• Full name Joshua Warren Vitters
  • Born 08/27/1989 in Anaheim, CA
  • Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
  • School Cypress
  • Debut 08/05/2012
  • Drafted in the 1st round (3rd overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2007 (signed for $3,200,000).
    View Draft 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.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Minor League Top Prospects

Top 100 Rankings

Best Tools List

  • Rated Best Power Prospect in the Midwest League in 2009
  • Rated Best Batting Prospect in the Midwest League in 2009
  • Rated Best Power Hitter in the Chicago Cubs in 2009
  • Rated Best Hitter for Average in the Chicago Cubs in 2009
  • Rated Best Power Hitter in the Chicago Cubs in 2008

Scouting Reports

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