Kevin Parada

One of the top prep hitters in the 2020 draft class, Parada ranked as the No. 48 prospect on the BA 500 but made it to campus at Georgia Tech after going undrafted. His cross country move from Southern California to Atlanta should pay off, as Parada is now viewed as one of the best prospects in the 2022 draft class—and again viewed as one of the most accomplished pure hitters of the crop, albeit a more proven one with more power. A draft-eligible sophomore, Parada turned in a strong freshman campaign in 2021 (.318/.379/.550 with nine home runs and 20 doubles) before looking tired and worn out during the summer in the Cape Cod League and with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team. Over the offseason, Parada added more weight and strength, which translated into more home run power (26) and durability that has prevented fatigue from setting in at the end of the season. Parada has a unique pre-pitch setup at the plate, with his bat angled behind his back and pointed down into the dirt with his lead shoulder raised and almost directly between his eyes and the pitcher. Despite that unorthodox setup, Parada consistently gets to a good launch position and times up quality stuff, with the ability to hit for average power to all fields. His improved power production this spring came with reduced strikeout rates (from 16.9% in 2021 to 9.5% in 2022) and he also walked as frequently as he whiffed. Between his contact ability, newfound power and production in a strong conference, Parada’s offensive package is as complete and proven as anyone’s in the 2022 class. Defensively, it’s less glowing, though Parada has made strides to improve as a receiver and thrower this spring. He’s a good athlete and runner for a catcher, but could improve his lateral mobility and blocking, as well as his arm strength, which is cited as fringe-average currently. He did improve his 12% caught stealing rate from 2021 to 22% in 2022 and scouts who know him praise his work ethic and desire to stick at the position at the next level. Parada’s bat is enough to force its way into a big league lineup and he should be one of the first college players selected because of it.