Tyler Black

Black was a talented three-sport athlete who played football, hockey and baseball back in Canada. He had a loud freshman season with Wright State in 2019, hitting .353/.469/.600 with more walks (38) than strikeouts (18). Black entered the 2021 season as a sleeper candidate after a disappointing 13-game stretch in 2020, because scouts believed in his hitting ability and strike-zone discipline. Black lived up to those expectations this spring, although he admittedly plays in an extremely hitter-friendly conference and home park. Black posted a .383/.496/.683 slash line with a career-best 13 home runs while continuing to manage the strike zone at an impressive rate, with 39 walks to 25 strikeouts. Black has a big leg kick to start his swing but keeps his hands quiet and steady in his load before firing through the zone with impressive hand speed. He has a pull-heavy approach, and this spring did a tremendous amount of damage on pitches on the inner third. Black has an offensive-driven profile and while he’s played both second and third this spring, scouts see him more likely winding up at second base at the next level. He’s a fringy runner and defender, with below-average arm strength after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder to repair a labrum tear in 2020. Teams who buy into his bat could take him somewhere in the second- or third-round range after a strong 2021 campaign.