Mikey Romero

Romero established himself as one of the top players his age as an underclassman at Vista Murrieta (Calif.) High and transferred to national prep power Orange (Calif.) Lutheran High for a chance at increased exposure. He got off to a slow start this spring and struggled at the National High School Invitational, but he recovered to show well at the Boras Classic and finished the season strong. Romero has a pretty, natural lefthanded swing and an advanced feel for hitting. He identifies pitches well and frequently gets the barrel to the ball to make consistent contact, including against high-end velocity and quality breaking stuff. Though Romero makes lots of contact, it’s often soft contact. He has a slender build and lacks the strength to do damage even when he squares balls up. He needs to make substantial strength gains to reach his potential as an above-average hitter with below-average power, with opinions sharply divided on whether he will be able to. Romero is an instinctive defender at shortstop with sure hands and a quick transfer, but his range is limited by his fringe-average speed and his fringy arm strength makes it difficult for him to make throws moving to his right. He is likely to move to second base or play a utility role. Romero is a mature, mentally tough individual who performed in high-pressure situations while his father battled advanced stage cancer. He also has athletic bloodlines: his older sisters Sierra and Sydney were two of the best college softball players of their generation at Michigan and Oklahoma, respectively. He is committed to Louisiana State.