess movement with the glove that potentially could upset rhythm, but could be a timing mechanism he uses for himself.

Fastball: Touching 95 as a 17 year-old, but will sit more in the 90-93 range. Fastball has sink and modest arm side movement. Really advanced command for his age, will work the pitch in all four quadrants. Has ability to put the fastball where he wants, remarkable ability for his age. Pitch should add a tick or two as he builds muscle, but those looking for elite velocity will be disappointed. Grade: 55

Curveball: Exceptional command of the breaking ball, which comes in in the low-to-mid 70s. The pitch has good depth, and he works it primarily low in the zone. Good source of groundballs and will miss bats with this pitch. Grade: 55

Changeup: Good feel for the change which will flash plus, but he doesn't command the changeup like the other two pitches. Will miss up in the zone with this pitch when he overthrows. Will throw an unbelievable change followed by a mediocre one. Lacks consistency. Still young, and I'd bet he finds it in time. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Putting a plus grade for control for a 19 year-old kid is rare, but Gallardo can do what he wants with the fastball and throw his curveball for strikes. His command isn't quite as fine, when he misses with the fastball it tends to leak over the middle of the plate. Control: 60 | Command: 55

Overall: Gallardo is more of a high floor arm than a future top of the rotation arm, but that's an exceptional outcome still. He appeared in two games as a 17 year-old in short season ball. Cubs were very protective with his workload, but rightly so. Future number three starter here with a chance for a tad more. Want to get eyes on him as soon as baseball gets back to normal again to see how he handled lay off.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter or Long Reliever
Risk: Moderate

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Christopher Morel - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	3B	6	50

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
50	55	45	50	60	60	55

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Jake Kerns

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 140 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2015 IFA
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Listed at 6'0" and 140 but is notably bigger and has plenty of room to further fill out and grow stronger. Presently a slight upper body with small wrists. Ideal frame to work with. Quick twitch athlete. Plays with a genuine joy for the game. Swagger-laden. Known to be a leader on the field.

Hit: Upright stance with a wide base. Starts open but closes with a leg kick toward the pitcher as he steps into the pitch. Feet wide apart at impact. Hands start out front. Some pre-pitch sway/movement before cocking the bat. Explosive hands and wrists that generate plus bat speed. Level swing that generates primarily line drives. Makes hard contact. Shows an ability to bunt. Solid approach; adjusts well to off-speed pitches and pitches down in the zone. Pitch recognition is below-average but he knows when to lay off and signs point to an average eye in time. Aggressiveness at the plate will hinder walk rates. Speed allows him to beat out grounders to the left side and helps the tool play up. Grade: 45

Power: Average to plus raw power. Swing is geared more toward line drives and hitting the ball to the gaps. Shows some current pull-side power. Power is hindered by bat path and inefficient use of his lower body. Possesses plus bat speed and has room to fill out, so the tool could substantially improve with time; will require a different approach and/or better utilization of his hips and legs. Adjustments could push the grade near plus. Grade: 50

Field: Moves well laterally. Not afraid to get the uniform dirty or charge the ball. Good footwork. Makes the routine throws to 2B from the left side of the infield. Experience with SS and 3B, but range is average and probably fits best at 3B. Arm definitely plays. His athleticism and arm would allow him to play in the grass, too. Confident and plays with significant flair. Grade: 60

Arm: Incredibly quick transferer from glove. Fast, strong arm that shows significant carry and velocity. Adjusts arm slot depending on the situation; mostly sidearm in looks. Tool plays up because of his ability to get the ball out of the glove. Grade: 60

Run: Plus times down the line from the right side; 4.13-4.15 in several looks. Good initial burst out of the box. Takes big, aggressive turns and hits an extra gear rounding 1st. Timed 11.20 from home to third. May slow as he fills out. Grade: 55

Overall: Morel possesses some of the most explosive tools in the system. Some of his actions in the field are reminiscent of Javy Baez; similar mannerisms and swagger, too. The bat needs some work, particularly his approach and ability to get to power in-game. He possesses as much upside as almost any prospect in the system but offers comparatively substantial risk. He will need to continue to fill out and hit, but the underlying tools are there to be at least a starter and perhaps significantly more.

