Nick Loftin

A steady player on both sides of the ball for Baylor since taking over at shortstop his freshman year, Loftin is solidly in the mix of the top shortstops in the college class. While there are others who might have louder tool sets or are better defenders, Loftin seems to do everything well. He’s hit above .300 in every season in the Big 12 with a clean, simple swing. He fields his position well, has good instincts and is an above-average defender at shortstop with the versatility to play almost every position. After hitting for more extra bases as a sophomore, Loftin may have been headed for a breakout offensive campaign in 2020, with two home runs, two triples and four doubles through just 13 games. His .264 isolated slugging percentage was the highest of his career, and he started moving up draft boards as a result. Some scouts see just fringe-average power and note that when he does impact the ball it’s typically only to his pull side, but a full season of performance may have been enough to change some minds. Loftin’s speed is just average. While Loftin might not have any standout tools, teams generally covet college shortstops with a solid all-around game, and that description fits the Baylor product well.