Derek Hill

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #23 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: The 23rd overall pick in 2014, Hill was sidetracked by injuries almost as soon as his career began. He missed time with lower back pain when he signed, was limited by a recurring quad injury in 2015 and had Tommy John surgery late in the 2016 season. Hill played 100 games in a season for the first time in 2018 and steadily made his way up the minors, culminating in his big league debut in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Even after all his injuries, Hill remains an explosive athlete. He dazzles defensively in center field with his plus-plus speed and outstanding defensive skills. Few doubt he would be one of the top defensive center fielders in the major leagues with regular playing time. Hill has discovered some power as he's gotten stronger, but he's a below-average hitter who swings and misses too frequently to be in the lineup everyday. He struck out in half of his plate appearances in his big league debut and doesn't have the approach or swing conducive to big league success.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hill's defense is exceptional, but without significant improvements as a hitter, he's no more than a bench option.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #22 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former player and now Dodgers scout Orsino Hill, Derek's pro career began with a myriad of injuries. The 2014 first rounder went through issues with his back and quadriceps his first two seasons before needing Tommy John surgery. The operation caused him to miss significant time in 2017. Hill reached Double-A for the first time in 2019 and managed to play a career-high 120 games, which allowed him to hit a career-high 14 home runs.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Hill is extremely athletic and has started to show more thump with the bat with full health. He makes loud contact and shows growing power, but his hit tool projects to be fringe-average at best due to an inconsistent approach and strikeout issues. Defensively, Hill is one of the best outfielders in the minors. His plus-plus speed and a strong throwing arm help him grade as a future plus-plus defender in center field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hill's future role is that of a backup outfielder. His defensive ability can change a game, but his bat is most suitable off the bench.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #28 prospect in 2018
  As the son of long-time player and now scout Orsino Hill, Derek has grown up around the game, but injuries and inconsistency at the plate have hampered the Tigers' 2014 first-round pick. Hill missed time in 2014 with a back injury, half of 2015 with a nagging quadriceps injury and then was shut down in August of 2016 with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. Hill is a plus-plus defender with plus-plus speed who is confident and aggressive at running down balls in the gaps. That speed also plays on the basepaths, but that aggression doesn't translate to the plate. Hill has enough bat speed and his hands work well, but too often his hips open up too soon and he pulls off pitches. He's gaining strength, but his swing isn't geared toward driving the ball. At this point, his most likely path to the big leagues is as a useful backup outfielder who can play all three spots. Hill will need to be added to the 40-man roster after the 2018 season, so this is a big test for him as he heads to Lakeland.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #10 prospect in 2017
  The Tigers selected Hill out of the same Elk Grove (Calif.) High program that produced 2016 first-rounder Dylan Carlson (Cardinals). The Tigers signed Hill for $2 million, swaying him from his commitment to Oregon. His father Orsino played for 12 pro seasons and is now a scout with the Diamondbacks. The younger Hill, who missed most of 2015 with a quadriceps injury, was healthy for most of 2016 before a ligament tear in his right elbow in August necessitated Tommy John surgery. When on the field, Hill showed the same tantalizing set of skills and got more results in a return to low Class A West Michigan. His best trait is his 70-grade speed on the 20-80 scouting scale, which helps him on the basepaths (he ranked second in the Midwest League with 35 steals) and in center field. He's the system's best defensive outfielder and turned in multiple highlight-reel plays. He also showed above-average arm strength. Before the injury the Tigers were working with Hill to better define what type of hitter he can be in the future. His lack of physicality combined with his speed means he's ideally suited to be a contact hitter who causes havoc on the basepaths. Position players usually come back from Tommy John surgery in about nine months, so Hill could be back by midseason 2017. He should report to high Class A Lakeland when he's ready to hit.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #10 prospect in 2016
  Hill, whose father Orsino played 12 pro season and now scouts for the Dodgers, signed with the Tigers for $2 million in their first-round pick in 2014. He missed time with lower back pain in 2014 after he signed, then in 2015 went on the disabled list for two weeks in April after pulling his left quadriceps. He returned, but re-aggravated the injury on July 10 and didn't play another game the rest of the season. Hill is the system's most explosive athlete, a 70 runner who glides around the outfield. His defensive instincts are polished for his age; he gets good jumps off the bat and takes direct routes to the ball, helping him cover plenty of ground in center field to go with an average, accurate arm. Hill has a quick swing, but he has a ways to go to become a productive hitter. Just before he got hurt, Hill had shown some progress going with where the ball is pitched, but he has to work to stay short to the ball. He's still learning how to turn on a ball with authority, as right now he typically only pulls the ball when he rolls one over for a groundout to the left side. He has below-average power, so he will have to improve his ability to hit for average and get on base to have value. After struggling in the low Class A Midwest League in 2015, Hill could return there to start 2016. He could break out with a full healthy season and the right adjustments, but he has proven to be more raw than initially expected.
• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #3 prospect in 2015
  The Tigers used their first-round pick in 2014 on Hill, who signed for $2 million then got off to a hot start in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. After sitting out three weeks with lower back pain, he didn't play well when he returned and his numbers dipped further when he moved up to short-season Connecticut in August, though his tool set remains exciting. Hill is an explosive, quick-twitch athlete with double-plus speed. He's already a terrific defensive center fielder'the best among 2014 draft picks--who covers ample ground with good reads off the bat, direct routes and an average, accurate arm. Hill, the son of a minor league hitting coach, has a quick stroke, good balance and a contact-oriented swing. He is a line-drive hitter who doesn't loft the ball much, so with his below-average power, he may be more of a doubles and triples hitter than a home run threat. Hill showed a sound hitting approach in high school and early in the GCL season . Despite Hill's struggles in his pro debut, he still excited evaluators with his potential as a two-way threat who could hit near the top of a lineup. The next stop for him should be low Class A West Michigan.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #22 prospect in 2014 draft
  A student of the game, Hill is the son of former first rounder (1982 January phase) and current Dodgers' area scout Orsino Hill, who was also an outfielder. Combining well above-average speed with defensive instincts makes Hill the top defensive center fielder in the draft class. He has plus range and made highlight reel grabs on the showcase circuit. The Oregon commit has at least an average arm with a quick release that is also accurate. Hill ran the 60-yard dash in the 6.3-second range last summer, and his speed could make him an impact basestealer. Orsino worked as a hitting instructor before scouting and his son has aptitude as a contact-oriented hitter. Hill has a quick righthanded stroke and works inside the ball, showing strike zone awareness. Scouts believe he'll also show power when he begins hitting the ball to his pull side more frequently. Hill rarely swings and misses in the zone, but will expand the zone against secondary stuff. His swing is geared more toward line drives with below-average over-the-fence power. The 6-foot, 185-pound Hill has an athletic, toned build with build with room to get stronger.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #6 prospect in 2014
  Hill signed for $2 million as the No. 23 overall pick, then got off to a fast start in the GCL, but he missed nearly three weeks in July as the Tigers held him out due to lower-back pain. His performance dipped when he returned, and while he struggled upon an August promotion to short-season Connecticut, his explosive tool set made him one of the GCL's best prospects. Hill is an excellent athlete and a 70 runner on the 20-80 scale. The best defensive center fielder in the draft this year, he gets good reads off the bat and has plus range, along with an average, accurate arm. The son of a minor league hitting coach, he has a quick, contact-oriented swing with good balance. He has a mature hitting approach, though he will expand the zone against good offspeed stuff and become pull-oriented. His swing isn't conducive for loft and he projects as a line-drive bat with below-average power.

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The 23rd overall pick in 2014, Hill was sidetracked by injuries almost as soon as his career began. He missed time with lower back pain when he signed, was limited by a recurring quad injury in 2015 and had Tommy John surgery late in the 2016 season. Hill played 100 games in a season for the first time in 2018 and steadily made his way up the minors, culminating in his big league debut in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Even after all his injuries, Hill remains an explosive athlete. He dazzles defensively in center field with his plus-plus speed and outstanding defensive skills. Few doubt he would be one of the top defensive center fielders in the major leagues with regular playing time. Hill has discovered some power as he's gotten stronger, but he's a below-average hitter who swings and misses too frequently to be in the lineup everyday. He struck out in half of his plate appearances in his big league debut and doesn't have the approach or swing conducive to big league success.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hill's defense is exceptional, but without significant improvements as a hitter, he's no more than a bench option.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The 23rd overall pick in 2014, Hill was sidetracked by injuries almost as soon as his career began. He missed time with lower back pain when he signed, was limited by a recurring quad injury in 2015 and had Tommy John surgery late in the 2016 season. Hill played 100 games in a season for the first time in 2018 and steadily made his way up the minors, culminating in his big league debut in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Even after all his injuries, Hill remains an explosive athlete. He dazzles defensively in center field with his plus-plus speed and outstanding defensive skills. Few doubt he would be one of the top defensive center fielders in the major leagues with regular playing time. Hill has discovered some power as he's gotten stronger, but he's a below-average hitter who swings and misses too frequently to be in the lineup everyday. He struck out in half of his plate appearances in his big league debut and doesn't have the approach or swing conducive to big league success.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hill's defense is exceptional, but without significant improvements as a hitter, he's no more than a bench option.