Garrett Whitley

Following his junior year at Niskayuna (N.Y.) High, Whitley was a fast-twitch athlete, with a raw swing and tools that he wasn't quite able to use yet. Whitley's tools earned him a spot on the Northeast's Area Code and East Coast Pro teams, where he took advantage of instruction from pro scouts and blossomed into a first-round talent. Whitley held his own at both events, loosening up his wrists and showing off even more bat speed, while showing surprisingly advanced pitch recognition skills for a player from upstate New York. With wide shoulders and powerful hands, Whitley is now able to impact the ball with authority, and he's beginning to tap into the natural power in his 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame. The Wake Forest commit mixes his impressive pitch recognition and timing with elite bat speed, giving him all the materials to develop into a plus hitter with above-average potential. What separates Whitley is his plus speed; despite his physically mature frame, Whitley records plus run times to first base and takes gazelle-like strides in center field. The only tool of Whitley's that doesn't project as plus is his throwing arm. Some evaluators grade it as average while others have seen a fringe-average arm. Whitley has an impressive sixth tool in his makeup, which he's evidenced with the ability to receive coaching and implement changes.