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Name: Jaylen Palmer
Born: Brooklyn, New York
Age: 17 (7/31/00)
Height/Weight: 6’3”/195 lbs.
Position: SS
Bats/Throws: R/R
School: Holy Cross High School (Flushing, New York)
A recent growth spurt transformer Jaylen Palmer from a scrawny, 5’5”, 150-pound undersized middle infielder into a 6’3”, 195-pound athlete. As a junior, he hit .308/.439/.371 in 28 games for the Holy Cross Knights and hit .286/.511/.476 in 24 games this past season.
Palmer is extremely athletic, and his 6’3”, 190-pound frame may still have room to grow. He uses a toe tap as a timing mechanism, and his swing is smooth and flows well. Thanks to above-average bat speed, the youngster has a surprising amount of power potential in it. He is able to stay back on pitches and swing at the last moment.
With the glove, Palmer is a strong defender. He has good range and possesses a strong, accurate arm. If his body continues growing and he loses some of his quick twitch muscle and agility, he may be forced to move into the outfield, but until then, he has all of the tools to handle shortstop. If moved to the outfield, Palmer has above-average speed, which should help him hunt down fly balls.