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

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Adbert Alzolay - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	RHP	5	50

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Cmd/Cnt
50	50	60	55	60	45	50/40

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Jake Kerns

Age: 26 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 208 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2013 IFA
RuleV: On 40 man

Physical Description: Solidly built. Does not offer additional physical projection. High character and hard worker.

Delivery & Mechanics: 3/4 slot from the right side. Some effort in the delivery. Falls off toward 1B.

Fastball: 92-96; 94.7 average in 2020. Can reach back for more in short bursts. Throws two variations: a sinker and four-seamer. Sinker features above-average arm-side run and is often thrown down or to the corners. Four-seamer can be flat but is effective when elevated up and in. Both get swings and misses, but the sinker was more effective in limiting contact in a small sample. Fastballs made up 52% of his pitch mix in 2020. Grade: 60

Curveball: 78-82; averaged 80.8 in 2020. Plus spin rate that generates swings and misses. Takes several shapes, including a true downer, that is attributable to a new grip. Most effective when located as a backdoor breaker against lefties. Made up 15% of his pitch mix in 2020. Grade: 55

Slider: 83-87; averaged 85.4 in 2020. New grip made the pitch more distinguishable from his curve. Still looks like a curve out of his hand. Shows confidence with the pitch and throws it the most with two-strikes. Demonstrated to be an out-pitch; batters struck out 64% of the time and hit .040 against it in a small sample. Plus spin rate that translates into significant horizontal movement. Made up 24.5% of his pitch mix in 2020. Grade: 60

Changeup: 84-87; averaged 85.5 in 2020. Looks like FB out of his hand and shows similar rotation. Likes to use it away against lefties. Arm-side run. Flashes plus or better when he locates it but inconsistently does so. Pitch has room for significant growth. Only made up 8% of his pitch mix in 2020. Grade: 45

Control and Command: Mostly around the zone with his fastball but displays an obvious tendency to miss with his breaking balls. The changeup plays down because of his inability to locate it. Control is well ahead of his command. Control: 50 | Command: 40

Overall: Starter's repertoire; shows five distinct pitches, two of which were reintroduced in 2020. The slider became a legitimate weapon as the season wore on. Alzolay has demonstrated success in limited opportunities so far in his career and has the floor of a high-leverage reliever. Additional growth, particularly with his changeup and his control and command will unlock even more potential. He has mid-rotation or better upside.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - #4 SP/# 5 Backend SP
Risk: Moderate

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Brailyn Marquez - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	LHP	4	55

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	FB	SL	CH	Cmd/Cnt
55	60	70	55	50	40/40

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 185 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2015 IFA
RuleV: On 40 man

Physical Description: Tall, long-limbed. Heavier than listed 185. Probably more like 225. Body will require maintenance and is a little soft.

Delivery & Mechanics: Low 3/4 delivery, very loose with big leg kick. Almost unbelievable how easy the ball comes out of his hand at 100. I think tightening up the delivery and body will lead to better command.

Fastball: Monster pitch. Touched 99 out of the bullpen for Cubs late in season, has hit 101 in game. Averaged 95 as a starter in the minors in 2019. Works pitch up in the zone and is aggressive with it. The only thing keeping it from an 80 is the command. It's improved but there are still some aspects of a thrower here. Grade: 70

Slider: Marquez will snap his slider off at the back foot of right-handers and look to spot it on the corner against lefties. It can look like a cutter at times due to late, modest break but when he's tunneling with the big heater it adds another layer of deception. He's learning how to sequence and set up hitters, and the pitch sits in the low 80s. The pitch lacks the consistency to be plus, but he's shown significant growth and it wouldn't shock me to see it become a plus offering. Grade: 55

Changeup: The changeup has a lot of similar characteristics as the fastball. Comes in at the same arm speed and plane, just in the low 90s. There's modest fade but it disguises itself as the heater, and can be effective. He uses this pitch against right-handed batters. There's potentially more with this pitch also. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Marquez's command improved as the 2019 season progressed. He was prone to the blow up early in the season but didn't walk more than three batters in a game from July on. The Cubs have altered his arm swing as he's moved up the later, but it appears he's gone back to the looser version, but has seen better results. He throws enough strikes to be a starter long term, now it's just the quality of strikes. Control: 40 | Command: 40

Overall: I believe Marquez is a starter long term and his late season move to the bullpen was only due to organizational need more than anything else. He reminds me a lot of Francisco Liriano. The fastball, slider, changeup profile from a big lefty with a loose delivery and loose command. Marquez is what the Cubs have been searching for. A high upside homegrown starter. He's likely a number four starter for most of his career due to command, but he will post a few prime seasons where he's better than that.

