With the 18th pick in the 2016 MLB Draft the New
York Yankees selected Blake Rutherford, an outfielder from Chaminade College
Preparatory School in Chatsworth, California. Boy Damon Oppenheimer loves his
Southern California players doesn’t he? The Yankees may have gotten one of the
best bats in the draft with this pick and one of the very best prospects in the
entire draft class so it’s all the more important to get Rutherford to sign.
Let’s meet him. This is Meet a Prospect: The Blake Rutherford Edition.
Rutherford is a left-handed hitting power hitting outfield
who can do just about anything in the field and at the plate. Rutherford is
projected to have above-average contact and above-average power when he reaches
his full potential and his speed will allow him to wreak havoc on the basepaths
while keeping him in center field as a professional. Rutherford may outgrow the
center field position and some question whether he may be a right fielder when
he reaches the Major Leagues but with his bat you let him play any outfield
position he wants, his offense is potentially a game-changer.
Rutherford, a potential game-changer at just 19-years old.
Rutherford is committed to UCLA and will likely have to sign an over-slot deal
to forego that commitment and begin his professional career. The slot
recommendation for Rutherford is $2.44 million but the Yankees have a knack for
signing cheaper college seniors in rounds two through ten, see Nick Solak as an
example of this, to save cap money. Expect to see that happen this season as
well as it may take $3 million or more to lure Rutherford away from SoCal.
Rutherford was considered by many to be the best pure hitter
in the 2016 Draft and some even thought he would go first overall before the
Philadelphia Phillies took Mickey Moniak. Keith Law had Rutherford listed as
his 6th best prospect overall while MLB.com had him 8th
and Baseball America had him 9th.
Welcome to the organization, unofficially, and welcome to the family
Blake! I know a ton of people that are excited to potentially have you.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)