• Full name Samuel David Ayala
  • Born 07/12/1994 in San Diego, CA
  • Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: R
  • School La Jolla Country Day
  • Drafted in the 17th round (531st overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2012 (signed for $258,800).
    View Draft Report
    Ayala's three-sport prowess kept him somewhat under the radar in baseball circles, but he made a name for himself at the Southern California Invitational at the MLB Urban Youth Academy in June, hitting an inside-the-park homer against top prep lefthander Max Fried and an RBI single to the opposite field against righty Andrew Potter. A standout defensive end in football, Ayala has a physical, 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame. He projects for average or slightly better power down the road, but scouts are divided on whether he will hit. He tends to get pull-happy and is vulnerable against soft pitches away or hard pitches in. He'll look bad at times in the batter's box, but his feel for hitting has improved and should solidify once he focuses on baseball. Ayala's arm is above-average, but his receiving and blocking is a work in progress. He moves well enough to play a corner outfield spot, but plenty of scouts think he has a chance to stick behind the plate. A club that believes in his power and defense could take him as high as the second or third round, while other teams would be content to let him go to UC Santa Barbara.

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