Player: Zack Collins
Position: C
DOB: Feb. 6, 1995 (21 years old)
Height/Weight: 6'3", 220 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/R
School: Miami
Previously Drafted: 2013 (27th Round, CIN)
Background
College catchers tend to sneak up draft boards when June rolls around, as teams are always looking for more catching depth, and high school catchers are arguably the toughest players of all to project.
There are still some questions whether he will in fact stick behind the dish long-term, but with a monster season offensively, Zack Collins his seen his stock trending up all spring.
Ranked as the No. 113 prospect in the 2013 draft by Baseball America, Collins slipped to the 27th round with a strong commitment to the University of Miami.
He made his presence felt immediately for the Hurricanes, winning Freshman of the Year honors with a .298/.427/.556 line that included 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 54 RBI.
That huge first season earned him a spot in the collegiate national team and quickly put him on the 2016 draft radar.
While questions about his defense remained, his stock continued to rise as a sophomore when he hit .302/.445/.587 with 14 doubles, 15 home runs and 70 RBI.
More accolades followed, as he was named to the All-American Third Team by Rawlings and All-ACC First Team, and he entered his junior campaign as a potential first-round pick, even if he was forced to move out from behind the plate.
He's still not a plus defender by any means, but he's shown enough improvement this spring to lead some to believe he can in fact catch at the highest level, which has obviously boosted his stock even further.
At the end of the day, though, it's still his bat that will carry him, and it's been an awfully loud bat in 2016.
Collins is currently hitting .358/.534/.631 with nine doubles, 13 home runs and 53 RBI. He's also lowered his strikeout rate from 20.6 percent to 19.1 percent, while raising his walk rate from 18.4 percent to 27.5 percent. That's the kind of improvement scouts love to see.
Pick Analysis
With a .534 on-base percentage that ranks fourth in the nation and plenty of home run pop, Collins is the rare catching prospect who is legitimately among the top bats in the country, not just a plus bat for his position.
Baseball America provided the following scouting report:
Collins has plus power, and does a good job of getting to it in game action. He has excellent plate discipline, working counts and waiting for pitches that he can drive. He has walked twice as often as he has struck out this spring.
Coming into the year, many doubted Collins' ability to stay behind the plate as a professional. But he has shown marked improvement this spring. While it's unlikely he'll ever be an above-average defender, he has enough catch-and-throw skills to give him a chance to catch as a professional.
That bat will play wherever he winds up playing in the field, and it's the decision about his defense that will ultimately decide how quickly he arrives on the scene in the majors.
Pro Comparison: Mike Napoli
Some believe Collins is capable of making a Kyle Schwarber-type impact with a quick ascent through the minors and an immediate MLB impact with his bat.
However, he doesn't quite have the same raw power that Schwarber possesses, and if his future is in fact behind the plate, a more traditional path through the minors to further develop his skills will be in his best interest.
Instead, a better comparison might be a left-handed-hitting version of Mike Napoli.
Napoli was never a standout defender behind the plate and has since moved to first base, but back in his catching days with the Angels and Rangers, he was one of the premier offensive players at the position.
The slugger recorded six straight seasons with at least 20 home runs during his peak, including a 30-homer season in 2011 that was accompanied by a huge .320/.414/.631 line.
That batting average proved to be an aberration, but Napoli has always displayed plus on-base skills with a .353 career on-base percentage that is 100 points higher than his .253 career average.
Collins has all the tools to develop into a passable defensive catcher who regularly slugs 20-plus home runs with an on-base percentage north of .350. That would make him one of the elite offensive players at a premium position.
Projection: Starting catcher with a bat that would play at first base if needed
Major League ETA: 2019
Chances of Signing: 90 percent
The questions about Collins' future behind the plate remain a major talking point, and he'd almost certainly improve his receiving skills with a return to Miami for his senior season. However, there's no reason to think he won't take the money and start refining those skills at the pro level.
College statistics courtesy of The Baseball Cube, unless otherwise noted, and accurate through Wednesday, June 8.
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