Amateur Hour: Austin Meadows

With the draft just a few days away, things are starting to fall into place for the first few picks. After an unspectacular spring, Austin Meadows has dropped from a potential first overall pick down to a spot where the Red Sox could likely pick up on him. The question is whether the toolsy outfielder has dropped to a point where picking him would not be wise at the seventh overall place.

Jul 4, 2011; Boston, MA, USA; A general view during a flyover past a large American flag draped over the green monster prior to a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Like his fellow Georgia high schooler Clint Frazier, Meadows has tools galore. He is a 6’3″, 200 pound center fielder who is likely to develop into a player with a ceiling perhaps similar to current Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Meadows can run and field as well as any high school outfielder and there appears to be little question of whether he can stay in center field longterm, unlike Frazier. However, this spring has called into the question the strength of his hit and power tools.

When Meadows is on, he has shown the ability to spray the ball to all fields. He has a bit of power and should grow into more as he fills out. His best tool at this point is his speed, which translates to defense, making him a potential leadoff hitter in the future. If the Red Sox are confident in Meadows’ ability to grow into his potential, he looks like a great pick, but there are major questions of whether or not he will grow up to that ceiling.