OFP: 55
Role: 60 - #3 SP/High Leverage
Risk: High

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Miguel Amaya - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	C	3	55

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
50	55	50	60	55	55	30

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 230 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2015 IFA
RuleV: On 40 man

Physical Description: Well built sturdy frame that continues to add strength as he matures. Don't think he will have issues with frame in the future. Should be able to maintain athleticism while adding strength and mass. Zero longterm concerns with the body even as he physically matures.

Hit: Level swing that's triggered by a leg kick, he's short to the ball and makes contact at an above-average rate. Increasing walk rates and decreasing strikeout rates for three years in a row, Amaya has become more selective as he has climbed the ladder in the minors. He looks for fastballs early in counts but shortens up leg kick with two strikes. It's a pull heavy approach, but he did go the other way more frequently in 2019. There's enough here to be an average hitter at peak. Grade: 50

Power: Amaya has average bat speed but his raw strength and plus power are his best offensive traits. He will ambush fastballs early in the count and look to do damage. His power is largely to the pull-side, and I think he's capable of 20-25 homers a year consistently while catching 120+ games. Grade: 60

Field: Really quick feet and hands; Amaya moves well behind the plate. He receives the ball well and is a strong blocker. He squares his hips and shoulders as he smothers pitches in the dirt and pitchers should feel confident throwing a breaking ball in the dirt with a runner on third. His framing needs work, but all that may not matter soon. Grade: 55

Arm: Aggressive with the arm, and will control the running game by throwing behind runners. Quick hands translate to a quick release and strong pop times. Arm lacks elite carry, but it's an accurate arm with above average carry. His quick hands and release make it a plus weapon. Grade: 55

Run: He's not an asset on the basepaths. Not a clogger, but well below-average still. Grade: 30

Overall: Amaya has everything you want for a future everyday catcher. Good frame, quick hands and plus strength. He displays leadership qualities on and off the field as well. One of the high character guys that has a unique handshake for every player on the roster and just leads by example with his production on the field. He's not an offensive force, but a very nice compliment on offense while displaying plus defensive traits. First division everyday backstop on a contending club.

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

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Ed Howard - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	SS	2	55

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
50	55	50	55	60	55	50

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 185 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Draft - Round 1
RuleV: 2024

Physical Description: Athletic build with long legs and broad shoulders. Projectable frame that should add strength and power. Stands 6'2" and is listed at 185, but should be around 200 when he's big league ready. No concerns about outgrowing shortstop.

Hit: Stands partly open with a short stride. Lots of movement with the hands that creates slight bat wrap before exploding to the ball. Hands are quick enough to get away with that. Will use all fields, and repeats swing very well. Develops a plan at the plate and will key in on pitch type and/or location and will be aggressive. Will chase off-speed below the zone, but was hands down best prep shortstop on either side of the ball in draft class. Way more positives here than concerns. Grade: 50

Power: Plus bat speed and hunter mentality can lead to some long pull-side homers. Power is more advanced than hit tool at the moment. Makes loud contact, regularly finds the barrel. Line drive oriened swing now, but that's expected to change. Strong for his age. Only going to get stronger. Grade: 55

Field: Uncanny to be this certain that an 18-year-old will stick at shortstop in the majors but that's what we have with this kid. Plus range with elite hands and feet. Strong feel for the game with internal clock that you can't teach. Will get more explosive as he adds strength. Elite hands definitely transfer to defensive side of the ball. Grade: 60

Arm: Average arm strength but quick release and plus accuracy make the overall package at least above average. High baseball IQ helps with positioning and angles as well. Zero concerns about the arm. Cubs likely to put him on an arm strengthening program. Grade: 55

Run: Not a burner or quick twitch athlete, yet, but should gain explosiveness as he gets stronger. Modest stolen base threat, 10-15 a season, but it plays up due to his knowledge of the game. Grade: 50

Overall: Howard is the highest floor prep shortstop to come on the scene in a long time, and to top it all off he's even a local kid that has had a very successful amateur career. He hasn't been in a traditional baseball game in quite some time with his high school season getting washed out due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but he hit well enough in the showcase circuits to ease the concerns. Displays all leadership qualities you want out of a shortstop. Future five-six hitter with plus defense and baserunning. Former Oklahoma commit was an excellent student.

