Lewis Brinson

Brinson is an intelligent, hard-working player whose father died when he was just 11 years old. Scouts like his tools and his makeup, but his performance has driven his stock down a bit this spring. He looks the part in a uniform, with a long, lean, athletic body and 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame that evokes Padres center fielder Cameron Maybin. Brinson has fairly long arms and is a long-levered athlete, with advantages and disadvantages associated with that. He's a fluid runner with plus speed and range to spare in center field. He should become a premium defender, with a plus arm as well. Brinson showed strong offensive potential last summer, beating Byron Buxton in the home run derby at Wrigley Field in the Under Armour All-America Game. He also showed the ability to hit velocity in the Perfect Game showcase in Jupiter, Fla., last October. However, Brinson has disappointed scouts this spring with his lack of consistent hard contact. His long levers lead to a long swing with too many holes, and his bat speed has regressed as he has lost his way mechanically. Teams that like Brinson in the first 60 selections will have to be confident in their projections on his bat.