|
Physical Description: Slightly undersized but
well-built frame. Strong core, thick lower half. Minimal
physical projection remaining. Solid athlete.
Hit: Compact swing. Wide base in stance. Starts
vertical with a slightly open stance. Utilizes a short leg
kick timing device. Has quick hands and is loose at the plate.
Possesses plus bat speed. Tracks the ball well. Swing can get
long, creating a hole on the inner half. Has a lot of
swing-and-miss at present. Approach is inconsistent. Can get too
aggressive early in the count, hunting fastballs and looking to
pull the ball. Susceptible to breaking balls, but pitch
recognition has improved and strikeout rate decreased as he has
moved up the system. Ability to make contact once suffered due
to his tendency to sell out for power and try to hit every pitch
out of the park, but reined in that tendency to a significant
degree beginning in 2017, to great effect. Has not completely
lost tendency to swing for the fences on occasion, and will pop
balls up as a result. Potential fringe-average hit tool.
Power: Could develop plus in-game power, capable of
hitting 25-plus home runs a year. Easy plus raw power comes from bat
speed and ability to barrel the ball with backspin. Has already
shown in-game, over-the-fence power, especially to the pull
side. How much power actualizes at the highest level will be
determined by how his hit tool develops.
Run: Below-average runner.
Won't be a major part of his game, but could steal 5-10 bases a
year mainly due to instincts.
Field: Not the
most fluid defender. Footwork is choppy and lets the ball play
him at times. Hands work and has average range in the field. Has
more range to his glove side than when going to his right. Has the raw tools
to be at least a fringe-average defender. Started playing first
base in the 2017 Arizona Fall League and second base during
Spring Training 2019. Played shortstop initially after signing,
but was moved off the position to third base very soon
thereafter.
Arm:
Above-average arm, able to make all the throws from third base,
including deep against the foul line. Accuracy suffers at times
due to sloppy footwork. |
|
Career Notes:
Committed to Clemson before signing. Played shortstop, third base,
and outfield in high school. Participated in 2014 and 2015 Fall
Instructional League. Missed six weeks of the 2016 season with a
left thumb injury, then broke a finger two weeks after coming
off of the DL and didn't tell the
team until September, leading in part to poor
numbers after a great start. An elbow injury suffered before
the start of the 2017 season hampered him for most of the first two months
of the season. Once possessing something of a crude approach,
began taking meticulous notes about each plate
appearance in 2017. Entered 2018 as a consensus top 100 prospect. A non-roster invitee to MLB Spring Training in 2018,
suffered an oblique injury early in camp and was shut down.
Suspended for 80 games in April 2018 for violating the Minor
League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Had been a
consensus top 100 prospect in baseball prior to that. Was
assigned to participate in the 2018 Arizona Fall League, but
unable to play because of a sore wrist. Was ranked by MLB.com as
a top 100 prospect entering 2019. Led team
in home runs in 2019 Spring Training in just 24 plate
appearances. Opened 2021 optioned to the Alternate Training
Site. Spent the first half of the 2021 season moving between
Boston and Worcester before being dealt to PIttsburgh at the
trade deadline for LHP Austin Davis.
Summation:
Has the potential to develop into a second division regular.
Needs to make major strides defensively and continue to develop
his approach and pitch recognition. If defense doesn't develop
looks like a potential bat-first utility player who gets moved
around to several positions in order to get him in the lineup.
Bat would be an asset if he can stick at third base long-term,
but seems to be making the transition to primarily
playing first and second base for the 2019 season. Bat profiles
better at second base than first base, but it is questionable whether
he could play there consistently. Really confident player. Enthusiastic;
enjoys playing the game. Hard worker. Student of the game.
Injuries and suspension have slowed his development.
Links
2014 Top 40 Season in Review (11.5.14)
Anxious Chavis opens spring training with... (3.18.15)
Scouting Scratch (3.19.15)
Video from Spring Training (3.31.15)
Podcast: Interviews with Chavis and Longhi (8.21.15)
Scouting Scratch (9.3.15)
The Write-Up (10.23.15)
2015 Top 40 Season in Review
Notes from the Field (3.18.16)
Chavis optimistic after offseason adjustments (3.29.16)
Scouting Scratch (7.26.16)
Scouting Scratch (7.28.17)
Scouting Scratch (5.3.2021) |
|