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Physical Description: Strong,
sturdy frame. Has some projection remaining in his upper body.
Looks the part.
Hit: Starts vertical and
open with a narrow base. Utilizes a high leg kick.
Fringe-average bat speed. Brings hands up and down during his
load, which can cause his swing to get out of sync. Will take a
walk, but has a lot of swing-and-miss in his game and has posted
strikeout rates over 30 percent. Will expand the zone against
breaking balls and struggles with velocity up in the zone due to
the length in his swing. Potential well below-average hit tool.
Power: Plus raw power. Potential average
power in-game. Strong, has the ability to drive the ball,
especially to the pull side. Ability to tap into power will be
tested by inconsistent hit tool and makes it unlikely his power
will actualize in-game.
Run: Well
below-average speed. Not a part of his game.
Field: Soft hands, below-average range at third base.
Fundamentally sound, professional defender and will make the
plays on balls at him, but struggles when he has to move. Began
to see some time in the outfield in 2022 and really struggled.
Potential fringe-average defender.
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Arm: Average arm strength. Not a stand-out arm,
but strong and accurate enough for third base.
Career Notes: Was committed to Florida State before
signing. Was fitted for proper contact lenses after signing and
saw immediate gains in pitch recognition, leading to something
of a breakout debut in rookie ball. Participated in the Fall
Instructional League in 2018 and 2020. Participated in the 2021
Fall Performance Program. After significant
offensive struggles to begin the 2022 season in Double-A, was
sent back down to High-A in early June.
Summation: Potential bat-first minor league depth
player. Ceiling of an organizational player if he can make
substantial improvements with his hit tool. Could be a candidate
for a change of scenery where he undergoes a swing change. Needs
to cut down significantly on strikeouts in order to tap into his
power more effectively.
Links
Spring Training Video of Brandon Howlett
(3.21.2019)
Spring Training Video of Brandon Howlett
(3.23.2019)
State of the System: Corner Infielders (4.22.2020)
Scouting Report Update (3.13.2022) |
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