Follow the Prospects: Brandon Miller, OF

[Glockypoo]

Brandon Miller
Up to date stats on milb.com: http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=543544

Born: 10/08/1989
Birthplace: Tyrone, GA
College: Samford
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 215
Bats: R
Throws: R
Position: RF
Drafted: 4th round in 2012 draft by Washington.
Ranked No. 18 among Nationals prospects by MLB.com entering the 2013 season
Led the nation with 23 homers as a senior in 2012. Also ranked second in the Southland Conference and 15th nationally with a school-record 65 RBIs. Started his college career at Georgia Tech before transferring to Northwest Florida Community College and eventually Samford.

Baseball America on Miller: "(Miller) has two plus tools with righthanded power...and a 65 arm on the 20-80 scouting scale. He's made more contact this spring but isn't a big bet to hit for average."

Baseball Prospect Nation: "Outfielder Brandon Miller could be an interesting pick given his impressive raw power. He has a right-field profile both offensively and defensively and the Nats could push him quickly through the system because of his refined approach to the game."

 

[Glockypoo]

Hope the mods don't mind I went ahead and added one for Miller.

[Lintyfresh85]

30+ XBH is great. K/BB not so much.

Been watching him closely this year. Hope he keeps it up.

[Glockypoo]

Homer 13 last night(woo!) but 16 Ks in his last 10 games (ugh).

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Feartured yesterday on the Farm Report during the giants game.

he was old for Hagerstown (23), and only the power jumped out.
395 ABs, .243 / .308 / .456, 18 HR, 46 XBH.  Seems they were slow to promote because of the 30+% K rate.

Small sample, but he started Potomac pretty hot:
47ABs, .447/ .490 / .638, 1 HR, 6 XBH.  Can't make much of these numbers, but 6/47 is about 13%, while 46/395 is about 12%, so it looks like he's still hitting the ball hard at a higher level.  still about a 20% K rate (10 for 50 PAs) and the walk allergy that's become common for our marginal prospects.

[blue911]

Feartured yesterday on the Farm Report during the giants game.

he was old for Hagerstown (23), and only the power jumped out.
395 ABs, .243 / .308 / .456, 18 HR, 46 XBH.  Seems they were slow to promote because of the 30+% K rate.

Small sample, but he started Potomac pretty hot:
47ABs, .447/ .490 / .638, 1 HR, 6 XBH.  Can't make much of these numbers, but 6/47 is about 13%, while 46/395 is about 12%, so it looks like he's still hitting the ball hard at a higher level.  still about a 20% K rate (10 for 50 PAs) and the walk allergy that's become common for our marginal prospects.

Isn't that why they are marginal in the first place?

It isn't as if Miller's BB% is horrible (7.6% is better than Jacoby Ellsbury's as an example) but if he can maintain or improve as he progresses. Without having access to O+Z Swing and Contact data, it's tough to make an accurate assessment without seeing him play on a steady basis. The glove is brutal from what I've heard.


 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

You are right that inferring what he is swinging at and taking and making contact with is just an inference off of the quoted stats. The Ks in low A (135 out of ~ 430 PAs, with only 34 BB) probably is a decent sign that he's either swinging and missing quite a bit, cannot recognize a strike and taking a lot of them, or perhaps is so advanced he refuses to swing at pitches that are being called strikes but are unhittable. 

[sportsfan882]

He's batting .182 but has 4 HRs in 33 ABs so far this season in Potomac. 7 BB/8 K

[Lintyfresh85]

His MiLB profile is saying he's retired... lock it up.

[Natsinpwc]

couldn't get past A ball