Baseball Prospectus | | Eyewitness Scouting Report


	Rafael Devers Born: 10/24/1996 (Age: 18)
	Bats: Left	Throws: Right
	Height: 6' 0"	Weight: 240
	Primary Position: 3B
	Secondary Position: 1B

Lacks athleticism; thicker frame; sturdy core with strong wrists and forearms; lower half is large; more growth into frame could push him off 3B.

Evaluator	Tucker Blair
Report Date	05/04/2015
Dates Seen	5/2/15 - 5/3/15
Affiliate	Greenville Drive (Low A, Red Sox)

MLB ETA	Risk Factor	OFP	Video
2018	High	60	Yes

Tool	Future Grade	Report
Hit	60	Plus bat speed; slight pre-swing noise in hands; mild bat wrap; strong wrists and forearms help play up the fluidity of the swing through the zone; displays solid barrel control; able to manipulate barrel in zone and spray ball to all parts of the field; top and bottom half remain in sync; hips have natural and easy torque; moderate load; ability to recognize spin; can become off-balanced on front foot against CH that have ~8-10 mph separation from FB; barrel control and bat speed help limit the margin for error; mature presence at the plate with an advanced feel for hitting.
Power	60	Double-plus raw power; slight leverage in swing; plus bat speed and barrel control help play gap power; consistently generates backspin; power likely plays at plus in-game due to a swing currently more conducive for contact than power.
Baserunning/Speed	30	Well-below average speed; increased growth into frame will likely hinder speed.
Glove	40	Displays average range presently; footwork is inconsistent and can get choppy; works better around the base than in the open field; lacks the athleticism to make the difficult plays; body and athleticism is not conducive for a long term career at 3B; likely a 1B in the future.
Arm	55	Above-average arm strength; presently plays; enough carry to work efficiently at 3B; accuracy issues currently but slight refinement in footwork will bring improvement.

Signed as an international free agent in 2013 for $1,500,000. Devers displays an advanced feel and approach at the plate for his age, and put together a monster showing this weekend. This was an impressive showing for the Dominican talent, as he went 5-6 with two home runs on Saturday. The barrel control and bat speed help to limit most of his minor issues with recognizing off-speed, and he has the cognizance to make adjustments in-game and even during a single at-bat. The power is natural and easy, with minimal effort in the swing.

There is risk involved with Devers due to the body and defensive potential. Devers presently owns a larger frame and increased growth could further limit his development and chance to stick at 3B, which would push him to 1B. The bat should still play at 1B.