Baseball Beginnings

By John Klima
May 3, 2010

I’ve seen Austin Wilson from the summer to the fall and back to the spring. The raw power is there, and this guy will not be one-dimensional. The most common comparison is Andre Dawson, but let me tell you something: Wilson isn’t going to have to wait until the 11^th round and then feel completely low-balled and screwed when he gets drafted the way Dawson did. No, Wilson will be lucky to get to the 11^th pick.

There’s a running joke among scouts who see Wilson. Part of the joke is that it’s fun to watch such a talented guy when you spend so many hours sifting through the fringe kids. The other joke is that there’s not a bad guy you can compare him to. 

Consider this. Prospects come and go each year. This is Southern California, where to stand out, you really and truly have to be able to play. You can’t find a scout out here who doesn’t think Wilson is a once-in-a-decade player. When you hear scouts who say things like, “I never put high grades on guys” confess that Wilson’s tools makes them grade up on a high school player, you have to really appreciate how top shelf the player is.

Wilson’s college commitment is to Stanford and I’m sure they’ve rolled out their great big packet of statistics to tell him how many first round picks from college baseball become every day major league players versus how many high school players do the same. All I gotta say is this: 2,000 pro-at bats. You want them as soon you can get them. 

Austin Wilson, OF 
6-3, 200 
Bats: R, Throws: R 
Harvard-Westlake HS, Los Angeles, CA 
Games Seen: 4, Innings: 28 (Spring 2010) 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Tall, imposing athletic frame. No body fat — a man among boys. 

STRENGTHS: Plus, plus, raw right-handed power. Strong hands, wrists, fingers and grip. Better hands than he gets credit for in terms of pure hitting. Shows aptitude for adjustment, showing capacity to hit to all fields. Better runner underway out of box, on bases, and in outfield. Reads balls well. Above-average arm strength. Have seen outfield athletic defense to suggest he can be better than an average defender.  

WEAKNESSES: Slow first step out of batters box, doesn’t consistently get the good first step on the bases or the outfield. Lumbers a little before he gallops. Long windup to get body into his throws. In coming years, should develop a little more flexibility that should enhance his athleticism. He’ll strike out some but it won’t prevent him from becoming a premier player.   

SUMMARY: True franchise cornerstone type who has yet to scratch surface. This player is far from the finished product. For me, he has the potential to play his way up to a 70 grade or higher in the coming years. 

GRADES (Present/Future): 
Hit         30/60 
Power  40/80 
Run       60/60 
Arm     70/70 
Field    50/60 
Overall Future Potential: 66 

What the Grades Mean

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Categories: '10 Scouting Reports
Tags: Austin Wilson, Stanford