Ethan Anderson Stats & Scouting Report

AB	64
AVG	.313
OBP	.408
SLG	.453
HR	1

Full name Ethan Anderson
Born 09/21/2003 in Honolulu, HI
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: S / Throws: R
School Virginia
Drafted in the 2nd round (61st overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2024 (signed for $1,172,500).

View Draft Report

School: Virginia
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 20.8
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 50. Run: 40. Field: 45. Arm: 50.

Anderson is a physical 6-foot-2, 215-pound first baseman and catcher who hit over .300 with solid pop and on-base skills for three years at Virginia. He spent his freshman and sophomore seasons mostly at first base and DH given the presence of 2023 first-rounder Kyle Teel behind the plate. Anderson got more playing time at catcher in 2024 but remains a bat-first profile. He’s a strong and wide-shouldered switch-hitter with a steep and uphill swing, though he has done a nice job controlling the zone and showing impressive bat-to-ball skills. His 90% in-zone contact rate is an excellent example of his contact skills in college, though given his uphill bat path, he has done much more damage on balls middle-down than at the top-third of the zone. After striking out at a 20% clip as a freshman, Anderson lowered that to around 10% in his next two seasons, with more walks than strikeouts. He’s a below-average runner who won’t provide much defensive value if he can’t catch, so his profile depends on a team’s opinion of his receiving skills. His receiving needs more polish, and his footwork is inconsistent on throws, but he does have a solid throwing arm. Anderson is also young for the college class and will still be 20 on draft day.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High.

Track Record: Anderson boasted a bat that Virginia wanted to keep in the lineup in his three years there, though it took him until his junior year to feature much behind the plate given the presence of Kyle Teel. Anderson was a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference utility man as a junior, capping a career in which he hit 28 home runs and had more walks (103) than strikeouts (102). He signed as the 62nd overall pick in 2024 for a below-slot $1.17 million.

Scouting Report: The Orioles were most intrigued by Anderson’s on-base skills, which come about because of his ability to control his at-bats and demonstrate he has a plan based on what he swings at. He also hits the ball at good angles, and even if he doesn’t have top-end exit velocities, there’s potential for him to be an average hitter with average power. He’s athletic and moves well behind the plate but needs in-game experience, which the Orioles plan to give him in 2025. Amateur scouts viewed him as a fringy defender with average arm strength.

The Future: Anderson’s future value rests heavily on his ability to stick behind the plate, because his offensive profile might not fit at first base. He would be a solid, bat-first everyday catcher if he’s able to stick there. He’ll begin his first full season at High-A Aberdeen in 2025.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Field: 45 | Arm: 50.

Draft Prospects

School: Virginia Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 20.8
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Hit: 50. Power: 50. Run: 40. Field: 45. Arm: 50.

Anderson is a physical 6-foot-2, 215-pound first baseman and catcher who hit over .300 with solid pop and on-base skills for three years at Virginia. He spent his freshman and sophomore seasons mostly at first base and DH given the presence of 2023 first-rounder Kyle Teel behind the plate. Anderson got more playing time at catcher in 2024 but remains a bat-first profile. He’s a strong and wide-shouldered switch-hitter with a steep and uphill swing, though he has done a nice job controlling the zone and showing impressive bat-to-ball skills. His 90% in-zone contact rate is an excellent example of his contact skills in college, though given his uphill bat path, he has done much more damage on balls middle-down than at the top-third of the zone. After striking out at a 20% clip as a freshman, Anderson lowered that to around 10% in his next two seasons, with more walks than strikeouts. He’s a below-average runner who won’t provide much defensive value if he can’t catch, so his profile depends on a team’s opinion of his receiving skills. His receiving needs more polish, and his footwork is inconsistent on throws, but he does have a solid throwing arm. Anderson is also young for the college class and will still be 20 on draft day.