Drew Gilbert

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Mets #3 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Medium
  
  Track Record: Gilbert starred for a Tennessee team that led the nation in home runs and ranked no. 1 for much of the 2022 season. The Astros drafted him 35th overall that summer, and a year later he climbed quickly to Double-A in his first full pro season. The Mets acquired Gilbert and 19-year-old outfielder Ryan Clifford at the 2023 trade deadline, sending Justin Verlander and at least $35.5 million to Houston. New York will owe the Astros another $17.5 million if Verlander reaches 140 innings in 2024. Gilbert hit well for the Mets after the trade, helping Double-A Binghamton reach the Eastern League finals.
  
  Scouting Report: The 5-foot-9 Gilbert is short for an MLB hitter but not exactly undersized. He is strong and powerfully built with plus athletic ability, a high energy level and excellent bat speed. Gilbert plays to his strengths by hunting fastballs early in counts and looking to inflict pull-side damage, but otherwise works deep counts and stays within his zone. While with the Astros, he made an effort to contact the ball out in front of the plate to unlock more power. His flyball and pull rates spiked as a result. Ultimately, he probably settles in with average power. Gilbert is an above-average center fielder with a plus arm--he also pitched as a Tennessee underclassman--that will play in right field. He is a solid-average runner with strong baserunning instincts.
  
  The Future: At the end of the day, Gilbert may grade out average to above in every category, without a true carrying tool. On-base ability may end up being his best asset. Gilbert’s outfield versatility gives him a chance to be a regular wherever he is needed, depending on the makeup of the club.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #3 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Gilbert blossomed into one of the best players in the country by his draft season at Tennessee. Standing out as the heart and soul of a Volunteers team that ranked No. 1 in the nation all through 2022, Gilbert hit .362/.455/.673 with 11 home runs in 58 games. He went viral when he was ejected from Tennessee's super regional showdown with Notre Dame for arguing a called strike in a bizarre moment. The Astros selected Gilbert with the 28th overall pick and signed him for $2,497,500. He debuted with Low-A Fayetteville in August, but his season ended abruptly after a collision with an outfield wall.
  
  Scouting Report: A high-energy player with an all-gas-no-brakes approach to the game, Gilbert plays with an edge, but his tooled-up skill set is well-rounded on both sides of the ball. At the plate, Gilbert's game is predicated on his ability manage the strike zone and make high rates of barrel contact, particularly to right field. His maxed-out and muscular frame doesn't portend future power gains, but he's an average power hitter adept at ambushing pitches on the inner half to drive the ball to his pull side. While he's not an aggressive basestealer, Gilbert will flash plus run times, though he's more consistently an above-average runner. His speed translates to center field, where he's an above-average defender. Gilbert gets good jumps and has a plus arm that will play in any spot in the outfield. His all-around game and skill set should translate to an everyday role in the outfield, with little debate around Gilbert's medley of tools.
  
  The Future: A strong all-around talent with average or better tools across the board, Gilbert likely settles in as an average everyday center fielder.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 55. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #24 prospect in 2022 draft
  School: Tennessee Committed/Drafted: Twins ’19 (35)
  Age At Draft: 21.6
  BA Grade: 50/High
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60
  Gilbert might be a smaller center fielder at 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, but in 2022 he’s been the best hitter on the best team in college baseball, and he’s got the physical tools to back it up. Through 54 games during his junior season, Gilbert slashed .380/.474/.696 with 10 home runs, 20 doubles and as many walks (32) as strikeouts (32). Gilbert controls the zone well. He rarely chases at pitches outside of the zone and he also makes plenty of contact, with low whiff rates across all pitch types. He’s a twitchy, lefthanded hitter with bat speed and strength—with some of the louder exit velocity numbers among the top college hitters in the class. Most of his in-game power came to the pull side this spring, but he has shown enough juice to homer to left and left-center as well, though some scouts wonder if he’ll maintain that power at the next level with a wood bat. Gilbert has played a strong center field and should stick at the position at the next level. He’s turned in plus run times and he also has a strong, plus throwing arm that will be an asset for him regardless of the position. There’s a lot of safety in Gilbert’s profile given his up-the-middle defensive role and solid tool set across the board. The industry may be split on his overall upside potential, however, with some scouts more skeptical because of his maxed-out frame with little physical projection remaining. For teams who think his power and exit velocity numbers are more a product of aluminum bats and a good hitting environment in Knoxville, he could be viewed as more of a second-round pick, but his contact ability, performance and well-rounded tool set certainly has others interested in the second half of the first round.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #88 prospect in 2024
• Ranked Baseball America's #77 prospect in 2023

