Josh Vitters, 3b, Cubs

June 7, 2007
E-mail Print

2007 MLB Draft B-T: R-R.
Ht: 6-3. Wt.: 195.
Birthdate: 8/27/1989.
School: Cypress (Calif.) HS.
Class: Sr.

THROUGH THE YEARS IN BASEBALL AMERICA
2007
• Devil Rays scouting director acknowledged that Vitters was one of three players he was considering selecting with the No. 1 overall pick.
• We ranked Vitters as the No. 3 prospect in our midseason draft update Premium. Vitters was also our No. 1 high school prospect for our midseason update.
• Alan Matthews blogged about watching Vitters play in early April while Vitters was still recovering from pneumonia.
• Vitters put on an impressive show Premium for scouts at the Loara Tournament in late March.
• Vitters made our high school preseason All-America team Premium.
2006
• At the World Wood Bat Association fall championship, we ranked Vitters as the event's No. 4 prospect Premium. He also emerged as the tournament's best batting prospect Premium.
• Vitters displayed "outstanding bat speed and made consistent hard contact" at the Area Code Games.
• Vitters shined at the Cape Cod High School Classic, taking home Team MVP honors.

SCOUTING REPORT
Vitters' older brother Christian was a solid prospect who had an excellent career at Fresno State. While Christian was a 10th-round pick, Josh figures to go nine rounds higher. He entered last summer as one of the top hitters in the class, then blew to the top of the heap while dominating at the Area Code Games, doubling three times at the Aflac Classic and earning MVP honors at the Cape Cod Classic. While Vitters has solid defensive and running tools, that's not what earned him such accolades--his bat did. He has tremendous feel for getting the fat part of the bat to the ball, and with his tremendous bat speed and barrel awareness, he drives the ball more consistently than any hitter in the class. Scouts describe him as the rare righthanded hitter with a pretty swing, and he's shown the ability to handle different velocities and different styles of pitching with ease. Vitters' his hand-eye coordination and ability to make contact are almost too good, because at times he swings at pitches he should let pass, rather than waiting for one he can punish with his all-fields power. While his hands and footwork at third are sound, he tends to misread hops, and defense doesn't come easy to him. His bat should play at any position, however. His only speed-bump this spring was a bout with pneumonia that caused him to miss two weeks, but he was still considered a near-lock to be picked in the first five spots overall.

indicates Premium Content | Copyright © 1999-2013 Baseball America Inc. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. All rights reserved. | Site Map | FAQs | Careers | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Return/Refund Policy.

Baseball America, 4319 South Alston Avenue, Suite 103, Durham, NC 27713. | Follow us on: