2019 3rd round pick (79): Zach Watson - CF - LSU

[weams]

Turning 22 

http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=211145621

Solid performer for three years. Hit over power. 70 Runner. 60 CF per Jim Callis

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=206428#Batting

[foxfield]

Have a big day Mike Elias!!!!

[higgybaby]

When is the pick?

[Moose Milligan]

Zack Watson, CF out of LSU.

[forphase1]

Zach Watson?

[epic]

Jim Callis is saying OF Zach Watson out of LSU.

[DirtyBird]

My OH sources say it’s Zach Watson, CF, LSU

[billhatf]

Who? Can he pitch??

[justD]

 

From 2080 Baseball 

[forphase1]

I'm a little underwhelmed by this pick considering others that were on the board.  But I trust Elias knows a ton more than I do.

[Just Regular]

Based on the MLB streaming guys bullet, my first impression is a McKenna clone, another right-handed Adam Eaton type.

[Ripken]

This is the 3rd straight pick that Houston appears to have interest in.  Just saying.

[Frobby]

BA had him ranked 90.   Write up found in the attached article on Louisiana prospects (he’s no. 5):  https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.baseballamerica.com/stories/top-louisiana-2019-mlb-draft-prospects/%3famphtml

5. Zach Watson, OF, Louisiana State (BA RANK: 90)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-0 • Wt: 166 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Red Sox '18 (40)

As a draft-eligible sophomore in 2018, no team came close to matching Watson’s asking price and he fell to the Red Sox’s final pick in the 40th round. This year, Watson is likely to hear his name called in the third or fourth round because of his wide array of tools. He’s a plus defender in center field (some scouts grade him as a 70 defender) with an average arm. He’s also a 70 runner who was 10-for-10 on stolen base attempts as of mid-May. He’s been one of the focal points of LSU’s offense for the past three seasons, hitting better than .300 in each of his three years in Baton Rouge while living up to the billing as the next in a long list of successful LSU center fielders. Watson also has some limitations, however, including an arm bar in his swing that makes him vulnerable to committing to his swing early. He can turn around a fastball and posts excellent exit velocities when he squares a ball up, but he struggles to recognize and hit breaking balls and he currently hits a lot of ground balls, which explains his relatively modest power numbers. He’s likely a fringe-average hitter at best, which limits his likely ceiling, but as a center fielder who can run, Watson provides value at a premium defensive position.

[LookinUp]

1 minute ago, forphase1 said:

I'm a little underwhelmed by this pick considering others that were on the board.  But I trust Elias knows a ton more than I do.

If you're anything like me, you have a probably unhelpful bias toward pitching. 

I think if I ran the O's, my roster would consist of about 18 pitchers, lol. They can play 1B/LF/RF/CF without a problem. 

[justD]

From MLB Pipeline where he was ranked 111

Quote

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 70 | Arm: 45 | Field: 60 | Overall: 45

As a freshman, Watson was Louisiana State's most dangerous hitter in the postseason, homering five times in 12 games as the Tigers made it to the 2017 College World Series finals. He hasn't shown quite the same power since but has posted identical stat lines in each of his three years of college while impressing with his speed and defense. After dropping to the Red Sox in the 40th round amid signability concerns as a sophomore-eligible, he'll go in the first five rounds this June.

Watson's best pure tool is his well above-average speed. His quickness and instincts allow him to steal bases and chase down balls all over center field, where he has a playable if fringy arm. His defensive ability is reminiscent of that of former LSU star Andrew Stevenson, who has seen big league time with the Nationals.

Watson's offensive game draws more mixed reviews from scouts. He has surprising bat speed and sneaky power for a speedster who's not physically imposing, though he gets caught up swinging for the fences too often. He'll need to make some adjustments to his right-handed stroke and improve his pitch recognition and plate discipline to handle more advanced pitching.