Wendell Fairley

Although Fairley's athletic ability and talent were recognized early, he has been somewhat of a mystery to most scouts because he split time between football (as a wide receiver) and baseball in high school. He also never showed interest in playing in showcases. Fairley's tools are unquestioned. He shows ability to hit for average as well as plus power, and his quick lefthanded stroke allows him to pull balls out of the park or line them to left field. He's a plus runner with solid-average arm strength and defensive ability that play perfectly in center field. He's just scratching the surface of his potential, and could develop into a player in the mold of Carl Crawford. As a 19-year-old father, his makeup has been analyzed closely, and he faced charges this season--which were later dropped--for his part in a school-bus prank on a 16-year-old teammate. Because of his limited baseball experience, he's somewhat of a wild card, but because of his tools he could be taken as early as the back of the first round.