Drafted in the 3rd round (89th overall) by the New York Mets in 2010 (signed for $392,400).
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The younger brother of former Arkansas star and current Padres farmhand Logan Forsythe, Blake chose to stay in the Volunteer state after attending high school in Memphis. Forsythe broke though with a first-team all-Southeastern Conference sophomore season, showing his brother's trademark patience (40 walks) as well as above-average raw power. He followed that with a strong summer for USA Baseball's college national team and entered the spring as a potential first-round pick. He maintained the power production as a junior, but in most other facets of his game Forsythe was struggling. He came out of the gate slowly and scouts thought he was pressing. Forsythe always has had swing-and-miss issues and has struggled even more with breaking balls this season. His patience at times fell into passivity, leading to more strikeouts. Forsythe's defensive tools include a plus arm--he threw out 35 percent of basestealers this season--and fringe-average receiving and blocking skills. Forsythe performed better as the year wore on and would benefit from a regional bid for the Volunteers. With college catching always at a premium, Forsythe could go anywhere from the third round to the seventh.
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Forsythe hit .347 and slugged 15 home runs as a Tennessee sophomore but suffered an apparent case of draftitis last spring, again smacking 15 homers but hitting just .286 with 54 strikeouts in 55 games. The Mets selected Forsythe in the third round and signed him for $392,400, but he didn't turn too many heads with a lifeless pro debut. Like his brother Logan, a second-base prospect with the Padres, Blake possesses strong plate discipline. He compiled a .450 on-base percentage in his last two college seasons, though his batting eye deserted him in his first taste of pro ball. He works deep counts but likes to take huge cuts and may never hit much more than .250. He has above-average power from left field to right-center, and could hit 20 homers per season. New York will accept his strikeouts if that power materializes. Forsythe throws well and nabbed 33 percent of pro basestealers. Some scouts slap above-average grades on his receiving, while others assess it as fringy. Like most catchers, he's not a runner. Forsythe has two plus tools in his power and his arm strength, which could make him a decent starter or quality backup if his receiving and game-calling are up to the task. He'll start his first full pro season in low Class A.
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