Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Top 15 Hitters: #4 Drew Vettleson

Drew Vettleson
6'0" 185 lbs DOB: 7/19/1991
Outfielder
Bats: Left | Throws: Right
2010: Bowling Green
Acquired: 2010 Draft, Supplemental 1st Round

The supplemental first round pick in 2010 was only the second-highest high-school outfielder from the state of Washington taken, behind future teammate Josh Sale. As a near-deadline late sign, Vettleson has no performance yet to analyze so I'll briefly touch upon his tools:

His best is his hit tool, where his smooth swing projects to hit for a nice average provided he makes the necessary adjustments facing better competition than the cold-weather Pacific Northwest offered. He was able to perform very well with the bat on the showcase circuit, though, so the worries aren't too big. He's not as strong as Sale is, but still has very good raw power to tap into. His plate discipline is a plus, and he's able to maximize his hit and power tools by waiting for the right pitch to drive.

In the field, it's a bit more of a mixed bag. He only has average footspeed, so even with quality instincts he's going to be a corner outfielder despite playing at shortstop and centerfield in high school. His arm is above-average, so he could play in right field if need be. He won't be much of a factor on the bases, but he's athletic enough to swipe a bag every now and then.

Much of Vettleson's value is tied up with how his bat develops, but he has all the tools to make it happen. One other interesting note: Vettleson was an intriguing prospect as a switch-pitcher, like Yankees' farmhand Pat Venditte. Vettleson's future is definitely as a position player, but I'm already looking forward to the This Is Stone Crabs Baseball commercial with him in it.

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