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Gilbert blossomed into one of the best players in the country by his draft season at Tennessee. Standing out as the heart and soul of a Volunteers team that ranked No. 1 in the nation all through 2022, Gilbert hit .362/.455/.673 with 11 home runs in 58 games. He went viral when he was ejected from Tennessee's super regional showdown with Notre Dame for arguing a called strike in a bizarre moment. The Astros selected Gilbert with the 28th overall pick and signed him for $2,497,500. He debuted with Low-A Fayetteville in August, but his season ended abruptly after a collision with an outfield wall.
  
  Scouting Report: A high-energy player with an all-gas-no-brakes approach to the game, Gilbert plays with an edge, but his tooled-up skill set is well-rounded on both sides of the ball. At the plate, Gilbert's game is predicated on his ability manage the strike zone and make high rates of barrel contact, particularly to right field. His maxed-out and muscular frame doesn't portend future power gains, but he's an average power hitter adept at ambushing pitches on the inner half to drive the ball to his pull side. While he's not an aggressive basestealer, Gilbert will flash plus run times, though he's more consistently an above-average runner. His speed translates to center field, where he's an above-average defender. Gilbert gets good jumps and has a plus arm that will play in any spot in the outfield. His all-around game and skill set should translate to an everyday role in the outfield, with little debate around Gilbert's medley of tools.
  
  The Future: A strong all-around talent with average or better tools across the board, Gilbert likely settles in as an average everyday center fielder.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 55. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Gilbert blossomed into one of the best players in the country by his draft season at Tennessee. Standing out as the heart and soul of a Volunteers team that ranked No. 1 in the nation all through 2022, Gilbert hit .362/.455/.673 with 11 home runs in 58 games. He went viral when he was ejected from Tennessee's super regional showdown with Notre Dame for arguing a called strike in a bizarre moment. The Astros selected Gilbert with the 28th overall pick and signed him for $2,497,500. He debuted with Low-A Fayetteville in August, but his season ended abruptly after a collision with an outfield wall.
  
  Scouting Report: A high-energy player with an all-gas-no-brakes approach to the game, Gilbert plays with an edge, but his tooled-up skill set is well-rounded on both sides of the ball. At the plate, Gilbert's game is predicated on his ability manage the strike zone and make high rates of barrel contact, particularly to right field. His maxed-out and muscular frame doesn't portend future power gains, but he's an average power hitter adept at ambushing pitches on the inner half to drive the ball to his pull side. While he's not an aggressive basestealer, Gilbert will flash plus run times, though he's more consistently an above-average runner. His speed translates to center field, where he's an above-average defender. Gilbert gets good jumps and has a plus arm that will play in any spot in the outfield. His all-around game and skill set should translate to an everyday role in the outfield, with little debate around Gilbert's medley of tools.
  
  The Future: A strong all-around talent with average or better tools across the board, Gilbert likely settles in as an average everyday center fielder.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 55. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  August Update: Gilbert might be a smaller center fielder at 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, but in 2022 he&#39s been the best hitter on the best team in college baseball, and he&#39s got the physical tools to back it up. Through 54 games during his junior season, Gilbert slashed .380/.474/.696 with 10 home runs, 20 doubles and as many walks (32) as strikeouts (32). Gilbert controls the zone well. He rarely chases at pitches outside of the zone and he also makes plenty of contact, with low whiff rates across all pitch types. He&#39s a twitchy, lefthanded hitter with bat speed and strength—with some of the louder exit velocity numbers among the top college hitters in the class. Most of his in-game power came to the pull side this spring, but he has shown enough juice to homer to left and left-center as well, though some scouts wonder if he&#39ll maintain that power at the next level with a wood bat. Gilbert has played a strong center field and should stick at the position at the next level. He&#39s turned in plus run times and he also has a strong, plus throwing arm that will be an asset for him regardless of the position. There&#39s a lot of safety in Gilbert&#39s profile given his up-the-middle defensive role and solid tool set across the board. The industry may be split on his overall upside potential, however, with some scouts more skeptical because of his maxed-out frame with little physical projection remaining. Gilbert signed with the Astros for $2,497,500 after being selected with the 28th overall pick.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 50. Run: 55. Field: 55. Arm: 60.