No. 13: Red Sox utility-man prospect Tyler McDonough
In the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft, the Red Sox selected Tyler McDonough out of North Carolina State. Want to hear little bit about him? Okay, well – dude can rake, mash, run, and field basically any position.
How does that sound? Pretty good?
McDonough slashed .298/.388/.496 with seven doubles, four triples, and three home runs in 31 games. He drove in 15 runs and scored 25 more, stealing three bases. The switch-hitter’s run production is legit, and he has a good eye.
Not a ton of home run power, but a pretty decent amount. Could manage a lot of extra base hits, with tons of doubles and peppering in some triples. 20-ish home runs is a real possibility as well.
He has great speed. This helps him on defense, adding a lot of range. Meanwhile, it could lead to not only him taking the extra-base on occasion, but stealing a good 20-plus bases.
As I’ve already mentioned, McDonough can play a ton of positions. He was mostly in center field this season. However, he can play all three outfield spots. He also played a decent amount at second base this year. The 22-year-old has even played some third base in the past and I wouldn’t be surprised if he took some reps at short and first to round it all out. Oh, and I did say “round it all out” because he used to be a catcher. Literally put him anywhere in the field.
McDonough has a glove too. Good first step, quick with a lot of range, soft glove, and good footwork. He doesn’t seem lost no matter where he is. And he has a very solid arm that should play at any position. Swiss-army-knife type players are invaluable. They can be plugged in anywhere, giving your team so much extra flexibility. The fact that he can give you a great OBP, with power and a ton of speed is just the icing on the cake.
McDonough could be a phenomenal utility-man. And one that will be good defensively anywhere you put him. He’ll give you average and steals, and throw in a decent amount of home runs for good measure. Definitely someone to keep an eye on as he develops. The fact that he’s coming out of College means he’s already a little more mature, so he could climb the Red Sox ranks quickly.
Hit: 60
Power: 50
Run: 60
Arm: 55
Field: 55
Overall: 55