Scouting the 2017 Draft: Brady McConnell

Brady McConnell, SS, HS(FL).  6'3", 170 lbs.

Whoa!  I wasn't quite expecting to see what I found when I looked up Brady McConnell, a name I had not heard of before he showed up on mlb.com's Top 50 Draft Prospects at #12.  He's a tall, skinny SS prospect from Florida whose stock has apparently fluctuated fairly dramatically.  A late physical bloomer, he was listed as 6'1", 160 lbs in the summer of 2015 and grew to his current listed dimensions over the next year.

McConnell is a wiry strong 5-tool athlete who is just starting to grow into his body at age 18.5.  Coming up in travel and HS baseball, he was alway undersized for his level which forced him to learn the fundamentals of the game.  The closest physical comparison I can find is Matt Duffy who is listed at 6'2", 170 lbs.  McConnell's body reminds me more of what I imagine Troy Tulowitzki must have looked like in HS.  Tulo is currently listed at 6'3", 205 lbs.  I don't know if McConnell will ever weigh that much, but he looks like he could easily fill out to 190 lbs.

His fastest listed time in the 60 is 6.42 secs which is really fast.  His IF throws have been clocked at 92 MPH.  His scouting report says he has excellent foot and arm coordination and excellent carry on throws from the hole.  In other words, he's a true SS who can stick at the position.  He graded better in early summer showcases than later when he may have fatigued.  Stamina will be an issue until he proves he can hold up under the grind of a pro schedule.

The dilemma is where to slot him on my draft board.  He looks like he belongs just behind Hunter Greene in the stud HS prospects at the top of the draft, but is he enough of a sure thing to rank ahead of the peleton of college SPs?  I think I'll slot him in behind Alex Lange for now with the option of moving him WAY up if his stock looks like it is rising as the draft approaches.

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DrB's Updated 2917 Draft Board:

1.  Jordan Adell, OF, HS
2.  Mark Vientos, SS, HS
3.  Hunter Greene, RHP, HS
4.  Tanner Houck, RHP, College(Missouri)
5.  JB Bakauskas, RHP, College(North Carolina)
6.  Jeren Kendall, RHP, College(Vanderbilt)
7.  JJ Schwarz, C, College(Florida)
8.  Alex Faedo, RHP, College(Florida)
9.  Kyle Wright, RHP, College(Vanderbilt)
10. Alex Lange, RHP, College(LSU)
11.  Brady McConnell, SS, HS
12.  Alex Scherff, RHP, HS
13.  Hans Crouse, RHP, HS
14.  DL Hall, LHP, HS
15.  Conner Uselton, OF, HS
16.  Royce Lewis, SS/OF, HS
17.  Tristan Beck, RHP, College(Stanford)
18.  Brandan McKay, LHP, College(Louisville)
19.  Hagen Danner, RHP, HS
20.  Alejandro Toral, 1B, HS
21.  Colton Hock, RHP, College(Stanford)