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

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Brennen Davis - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	CHC	OF	1	55

Grades Update: Nov 2020

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
55	60	55	55	50	60	60

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Nov 2020 Report

Evaluator: Jake Kerns

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 175 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 Draft - Round 2
RuleV: 2023

Physical Description: Tall and lean but beginning to fill out. Plenty of room to add strength. Strong hands. Athletic. High character.

Hit: Crouched stance. Keeps his right elbow back. Small leg kick; steps into the ball. Low at impact and generates significant leverage because of it. Uses his lower half well. Strong hands. Explosive bat speed. Beginning to use the whole field but still often pulls the ball. Shows an ability to lay off pitches. Future average eye. Grade: 55

Power: Plus or better raw power during BP. Has filled out and flashed average power during games in 2019. Ball explodes off the bat. Has shown an ability to go the opposite way albeit inconsistently. His projectable frame and ability to create leverage, in addition to his plus bat speed point to a likelihood of him closing the gap between his present in-game and raw power. Added strength will give him a chance to reach his ceiling of plus power. Grade: 55

Field: Moves well in center. Takes good routes. Solid jump. Plus speed helps him cover a lot of ground. Tools profile in CF but can slide to RF if necessary. Grade: 50

Arm: Flashes a plus arm with good carry from centerfield. Ball is thrown on a rope and mostly on target from CF. Profiles in RF if he needs to slide over sometime in the future. Grade: 60

Run: Present plus runner; times between 4.15 and 4.20 from the right side. Long strider and moves faster than it looks. Takes wide turns at first. Can get an extra base. Grade: 60

Overall: Flashes 3 plus tools and possesses the most upside in the system. Has a limited track record in professional ball - the lost year hurt - but the leap he made in 2019 has the arrow straight up. He possesses the upside to be an impact player that contributes in all facets of the game with further refinement.

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

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Kevin Kramer - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	PIT	2B	42	30

Grades Update: Jan 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
35	30	45	40	45	50	40

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Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Joe Drake

Age: 27 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2015 Round 2
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Average build; looks like a tweener - not athletic enough for middle infield, not strong/powerful enough for a corner. Fairly unassuming; nothing stands out. Some muscle on the thighs, fairly lean overall. Average shoulder width, squared but not muscled. Frame is mostly maxed out. Room for a couple pounds up top. Hip surgery May 2020, labral repair, expected to be ready for 2021 season; fractured right hand, June 2017.

Hit: Upright setup, minor knee bend, narrow stance. Bat rests on shoulder, perpendicular to body with a little rock. Loads with a leg kick and deep coil while squatting into the rear leg. Hands pick up the bat and move back a few inches. Average bat speed; Swings to drive the ball; relatively flat bat path and leads to get under the ball frequently. Patient hitter, willing to wait on something he can attack; good knowledge of the zone, takes close pitches with confidence -- borderline passive, like he'd rather take a walk than swing the bat. A little swing and miss in the zone, but gets the bat on the ball more often than not - not always good contact, though. Grade: 45

Power: Fringe-average raw in the body with average bat speed. Even when he gets into the ball, just not enough pop to drive it out of the park. Best suited for gap to gap line drive power. Lifts the ball more than he did coming out of college, but doesn't drive with authority, supported by woeful ISO numbers at AAA and up. Patient approach, but too overmatched by MLB stuff to do much damage. Legs will not produce extra bases. Grade: 40

Field: Tweener defender due to lack of speed. Not twitchy enough to stick up the middle on the dirt, but doesn't bring enough pop to any of the corner positions. Hands and range are below-average at 2B/3B. Reads and instincts in the outfield are fine, but lack of overall speed limits his range and therefore is best suited for a corner. Needs reps to read balls off the wall, etc. Fringy defender who could get to average with more outfield reps; but there are plenty of bats with more pop who are comparable defenders. Grade: 45

Arm: Solid average arm strength; firm carry from the outfield and on target. Gets himself in solid position to throw from the outfield. Enough arm to play in right, just not ideal. Grade: 50

