The buzz around the Phillies in most mock drafts is that they have been intently looking at hitters. And based on what kind of hitter they have looked for the last three drafts, they like the prospect with a safe floor in the hit tool department. Nick Madrigal fits that profile probably better than any position player in this draft Madrigal. The diminutive Madrigal just returned from a broken left wrist he suffered when he slid into home plate. Because it was more of a freak injury than a tissue one, scouts across the industry still have him as top 10 lock. Part of this reason is his success at 18 in the West Coast League and his recent summer escapades with Team USA. In fact Madrigal has been appearing in some recent mocks in the top 5 despite not playing much this year. Most recently, Perfect Game and MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo both have the Phillies taking Madrigal in their recent mocks, while Baseball America has him going right after the Phillies at #4 to the White Sox. You don’t see many players below 5’10” really go in the top 10, let alone the top 5, because usually the short players won’t develop the average power to warrant that. But I’ll point to this Eric Longenhagen tweet to express my opinion on the height matter:
Kingery ascent, Albies doing his thing, Altuve, Gennett, Pedroia's career, Cesar Hernandez, Luis Urias killing Triple-A at age 20…how many is it gonna take before we stop caring that a guy is short if it's otherwise clear he's just good? https://t.co/3RiMcmvlyG
— Eric Longenhagen (@longenhagen) May 2, 2018
Height can be over-evaluated at times in scouting. There are times where the 6’6″ and above players (pitcher or position player) are overhyped on their potential just because of how much room they have to grow, particularly in power. But there’s that reality that perhaps their body shape and mechanics can’t get in sync. Heck the Phillies best pitching prospects are all about 6’0″ and I’d say they’ve been pretty darn good. If somebody just knows how to play at a high level with extraordinary tools they belong. Madrigal has the potential to be one of those dominant diminutives. And while the Phillies have their own under six-foot second baseman locked up long term, that doesn’t mean Madrigal couldn’t be an important versatile piece on this ball club down the line or even a valuable trade chip. If Almaraz and the scouts look past his height and power potential, Madrigal might be a near lock to be drafted by the Phillies.
Nick Madrigal, 2B/SS, Oregon St
5’8″, 165 lb
Bats/Throws: R/R
Previously Drafted: 2015, Cleveland Indians 17th round
Rankings (as of 5/1/18): Baseball America #3, MLB Pipeline #3, ESPN #6, Perfect Game #7, 20/80 Baseball #6
What the Numbers Say
2016 (Freshman): 49 G, 224 PA, .333/.380/.456, .352 BABIP, 65 H, 11 2B, 5 3B, HR, 29 RBI, 38 R, 8/10 SB, 15 BB (6.7%), 14 K (6.2%); 56 putouts, 144 assists, five errors, .976 Fld%
2017 (Sophomore): 60 G, 282 PA, .380/.449/.532, .389 BABIP, 90 H, 20 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 40 RBI, 53 R, 16/20 SB, 27 BB (9.6%), 16 K (5.7%); 76 putouts, 158 assists, five errors, .979 Fld%
2018 (Junior) (as of 5/1/18): 10 G, 46 PA, .512/.565/.756, .487 BABIP, 21 H, 2 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 14 R, 3/3 SB, 4 BB, 0 K; 22 putouts, 33 assists, zero errors, 1.000 Fld%
Strengths
Upright, quiet stance, squared; generates momentum and timing with a big leg kick; shows good separation of hands and lower half, great torque, quick hands, linear swing. Elite bat-to-ball skills, sprays line drives to all fields, can hit for doubles power into the gaps; plus speed; above-average defender at second base. High baseball IQ
Weaknesses
Fringe-average arm strength can handle shortstop on occasion, but not for 162 game season. Below average power, not suited for 20 HR, more doubles driven power
Overall Assessment
Madrigal’s high IQ and instincts make him a dangerous threat going forward. While he doesn’t draw walks at a high, he simply puts the ball in play with hard line drives and can handle any pitch thrown at him. And if he hits a weak chopper in the infield, he can use his plus speed to beat one out. Madrigal will likely never be an average power hitter and hit 20 homers a year, but he’s got enough power to hit 40+ doubles. His athleticism will allow him to play multiple positions throughout his career, but he is best suited for second base because of his fringe-average arm strength. Madrigal has the potential to be a top of the order with the chance to win a batting title and steal 30+ bags.
Sounds like Kingery