Kyle Manzardo

Due in part to a dearth of quality college bats as well as an impressive season, Manzardo has shot up draft boards in his junior year and is now expected to be the first player taken out of the Pacific Northwest. The son of a coach, Manzardo was under the radar coming out of high school from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, but he’s performed since arriving in Pullman. Manzardo had a solid freshman season (.272/.335/.364), then hit .435/.500/.694 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in the shortened 2020 campaign. This year, he’s been just as good, hitting .365/.437/.640 with 11 home runs and 60 RBIs while cutting his strikeout rate significantly (12.7%) and raising his walk rate (10.9%). His defensive profile likely has him resigned to first base, with below-average defense at the position, and he’s not a great athlete, with below-average speed. Manzardo will have to rely on his bat to lead the way, but he has an advanced feel to hit from the left side. He gets credited for a strong approach to the game and has some of the best pitch-recognition skills of the class. Manzardo hits the ball to all fields, but can pull the ball well when needed and consistently works long at-bats. In addition to his plus bat, Manzardo has above-average power out of his 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame, with the potential to hit 20 home runs in the big leagues.