Run: Clear below-average runner. Sprint speed topped out at 26.3 fps in MLB, sub 40th percentile. Moves fine, just not quickly. Too aggressive on the bases for his lack of speed. Steals in pro career came against lower-level competition, 60% success rate at AAA and MLB shows he's not a skilled enough thief to make up for lack of speed. Grade: 40

Overall: Kramer is the ultimate tweener package whose prime has passed. Not athletic enough or good enough defensively to play up the middle and the bat is too light for a corner. He has struggled mightily with MLB pitching in his 90 career plate appearances and is likely to be passed by as the Pirates' system comes to fruition. He's a 5th outfielder if everything clicks in 2021, but more likely org depth at AAA.

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

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Sergio Campana - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	PIT	OF	41	35

Grades Update: Jan 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
35	30	40	40	55	45	70

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Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Kerns

Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 160 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Lean frame with plenty of projection. Athletic kid who plays with a smile on his face.

Hit: Slightly crouched and open stance. Keeps his hands high and back. Some pre-pitch body sway. Keeps his weight back and his knees tight. Moderate leg kick as he loads and steps into the pitch. Repeatable, linear swing that results in mostly line-drive contact. Quick wrists that help generate above-average bat speed. Uses his lower half well. Ball jumps off the bat during BP. Projectable swing that simply needs reps. Shows some barrel awareness. Tool could approach an average grade in time. Grade: 40

Power: Fringe-average raw power with room to grow as he physically matures. Not strong enough to consistently impact the ball; present gap power. Uses his hips well, and his natural bat speed suggests he could flash more power in the future. Grade: 40

Field: Moves well in the grass. Shows good instincts and closing speed. Unafraid to lay out for the ball. Plus range that fits in any outfield position. Potentially plus in CF. Grade: 55

Arm: Average arm strength with below-average carry. Throws were often shorthopped to home and 3B from shallow RF. Hits his cutoff with consistency. Throws were mostly on target in looks. Not enough arm for RF. Grade: 45

Run: Plus-plus times in the 60 yd dash as an amateur. Quick out of the box. Timed 11.60 home to third with a bad jump. Shows good awareness on the basepaths. Can take an extra base on balls to the grass. A legitimate threat to steal. Grade: 70

Overall: Campana offers an intriguing mix of tools, but is raw enough with the bat to create substantial doubt that he'll reach his potentially average everyday upside. He needs minor league reps more than anything, but his speed and defense are good enough to suggest he can be something more than an org. guy with even a light bat. He received positive reviews during instructs and is on the radar for a future breakout.

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

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Wilkin Ramos - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	PIT	RHP	40	35

Grades Update: Jan 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CB	CH	Ctr/Cmd
35	30	50	40	30	40/30

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Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Geoff Pontes

Age: 20 yr
Height: 6-5
Weight: 165 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 IFA, OAK
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Tall and extremely skinny, body is reminiscent of Tristan McKenzie with more projection in his upper body. Added weight would be a plus for endurance and top end velocity. Enough projection remains.

Delivery & Mechanics: Starts full windup from classic overhead delivery, high leg lift into drop and drive motion. True three quarters arm action and lower release point aiding the vertical break on his low spin fastball. Athletic, loose and fluid lower half movement. Hypertension movement profile with the ability to repeat his mechanics. This bodes well for future velocity gains. From the stretch Ramos ditches the overhand motion and strips it down to the second half of his delivery. Manages to stay on track with his motion despite some violence and effort at the point of delivery. As a side note gets over seven feet of extension.

Fastball: Average fastball with some room for growth on the velocity side. Sits 89-92 mph bumping 95-96 mph on occasion. What's intriguing about Ramos's fastball is his ability to generate above average induced vertical break despite below average raw spin rates in the 2100 rpm range. His sub-six-foot release and efficient spin axis allow the pitch to play up. It's reasonable to anticipate a bump in velocity as Ramos comes into his body. Grade: 50

Curveball: More like a slow slider at 73-76 mph, more horizontal movement than vertical giving it some two-plane break. Lacks consistent feel for the pitch and the shape is sub-optimum at that velocity. Was hit hard in our observations. Ramos is young, and was just 18 at the time of our looks, so the inconsistent feel should be expected. Grade: 40

