AB 654
AVG .188
OBP .308
SLG .252
HR 6
  • Full name Stephen R Englund
  • Born 06/06/1988 in Bellevue, WA
  • Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
  • School Bellevue
  • Drafted in the 2nd round (70th overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2006 (signed for $515,000).
    View Draft Report
    A third-team preseason All-American and key recruit for Washington State, Englund has all the tools scouts could want in a high school hitter. Like many of his peers, he just didn't show the most important tool--hitting--often enough as a high school senior. Englund is an excellent athlete and passes the "eye test"--he looks like a player in uniform. The same is true in batting practice, when Englund can put on a show with long home runs thanks to his excellent bat speed and a swing with plenty of leverage. Englund also impresses during infield practice, showing off a plus arm that should help him make the transition to third base from his prep position of shortstop. But in games, the tools just haven't played consistently. As one scout put it, his high school career just has involved too much drama, including being kicked off the team once and reinstated. Englund's inability to close up holes in his swing points to his inability to make adjustments, and even his advocates warn that Englund's bat could take five years to reach its potential. Scouting directors and organizations that covet high-end tools are likley to be too tempted to let Englund slide out of the first five rounds, however.

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