• Full name Rafael Neda
  • Born 10/12/1988 in Ciudad Obregon, SON, Mexico
  • Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
  • School New Mexico
  • Drafted in the 10th round (309th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2010 (signed for $100,000).
    View Draft Report
    The school year got off to a rough start for Neda, as he came down with swine flu in the fall and lost 15 pounds. Neda has always been a gym rat, however, and as soon as he was healthy he got back to work and rebuilt his 6-foot-1, 220-pound frame. He has a rock-solid build without an ounce of fat. While offense can be difficult to judge in New Mexico's high altitude, scouts have no question Neda can hit, though his power is a question mark. In previous years he had a closed stance and a middle-away approach. This year, he narrowed and opened his stance a bit in an attempt to hit more home runs. He did that, though his contact rate suffered a bit and he still had just 10 homers on the season. He shows amazing raw power in batting practice, but scouts see him as a .280 hitter with average power. Defensively, Neda needs work. Early in the year he was setting up too deep behind the plate and had to stab at a lot of balls, but he is a solid receiver and adequate blocker, with soft hands. He has fringe-average arm strength, and his throwing is hindered by bad footwork. Some scouts expect him to lose a few pounds in the grind of catching a full pro season, which will help loosen him up and help his throwing. He's not the most vocal leader, but he is a smart player who leads by example. Neda profiles as a sixth- to 10th-round talent, but could go higher to a team that likes his bat and is willing to work with him behind the plate.

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