Nathan Church

Church was both a pitcher and position player in high school and redshirted his freshman year at UC Irvine after having Tommy John surgery. His return in 2020 was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, so he only got to play two full seasons for the Anteaters. He made the most of that time, batting .341 in his career as UC Irvine's starting right fielder. Church is a solid all-around player who does everything well. He's an average runner, has an average arm and is an average defender in the outfield. He makes contact, draws walks and controls the strike zone. Church has shown power in the past, but a wrist injury this spring sapped his thump and led to too much soft contact. He is limited to a corner outfield spot and will need to rediscover his power in order to rise in pro ball. Though he's officially a redshirt sophomore, Church is already 22 years old. His age makes him a senior sign candidate for teams at the end of the draft's second day or early on the third day.