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Physical Description: Strong,
sturdy frame. Thick lower half. Minimal remaining projection.
Hit: Starts open with his hands high and
some pre-pitch movement. Leg lift timing device. Has previously
used either a high leg kick or a toe tap, so likely still
developing feel for preferred timing mechanism. Long, uppercut
swing. Swing is on the stiff side. Fringe-average bat speed.
Very rudimentary approach. Struggles recognizing secondary
pitches, especially breaking balls. Will extend out of the zone and
has a lot of swing-and-miss in his game. Can turn on fastballs
in. Potential below-average hit tool.
Power:
Plus raw power. More power to pull side at present. When he
squares the ball up, it goes a long way. Power comes from
combination of strength and bat speed. Combination of poor
approach and lack of contact skills make it unlikely power
potential will actualize in-game.
Run:
Well below-average speed. Not a part of his game.
Field: Hands and footwork are passable at third
base for now. Limited range and mobility, especially laterally.
Still developing a consistent pre-pitch setup. Stiff when
charging the ball. Won't be a flashy defender, but as long as he
doesn’t get too much bigger, could develop into an average
defender.
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Arm: Above-average arm strength. Struggles with
accuracy when throwing on the run.
Career
Notes: Rawlings First-Team All-American in high
school. Top 50 prospect in the 2018 draft. Was committed to
Vanderbilt. Had a low-90s fastball and hard slider that made him
a prospect on the mound as well as at third. Signed for
significantly over slot, but for less than some teams thought he
would need to sign. Participated in the Fall Instructional
League in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Summation:
Ceiling of a platoon bench bat, but has a long way to go
developmentally and needs to show significant improvement to
even approach that level. High-risk profile. Biggest strides
need to be made at the plate, especially with his approach and
bat-to-ball skills. Needs to learn to use all fields and improve
pitch recognition. Will always have swing-and-miss in his game,
but will need to keep it at a manageable level in order to tap
into his raw power, which is his best tool. Bat profiles better
at third base than at first base. Long-term defensive home will
depend on how he develops physically and maintains his
athleticism.
Links
Spring Training Video of Nick Northcut (3.23.19)
Scouting Report Update (4.14.2020)
State of the System: Corner Infielders (4.22.20) |
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