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The 23rd overall pick in 2014, Hill was sidetracked by injuries almost as soon as his career began. He missed time with lower back pain when he signed, was limited by a recurring quad injury in 2015 and had Tommy John surgery late in the 2016 season. Hill played 100 games in a season for the first time in 2018 and steadily made his way up the minors, culminating in his big league debut in 2020.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Even after all his injuries, Hill remains an explosive athlete. He dazzles defensively in center field with his plus-plus speed and outstanding defensive skills. Few doubt he would be one of the top defensive center fielders in the major leagues with regular playing time. Hill has discovered some power as he's gotten stronger, but he's a below-average hitter who swings and misses too frequently to be in the lineup everyday. He struck out in half of his plate appearances in his big league debut and doesn't have the approach or swing conducive to big league success.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hill's defense is exceptional, but without significant improvements as a hitter, he's no more than a bench option.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former player and now Dodgers scout Orsino Hill, Derek’s pro career began with a myriad of injuries. The 2014 first rounder went through issues with his back and quadriceps his first two seasons before needing Tommy John surgery. The operation caused him to miss significant time in 2017. Hill reached Double-A for the first time in 2019 and managed to play a career-high 120 games, which allowed him to hit a career-high 14 home runs.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Hill is extremely athletic and has started to show more thump with the bat with full health. He makes loud contact and shows growing power, but his hit tool projects to be fringe-average at best due to an inconsistent approach and strikeout issues. Defensively, Hill is one of the best outfielders in the minors. His plus-plus speed and a strong throwing arm help him grade as a future plus-plus defender in center field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hill’s future role is that of a backup outfielder. His defensive ability can change a game, but his bat is most suitable off the bench. BA GRADE 40 Risk: Medium BA GRADE 40 Risk: Medium
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The son of former player and now Dodgers scout Orsino Hill, Derek's pro career began with a myriad of injuries. The 2014 first rounder went through issues with his back and quadriceps his first two seasons before needing Tommy John surgery. The operation caused him to miss significant time in 2017. Hill reached Double-A for the first time in 2019 and managed to play a career-high 120 games, which allowed him to hit a career-high 14 home runs.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Hill is extremely athletic and has started to show more thump with the bat with full health. He makes loud contact and shows growing power, but his hit tool projects to be fringe-average at best due to an inconsistent approach and strikeout issues. Defensively, Hill is one of the best outfielders in the minors. His plus-plus speed and a strong throwing arm help him grade as a future plus-plus defender in center field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Hill's future role is that of a backup outfielder. His defensive ability can change a game, but his bat is most suitable off the bench.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: The Tigers selected Hill out of the same Elk Grove (Calif.) High program that produced 2016 first-rounder Dylan Carlson (Cardinals). The Tigers signed Hill for $2 million, swaying him from his commitment to Oregon. His father Orsino played for 12 pro seasons and is now a scout with the Diamondbacks. The younger Hill, who missed most of 2015 with a quadriceps injury, was healthy for most of 2016 before a ligament tear in his right elbow in August necessitated Tommy John surgery. Scouting Report: When on the field, Hill showed the same tantalizing set of skills and got more results in a return to low Class A West Michigan. His best trait is his 70-grade speed on the 20-80 scouting scale, which helps him on the basepaths (he ranked second in the Midwest League with 35 steals) and in center field. He's the system's best defensive outfielder and turned in multiple highlight-reel plays. He also showed above-average arm strength. Before the injury the Tigers were working with Hill to better define what type of hitter he can be in the future. His lack of physicality combined with his speed means he's ideally suited to be a contact hitter who causes havoc on the basepaths.
  
  The Future: Position players usually come back from Tommy John surgery in about nine months, so Hill could be back by midseason 2017. He should report to high Class A Lakeland when he's ready to hit. His speed and defense should help buy his bat time to develop.
• December, 2014 Scouting Report
  The Tigers used their first-round pick in 2014 on Hill, who signed for $2 million then got off to a hot start in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. After sitting out three weeks with lower back pain, he didn't play well when he returned and his numbers dipped further when he moved up to short-season Connecticut in August, though his tool set remains exciting. Hill is an explosive, quick-twitch athlete with double-plus speed. He's already a terrific defensive center fielder'the best among 2014 draft picks--who covers ample ground with good reads off the bat, direct routes and an average, accurate arm. Hill, the son of a minor league hitting coach, has a quick stroke, good balance and a contact-oriented swing. He is a line-drive hitter who doesn't loft the ball much, so with his below-average power, he may be more of a doubles and triples hitter than a home run threat. Hill showed a sound hitting approach in high school and early in the GCL season . Despite Hill's struggles in his pro debut, he still excited evaluators with his potential as a two-way threat who could hit near the top of a lineup. The next stop for him should be low Class A West Michigan.