The draft is just five days away, so between now and then I’m going to highlight some players individually rather than lump a few together in one post.
Carl Thomore | OF
Background
Mike Trout has ensured that New Jersey will no longer go under-scouted. Thomore, who attends East Brunswick High School, has already dealt with far more adversity off the field than baseball could ever match. His mother passed away due to breast cancer when he was in the sixth grade, and a brutal ankle injury nearly ended his baseball career before it started. You can read all about the gruesome injury here. Thomore is committed to Rutgers Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Florida.
Scouting Report
Thomore’s best tool is something that is in short supply these days: power. He keeps the weight on his 6-foot-1, 195 lb. frame back and generates big time bat speed from the right side, hitting the ball to all fields but doing the most damage when he pulls it to left. An advanced approach helps his cause. Thomore is a good athlete with a strong arm, though he’s not good enough for center and profiles best in right. His bat projects to be plenty good for the position though.
Miscellany
If it wasn’t for the thwo guys at UConn (Matt Barnes and George Springer), you could make a case that Thomore is the best draft prospect from the Tri-State Area. He’s one of the better power prospects in the entire draft class, especially from the right side, and he’ll also provide value in the field. Keith Law and Baseball America have some differing opinions on Thomore; the former ranked him the 68th best draft prospect while the latter had him 112th. That’s quite a spread. Either way, he’s a second or third round guy and a personal fave.