FanPost

Scouting Report: Albert Almora (OF)

Albert-almora1_medium

Date of Birth: 4/6/1994

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 180 lbs.

Hits/Throws: Right/Right

Commitment: Miami

Overview: While it would surprise many to see Albert Almora slide past the Cubs and even more surprising to slide out of the top 10, the Mets have definitely been scouting this right handed hitting outfielder for a while. One of the logest tenured Team USA baseball players ever, Almora is probably the most polished high school position player coming into this draft. Given his unique blend of 5-tool ability and polish, it is highly unexpected for Almora to fall to the Mets.

Hitting: While Almora is very instinctual at the plate, his hitting is pretty raw. Though he can hit for a little power, he is mostly a line drive, contact hitter at this point in his career. What scouts see is a potential .300 BA annually with a lot of doubles and 10-20 homeruns. As he fills out he will develop more power. Mechanically, he will need to make some changes. At the high school level, a player with Almora's pure hitting ability can thrive on talent alone, but once he gets to the minors that will change. Almora has a big leg kick and lots of moving parts in his swing, in order to be able to drive the ball more consistently at the pro level, he'll have to cut back on his long swing and quiet down all the moving parts.

Fielding: Almora just knows how to field. He might not be the fastest centerfielder, but he knows how to get to the ball quickly and doesn't miss routine plays. Extremely focused, always takes the most direct route to the ball. The team that will draft him believes he'll be a centerfielder long term. Though he doesn't have the strongest arm, Almora's release is so quick that it makes up for any talent discrepancy.

Projection: If Almora reaches his most optimistic projection he'll be an above average fielding centerfielder who is consistently in the top 5 in hitting for his position and accruing about 4-5 WAR a year at his peak. On the other hand, if he never learns how to consistently hit, he'll never make it to the big leagues.

Summary: While he might not have the projectability of other high school hitters, Almora is more likely to reach the MLB given his polish and above average tools. He does everything right and is above average in every facet of the game. He knows how to play the game right. He's a raw hitter, but is very polished in other aspects of the game.

This FanPost was contributed by a member of the community and was not subject to any vetting or approval process.