Baseball Prospectus | | Eyewitness Scouting Report


	Josh Hart Born: 10/02/1994 (Age: 19)
	Bats: Left	Throws: Left
	Height: 6' 1"	Weight: 180
	Primary Position: CF

Wiry frame; small build; little legs; small overall frame; mild room for growth left; could fill out lower half some.

Evaluator	Tucker Blair
Report Date	07/20/2014
Dates Seen	7/18/14 - 7/20/14
Affiliate	Delmarva Shorebirds (Low A, Orioles)

MLB ETA	Risk Factor	OFP	Video
2018	High	50	Yes

Tool	Future Grade	Report
Hit	55	Excellent barrel-to-ball skills; minimal noise in hands once set; barrel is quick through zone from fast-twitch muscles in hands and wrists; has a slight lift in swing; can occasionally lift balls too much; lack of power makes this a hindrance; good extension; able to reach outside pitches and drive them on a line; shows able to barrel and spray ball all over diamond; batting practice consists of line drive after line drive; load is moderate; usually able to keep balance; sometimes will drift forward and become too weighted on front leg; hands will mildly drift at times but this was much less than initial look in April; moderate ability to recognize spin; froze on CB from Lucas Giolito in first AB but was able to adjust and recognize in second AB.
Power	20	Nothing; too bullish on the power in my initial report from April; just no impact and pop in the bat; can spray the ball gap-to-gap; but ball does not scream off the bat even when he barrels a pitch; I do think very mild power can develop down the road; just do not see it currently.
Baserunning/Speed	60	4.01 home to first; short legs but can reach max speed quickly; great agility; excellent on bases; shows instincts; speed is big asset in all phases of the game; will be a steal threat.
Glove	70	Excellent in CF; natural instincts; terrific reads on balls in the gap; works well at pivoting on ball hit directly over his head; great route-running; first step is excellent and a true example of how well his instincts are; plus speed and agility help him run down tough plays; not afraid to be aggressive on balls in the gap but understands when to put on the brakes; overall, shows excellent athleticism and instincts and could be a terrific defensive outfielder at the major league level.
Arm	40	Arm is not a weapon; small body without a ton of muscle; does not have enough to throw on a line from medium distance in OF; accurate throws.

Hart is a raw prospect with a long way to go before everything clicks. The defense and speed will carry him for now, but the bat has a bit to go before reaching its ceiling.

The consistent, short stroke from Hart works often, although the production remains hollow at this time. Hart makes a ton of contact, but he is still learning the in's and out's of the game. I can see the development from early April simply from his approach at the plate. He is progressing even though there has been little evidence. Hart is going to see production once he gets more acclimated with professional ball. Some of his best AB this series was against Giolito, where he showed progression and refinement from his first AB to the last.

Hart has high risk because the tools are raw currently. He will move slow and is the type of player that will need to make a stop at every level, likely for an entire year. The defense can get him to the majors alone, but the bat could end up being average. This is a speedy, leadoff type that could provide a little sparkplug atop a lineup.