AB | 68 |
---|---|
AVG | .368 |
OBP | .413 |
SLG | .632 |
HR | 4 |
- Full name Jordan Thomas Luplow
- Born 09/26/1993 in Visalia, CA
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Fresno State
- Debut 07/28/2017
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Drafted in the 3rd round (100th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014 (signed for $500,000).
View Draft Report
Scouts were flocking to Fresno this season for all the high school talent in the area, but also to see a Fresno State roster heavy with upperclassmen. Luplow stayed healthy as a junior after injury problems in his first two years and had passed Jordan Brink as the Bulldogs' top prospect. He had right shoulder surgery (labrum) as a high school senior, missed 14 games as a sophomore with a left shoulder injury, then left the Cape Cod League early last summer with a knee injury. While his right/right profile and average 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame don't stand out, his hitting ability does. His sound hitting mechanics, solid bat speed and improved approach have resulted in a monster .385/.478/.629 junior season, putting him among the Mountain West Conference leaders in all three categories as the conference tournament opened. He's a decent runner who profiles as a corner outfielder. A prep third baseman, he has an accurate, solid-average arm, making right field a possibility. If teams have no lingering medical concerns, Luplow should hit his way into the first three rounds.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Luplow was an afterthought heading into the 2017 season after a mediocre year at high Class A Bradenton. However, the former Mountain West Conference player of the year at Fresno State had the most successful offensive season among Pirates minor leaguers in 2017. Luplow hit 23 home runs in 117 games at Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis, helping both teams reach the postseason. He was then called up to the Pirates to shore up their outfield depth. Throughout the season, he showed power to all fields, good feel for the barrel, quick hands and good pitch recognition. His success at the plate also seemed to translate to improvements in the rest of his game. Luplow doesn't have great speed, but he's smart on the basepaths and quick to take extra bases when they're there. A converted third baseman, he doesn't have great range in right field, but it improved this year, and he also showed a plus arm with excellent accuracy. Luplow has a good chance of starting 2018 with the Pirates as an extra outfielder. -
Selected with the 100th overall pick in the 2014 draft out of Fresno State, Luplow played mostly left field at short-season Jamestown in his pro debut season. The Pirates shifted him to third base in instructional league, and he played exclusively at the hot corner in 2015 at low Class A West Virginia. Luplow played third base during high school in Clovis, Calif., and wound up being a solid defender at the posi- tion following some rough patches early in the year. He has a strong, accurate arm and his range is solid. Luplow profiles as a potentially above-average hitter at third base because he is able to generate power with his line-drive stroke. He also has a good eye at the plate, is willing to work a walk and is a threat to steal a base despite ordinary speed. Injuries have long been a concern with Luplow, who missed time with injuries to both shoulders and a knee during his amateur career and was also bothered by a sore throwing shoulder at times in 2015. He will begin the 2016 season at high Class A Bradenton but has the makeup and aptitude to move up the ladder quickly.
Draft Prospects
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Scouts were flocking to Fresno this season for all the high school talent in the area, but also to see a Fresno State roster heavy with upperclassmen. Luplow stayed healthy as a junior after injury problems in his first two years and had passed Jordan Brink as the Bulldogs' top prospect. He had right shoulder surgery (labrum) as a high school senior, missed 14 games as a sophomore with a left shoulder injury, then left the Cape Cod League early last summer with a knee injury. While his right/right profile and average 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame don't stand out, his hitting ability does. His sound hitting mechanics, solid bat speed and improved approach have resulted in a monster .385/.478/.629 junior season, putting him among the Mountain West Conference leaders in all three categories as the conference tournament opened. He's a decent runner who profiles as a corner outfielder. A prep third baseman, he has an accurate, solid-average arm, making right field a possibility. If teams have no lingering medical concerns, Luplow should hit his way into the first three rounds.
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018
- Rated Best Power Hitter in the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018