2023 #7 Prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr. - CF

[G54377]

What about Michael Bourn?

[jabba72]

24 minutes ago, G54377 said:

What about Michael Bourn?

Not a terrible outcome if Bradfield had Bournes career. 

[Say O!]

1 hour ago, G54377 said:

What about Michael Bourn?

He might be the best true comp for Bradfield’s upside potential, packaging defense + baserunning + 9-10% walk rate with limited slug (never really cresting .400).  Those stats for Bourn were 5ish WAR.

Edited February 22 by Say O!

[btdart20]

We've talked about his otherworldly SwStr% (in the Arraez/Figgins realm).  If he swings, he's fouling it or putting it in play.  That also means his 14.5% minor league K% was mostly looking.  Arraez had mostly sub-10% K% at any level.  Figgins hovered around in the teens in his MiLB/MLB career.

Elias has said something about 'unlocking offensive upside' in a post-draft interview.  Could be normal Coach Speak.  Could be a legit swing change.  I tend to doubt the coaching direction for EBJ has changed over the last 7 months.   

The amateur swing analyst in me sees a very 'inside-out' swing where hitting the other way seems to be in the back of his mind.  His swing looks pretty flat.  Most of the hits in both videos are oppo.  

 

BB%.  To continue the Arraez comp, his 20+% BB% is about double what Arraez has posted in any given year at any level.  That said, will pitchers "pound the zone" (leading to less walks) as he moves up?  I wouldn't project on him maintaining a 20% BB% by any stretch.  But can he maintain a 10%?  No qualifiers posted a sub-.100 ISO and a 10% BB% in 2023 (Tony Kemp and Jace Peterson pulled the parlor trick with 400 PAs).  Going back to 2013, it's a revolving door of 2-4 players each year.  Low ISO typically rhymes with low BB%.  He might struggle to have a .320+ OBP if his bat doesn't "keep them honest."

If he can't tap into a bit more power, he'll need to maximize BABIP for his BB%/OBP to be the leadoff hitter we're dreaming of.  Most of the statcast stuff is based on EV and LA (even pull%).  But I don't think he has to have a HH% over 30% to be successful.  But I do think his Med% and LD% needs to be solidly on the plus side of league average (and the IFFB% needs to be significantly lower than the 9-10% norm too).  At least that's what the comps being posted suggest as a trend.  His current approach might be able to do that, especially as a LHH with speed.  He can bat last as a plus CF with a sub-optimal bat though.

[Just Regular]

If he doesn't become the everyday CF, some season Enrique Bradfield is going to pinch run and go in for defense for Heston Kjerstad or Colton Cowser about 36 times.

[MurphDogg]

15 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

If he doesn't become the everyday CF, some season Enrique Bradfield is going to pinch run and go in for defense for Heston Kjerstad or Colton Cowser about 36 times.

If the O's make the playoffs, I expect him to be doing that this October.

[Chaka Garcia]

Definitely, excited to find out what type of player he becomes- I hope it’s more Mullins than Bourn. 

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, MurphDogg said:

If the O's make the playoffs, I expect him to be doing that this October.

I very much doubt it.  

[Sports Guy]

3 hours ago, MurphDogg said:

If the O's make the playoffs, I expect him to be doing that this October.

Be surprised if he’s not depending on the roster construction at the time, injuries, etc….

OTOH, Mateo could be that guy too…so they may not want multiple of them.

[Just Regular]

I think if it happened the context would be taking 15 Bats and 11 Arms to a 5-game series kind of situation.

I believe Elias could scoot him on and off the 40 without risking some precious Rule 5 player.

[Frobby]

3 hours ago, Chaka Garcia said:

Definitely, excited to find out what type of player he becomes- I hope it’s more Mullins than Bourn. 

I’d say the odds are that Mullins will wind up not being as valuable as Bourn was (22.6 rWAR, 21.7 fWAR).  But it’s TBD.   

[jrobb21613]

Otis Nixon Didn’t carry a big stick and had a very respectable career playing great defense in center getting on base and stealing bases. 

[Sports Guy]

 

[Billy F-Face3]

Like the late, great, John Madden used to say.... "You can't teach speed. Speed kills." And Bradfield has plenty of it. He has elite speed. That will help him tremendously in many aspects of his game.

[justD]

Took this video of him doing live BP over at Twin Lakes Friday (March 8 2024). I think the pitchers were Forret and Cruz? 

Also, a friend of Bradfield's father was taking video next to me to send to his dad