Changeup: Lacks feel for the pitch looks like a softer fastball. Below average arm side run but good arm speed will sell it from time to time. Inconsistent secondary that needs more development. Grade: 30

Control and Command: Struggles to command his arsenal but will show stretches of feel with his fastball and breaker. Changeup feel has a long way to go to get to below average. Backed up on his strike throwing in 2019 GCL from 2018 DSL and Instructs performances with Oakland. Some projection to get to average strike throwing with further refinement. I wouldn't dismiss his strike throwing long term but there's a hill to climb despite a relatively clean mechanical operation. Control: 40 | Command: 30

Overall: A young body projection type with some things to like about his mechanics and fastball + curveball combination. Still early on in his development as a pitcher, it will be interesting to see what sort of physical specimen Ramos emerges as next year. The same old lanky righthander or has he added good strength into his frame? All of these questions leave his outcome very uncertain, but there's at least enough to see some up and down relief.

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

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Luis Oviedo - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	PIT	RHP	39	35

Grades Update: Jan 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Ctr/Cmd
35	30	55	40	45	40	40/30

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Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Joe Drake

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 170 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2015 IFA, CLE
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: Big frame with some muscle on it. Long limbs. Shoulders are wide, midsection might be a little soft. Big, round butt and average thighs. There's room for a little more weight here, but not much. 5-10 pounds or so. Has added considerable weight since being listed at 170, looks closer to 200. Body looks fairly mature for 21. Conditioning appears much improved this winter during the Venezuelan Winter League. Went on IL for lower back soreness in July 2019 and missed remainder of season.

Delivery & Mechanics: Uses a 3/4 arm slot; moderate effort. Really sits into his glutes and drives toward the plate. Average pace in his windup and leg kick (chest high); Long arm action that drops down behind his butt; hides ball enough to create deception; above-average arm speed. Very similar from the stretch; abbreviated leg kick and quicker pace. Works very quickly, palpable impatience when things aren't going his way.

Fastball: 89-92; Arm slot lends itself to solid tailing action. Has flashed better velo in the past, but conditioning and injuries slowed him in 2019. Struggles to locate in the zone. Reportedly touching 98 during short stints in the Venezuelan Winter League; A good sign that he's at or near full health and can return to the form we saw prior to 2019. Grade: 55

Curveball: 69-71; Big break but often lollipops in and easily taken or attacked. Humps out of the hand; most are fairly obvious. Needs quite a bit of work to be MLB-caliber. Likely to improve with increased velo. Grade: 40

Slider: 80-83; Spins a fairly tight slider with biting action. Runs it off the plate for whiffs. Used sparingly 2019 outings; should increase usage, better pitch than the curve. Likely to improve with increased velo. Grade: 45

Changeup: 79-80; Has some fade to it. Not thrown often and he struggles with location, often leaving up to be hammered. The movement and armspeed will play if he can find more feel for it. Likely to improve with increased velo. Grade: 40

Control and Command: Often struggled to find the zone. Fell behind many batters and had to come into the heart of the plate; his stuff isn't good enough to get by over the heart. Flashed good command of the fastball and slider, but it was fleeting. Has shown better control in the past, perhaps affected by previously mentioned injury and conditioning. Control: 40 | Command: 30

Overall: Oviedo has flashed better stuff in the past but did not look himself in 2019. Fastball sat under 90 and secondaries were inconsistent and showed less bite. Control and command appeared to take a step back, too. He missed the final month and a half of 2019 with a back injury which may have been sapping his stuff throughout the summer. All that said, he is reportedly touching high-90s again down in the Venezuelan Winter League with improved conditioning. If he returns to form in 2021, he has a much better shot at developing into a low-leverage reliever or better, but the 2019 iteration is not MLB caliber.

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

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Luis Tejeda - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	PIT	3B	38	35

Grades Update: Jan 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
35	30	30	45	40	45	40

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Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Eddy Almaguer

Age: 18 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 175 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2023

Physical Description: Filled out, broad shoulders, thick lower half. Six-foot frame more bulked up than the typical J2 player at this stage, but it's not bad weight.

