MLB Draft Player Profile: Adam Haseley

Who is Adam Haseley?

On April 1st, I wrote:

Adam Haseley- 6' 1" 195 lbs. Bats L / Throws L - OF Virginia

Finally a college hitter to get excited about.

Adam pitches as well, and he's pretty good, but center field is where he will be drafted to play. 6.5/ 60 speed and a strong arm, plus a great baseball IQ, all say he sticks in center. This year he has upped his power game. Eight home runs in 101 at bats. 15 extra base hits. BA moved him up to #18 on their list. The White Sox have to take a hard look at him. He looks like the real deal.

How does he rank?

MLBPipeline: #14

Baseball America: #13

Keith Law: #11

Hero Sports: #9

He sure looks to be someone the White should be looking at.

What’s his Game?

As a number two hitter, his job is to get on base. The U of Virginia stresses going the other way and Adam is very adept at that. Most of his hits and power are middle-away. He has a quick inside-out swing that this year has generated extra power. Last year, he hit six home runs, this year 13 in 12 fewer games. Doubles are turning into home runs and scouts are flocking to see. Pavin Smith (his roommate) bats behind him and has been knocking him in all season, to the tune of 57 runs in 49 games.

What does he look like?

Well, he is not that big at 6’1”, but big enough. He shows leadership on the field. He also comes from a supportive family and has a strong Christian belief. In interviews, he expresses himself well. All and all, he seems like a fine young man.

Why would the Sox draft him?

So many reasons. We can see that consensus is that he is worthy of the 11th pick. his game is well rounded and seems to be like players Nick Hostetler picked in the last draft. In his talk with Josh, Hostetler noted walks vs strikeouts is something they look at like you see in Collins, Call, and Jameson. Currently, he has 33 walks /19 strikeouts in 49 games. A .478 OBP tells you, as a two-hole hitter, he knows how to get on base. It’s pretty hard to pick this kid apart.

Why would the Sox look elsewhere?

I am sure the Sox have a board. A simple reason might be when the time comes, one or more players are higher on the board. Maybe they are leaning high school or maybe looking pitcher. He currently has 13 home runs. Before the season started, Haseley looked like a 2nd or third round pick. He has stepped up his game all around but going in, the question was, does he have enough power? To a degree, he has calmed some of those concerns. Still, it is up to the scouts to determine if it transfers to pros. If not, then worst case, maybe he has to move to a corner and lack of pop makes him well, “just a guy”.

So is the player who is having a great season just a very good college player or can he be a difference maker in Chicago?

What is his ceiling?

Whoever they choose will get more than Collins got last year. All that being said, maybe he gets picked before the #11. After all, the kid is on the rise.