Draft Profile #3 – Garrett Mitchell Checks Off a Lot of Boxes
As of right now, college bats are not at the top of most draft lists. There seems to be a plethora of pitching, both in college and high school, not to mention some high school bats at the end of the first round. As Evan wrote last week, the Cubs could draft some college arms who might not have as steep a learning curve as higher-upside projects. However, those arms are not going to be profiled for a while. Why? Because Jason McLeod, in my estimation, will go with a bat. I think it’s likely be a prep bat at that.
For today’s profile, we’ll take a look at high schooler Garrett Mitchell, a speedy outfielder who’s got plenty of room to grow.
Garrett Mitchell – OF, Orange Lutheran HS (Orange, CA)
Bats: L
Throws: R
6-1, 201 pounds Committed to UCLA
The Cubs already have a guy like this in Darryl Wilson, but Mitchell has a lot of other positive attributes the Cubs like to check off. First and foremost among those is speed, which you can’t coach.
Mitchell’s ceiling is not determined by his athleticism alone, though. At just 18, he’s starting to grow into his body and he is just beginning to drive the ball, a precursor of burgeoning power. His greatest asset is his eye at the plate. Like Mark Zagunis, Mitchell has great pitch recognition skills. That’s something the Cubs value in all their hitters.
Strengths:
Still growing; mental acuity; on-base machine; bats left-handed; hits to all fields; developing power; four tool player; excellent baserunner; sees ball well at plate
Areas of Concern:
Lack of Power; type 1 diabetic; strange leg kick
What Others Say
Jim Callis & Jonathan Mayo – MLB Pipeline
Mitchell has that rare speed-power combination teams covet. He’s at least an above-average runner, who uses his speed to run the bases well and cover a lot of ground in the outfield. He has legitimate power, and while he doesn’t always have the prettiest swing, he has a knack for the barrel and squares the ball up, making loud contact all the time. He’s an excellent all-around defender, combining his speed with good reads and routes. He has at least a solid-average arm.
So far, I have liked what I have read on him. He may not be the biggest power hitter, but he gets on base a lot. He’s like a left-handed Zagunis at the plate but likely a bit better in the field.
I’d imagine the Cubs would work with Mitchell to smooth out the leg kick and alter his swing plane to create more lift, both of which can be done. And with physical projection left, the Cubs would get a player on the rise in Mitchell.
I will be back soon with a look at a young prep pitcher who already won a World Series at age 11.