Hit: Upright stance, weight onto his back leg, hands near his ears, fairly quiet. Moderate leg kick to kickstart the core rotation. Small hitch and bat wrap that he uses for timing. Very aesthetically pleasing swing. Compact, keeps it in the upper half of the zone with uppercut loft at the finish. Limited looks make it impossible to pass judgement on ability to pick up spin, adjust mid at-bat and how he handles velo, but foundation looked promising. Grade: 30

Power: His best trait. Strong for his size, swing geared for impact in the front of the zone. Average raw power, projected to get to it more with added strength. Tendency to get more of it to his pull side as expected with a young player. Grade: 45

Field: Looked a little stiff in fielding drills, footwork lacking. Not a smooth transition from approaching the ball to transfer then throw. Still learning. Committed a fair amount of errors in DSL. Grade: 40

Arm: Fringe average, not a lot on his throws. Slings it from the side. Better suited for 2B. Grade: 45

Run: Limited looks, looks a little heavy footed. Speed is not his game. Mobile enough to not be a liability. Grade: 40

Overall: Tejeda is a bat first infielder with promising hit and power tools. He's got a really pretty swing and enough strength to go from a gap power bat to over-the-fence type. With enough reps he can improve the hit tool to help maximize the power and present as a second division second baseman.

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

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Juan Jerez - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	PIT	2B	37	35

Grades Update: Jan 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
35	30	50	45	45	45	45

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Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Joe Drake

Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 160 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Lean, wiry build. Fits the 6'0, 160 pound build. Narrow hips but slightly broad shoulders; projects for a little room to add good weight, especially up top. Long arms, bubble butt. Athletic body, built like a middle infielder. Twitchy.

Hit: Sets up tall. Slight knee bend. Hands at the eyes with the bat angled nearly flat over the shoulder. Base average width and open. Deliberate, mid-thigh high leg kick starts the swing; minor coil. Hands slide to the back shoulder, but relatively quiet. Pretty swing that is built to lift the ball. Big, high finish. Above-average separation. Found success in the DSL as a 17-year old and didn't K often with 19% K-rate. Appears to have a knack for getting the bat on the ball. Very limited game looks, grade likely to change as we see him stateside. Grade: 50

Power: Smaller frame and build doesn't project for much more than average raw, but he generates above-average bat speed and showed the ability to lift the ball in game action. May grow into above-average raw. Ultimately, game power likely settles in around fringe-average with plenty of doubles mixed in. Grade: 4

Field: Actions are confident, but a little choppy and the hands get hard at times. Starts thinking about the next move before securing the ball; Mistakes appear to stick with him to the next play. Actions around the bag are confident but not necessarily smooth. Doesn't feel like a natural fielder despite athleticism and range. Enough glove and athleticism that he can likely stick at second. Grade: 45

Arm: Solid carry across the diamond but doesn't stand out. Arm slides down to a sidearm slot at times and adds tail to throws. Other times he gets into position and strong mechanics and fires on target. Accuracy is inconsistent and makes him a better fit for second base. Transfer is okay while turning two. Grade: 45

Run: Fluid movements that get choppy on occasion. Probably enough agility and quickness to stay up the middle. Average top end speed. Should retain most of his speed as he matures given his athletic frame. Grade: 45

Overall: Athletic middle infielder with feel to hit and potential for fringe-average to average pop depending on how much the body fills out. A little raw in the field and will need to shore things up to stay at second -- which he needs since the bat doesn't profile well anywhere else. Interesting player with plenty to like; should get a better feel for projection of his tools when he comes stateside. Right now, ceiling looks like a utility or role player.

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

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Will Craig - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	PIT	1B	36	35

Grades Update: Jan 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
35	30	40	55	40	60	30

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Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Geoff Pontes

Age: 26 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 220 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 Round 1
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Limited athleticism and physicality, below average fitness level, though conditioning has improved in recent years. Dad body coming off three months of Paleo is how I would describe Craig's shape.

