Message #1388242

[sportsfan882]

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=23504

MLB ETA: 2016    Bench Bat
Realistic Role: Bench Bat

Hit   35   Plus bat speed; elongated swing; too much of a process; noticeable hand-wrap; elbow moves; trouble catching up with mid to high end velocity; saw a lot of pitches but largely did nothing with them; able to pound him inside then sweep sliders away; needs to lessen noise in entire swing to make enough contact; great eye at plate; does not chase many pitches outside of the zone.
Power   55   Slight arc in swing; plus bat speed; plus raw power; plays down due to contact issues and elongated swing; Does not always barrel the ball, even in BP.
Baserunning/Speed   40   Not a burner; decent second gear; speed is not a factor in his game.
Glove   40   Poor third basemen; mechanical; feet stutter; does not read ball off bat well; better at first base; displays average range for the corners.
Arm   55   Arm is plus but plays down due to inaccuracy; does not always repeat the same arm slot on throws; struggles with this in infield practice as well.

Overall
I have seen Skole multiple times now, heading back to 2012 when he was with Hagerstown and Potomac. While he has raw power and a terrific eye at the plate, the swing has been extremely inconsistent. The year he missed due to injury may be a factor in development. However, he has a lot of work to do with the bat. The swing will never work if he cannot lessen the noise and shorten it. His fringe ability at the hot corners is also a hindrance on his overall future potential.