Hit: Sets up slightly open at the plate, with his front foot offset, slight bend in his front knee, with his hips square to the pitcher. Sets his hand by his head, acute leg lift trigger, hands drop in load, and Craig does a good job of tapping into his lower half, but gets handsy at the end of his swing, looking as though he almost pushes the ball off the bat. A swing change heading into 2018 reversed the profile. A level, linear swing path, with a near-zero launch angle was reworked for lowering his hands for a more abrupt upper-cut swing path. In the aftermath Craig's contact and walk rates tanked while his strikeout rate spiked. While his power production jumped the very qualities that made Craig a prospect disappeared. A below average hit tool completely leveraged for launch. Grade: 40

Power: Added loft prior to the 2018 season and dramatically altered his batted ball profile. Heavy flyball focused swing that led to improved game power but increased swing and miss and an elevated number of infield flyballs. The power does play in game at an above average level and his ability to drive the ball to his pull-side has been a welcome addition to his game. Uppercut path more than launch happy, will drive the ball but his top of the scale power isn't quite plus with max exit velocities in the 109 mph range. Above average game power. Grade: 55

Field: Craig is a capable first baseman, with solid actions around the bag and good hands. He lacks much range at the position, and his lack of athleticism will tie him up from time to time, but capable of making the needed plays. Grade: 40

Arm: Strong throwing arm, Craig bounced between the rotation and the bullpen at Wake Forest, accumulating 10 saves and six wins over his three seasons as a two-way star. The arm still plays, unfortunately Craig's lack of athleticism and range moved him to first base permanently where throwing is of lesser importance. Still a strong element of Craig<92>s game and his only plus tool. Grade: 60

Run: Poor runner that is limited on the basepaths, running is not an element of Craig's game. Grade: 30

Overall: At 26 years old, recently waived, and off the Pirates 40 man roster Craig's prospect status, or what remains of it, has dissipated. A former first rounder Craig's struggle to translate his Wake Forest production with aluminum bats - and in Wake Forest's comfy home confines - to any level with wood bats. This trend reared its head during Craig's 2015 summer with Chatham, and remained the refrain during stops in West Virginia and Bradenton in 2016 and 2017. Craig reworked his swing heading into 2018 and rejuvenated his prospect status for a period. In 2019 his production took a downturn in an offensive friendly 2019 AAA environment as he produced below league average results. Without much supporting the profile outside power, Craig will likely struggle to overcome the quad-A/Emergency Depth profile, but there<92>s still a spark, and he did debut in 2020. With Josh Bell on the way out, Craig has a sliver of hope for playing time in 2021, but the lack of a 40 man roster spot is pretty damning.

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

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Jared Triolo - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	PIT	3B	35	35

Grades Update: Jan 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
35	30	40	45	50	50	40

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Jan 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jason Kamlowsky

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 212 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Round 2
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Average athlete with an ordinary build, lacks significant strength throughout his body. Long limbed athlete with a high waist. Doesn't fill out the jersey and could add weight in his lower half. Some physical maturity remains.

Hit: Above average hitting approach. Slightly open stance, bow-legged stance. Wide base and a deeper crouch. Hands start above his letters with his back elbow down. Can dive in at pitches off the plate but does well going the opposite way with moderate power. The hole in his swing is his inability to pull the ball with authority, especially low in the zone. Does handle pitches up and in. Appears to pick up spin, though he will offer at offspeed pitches out of the zone. A slight adjustment in his front side attacking the baseball could help the overall hit tool. Grade: 40

Power: More gap-to-gap power at present. Opposite field power is ahead of his pull side. Doesn't have the frame to support an advanced power profile at the moment. Will hit a handful of home runs but will be unlikely to top 10-12 at peak. Lower half mechanics will need to be tweaked to unlock peak power potential. Grade: 45

Field: Above average defender at third base. Has the range and lateral movement for the position. Works well with his footwork around the bag. Soft hands and good instincts. Played a few games at shortstop but lacks athleticism to be more than a backup there. Can drift mentally on the defensive side of the ball leading to botched plays with the glove. Will need to play every day at third rather than being forced into a utility role. Grade: 50

Arm: Above average arm allows him to make most throws across the diamond. Makes hard throws look easy but sometimes makes easy throws look hard. Throws have good carry and, when he is focused, are accurate. Improved consistency should help projection. Grade: 50

Run: Average speed and not a real threat to steal. Gets out of the box well but has heavy feet when he runs. Long strides with average acceleration. Grade: 40

Overall: Triolo is your traditional college draftee in that he has a high baseball IQ and sound approach to the game. There is not standout tool at present, although his glove has flashed plus. He isn't a great athlete and his physical profile limits his overall potential. He may eventually end up as a defense-first late-game replacement, although the Pirates lack of organization depth boosts his chances to be more.

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

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