Follow the Prospects: Daylen Lile, OF

[imref]

Daylen Lile, Outfielder, Trinity (KY.)
Drafted in the second round, 47th overall - 2021

Height: 6’0″
Weight: 195 lbs.
Age: 18
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
2021: 43G, .550/.730/.1360, 61 H, 61 RBI, 18 HR, 41 BB

Scouting Grades (https://primetimesportstalk.com/2021/06/23/mlb-draft-profile-daylen-lile/)

Hit: 55
Power: 50
Run: 50
Field: 50
Throw: 45

https://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=405394

MLB.com:

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Field: 45 | Arm: 50 | Overall: 45

One of the best pure hitters in the 2021 high school class, Lile performed well on the showcase circuit throughout the summer, highlighted by a five-hit day at the Area Code Games. That effort included a single and triple against arguably the top prep left-hander in Josh Hartle, who usually chews up lefty hitters, and Lile beat the platoon disadvantage again to tag him for a double in the Perfect Game All-American Classic. He helped Trinity High (Louisville) win the Kentucky state tournament and earned his second straight Gatorade state high school player of the year award in 2021. The Nationals were aggressive in taking the outfielder -- ranked No. 80 among 2021 prospects by MLB Pipeline -- with their second-round pick and signed him for an above-slot $1.75 million bonus.

Lile has a mature approach and a quick, compact left-handed stroke that produces repeated contact to all fields. He has shown the ability to make adjustments at the plate and control the strike zone. His swing presently is geared for line drives from gap to gap, though he has the hitting ability, bat speed and projectable strength for at least average power if not more.

It remains an open question how much power Lile will develop in the pro game. The former Louisville recruit is an average runner and athlete, but his fringy arm limits him to left field, where the offensive bar is even higher than it would be in center. If he doesn't provide 20 or more homers per year, he might be more of a fourth outfielder than a regular.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

spell check on the thread title.

What round in the draft?

Is this the 2nd rounder

[imref]

spell check on the thread title.

What round in the draft?

Is this the 2nd rounder

fixed. Thanks. Yes second round

[varoadking]

spell check on the thread title.

What round in the draft?

Is this the 2nd rounder

Is it Lyle or Lile?

[imref]

Lile. Spellcheck wins again.

[zimm_da_kid]

Made his debut in complex league today and played both legs of a doubleheader going 2-6 with a elk, 2 rbi and a steal

[imref]

Hopefully he was able to avoid the elk.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Hopefully he was able to avoid the elk.

well, he stole a base, so I'm guessing he can hoof it.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/02/22/daylen-lile-nationals-prospect-minor-league-camp/
 discusses his debut, how the Nats feel he slipped to them, and his batting eye, which is excellent.  He does not seem to have made his debut this year, but was expected to be assigned to F-burg and to play some OF.

Also, this article discusses how Lile, White, and House act as sort of a support system, all being drafted high out of high school last year.

Daylen Lile, an outfielder and their second-round choice, also flashed his potential and patience at the plate. The hope is that, in time, House, Lile and White either take off or fill the cracks of a system trying to claw toward average before setting its sights on good. Reflecting on the rush of professional experience, White pointed to House and Lile as a support system, his best friends and the healthy competition that pushes him, all in one.

“When I got to Florida, it was really nice to have two other high school guys there just because we could relate to each other a lot easier than the players who had gone through college or taken another route,” White said in a phone interview. “At first, you’re so young you can almost feel like you don’t belong. But Brady and Daylen . . . I know they made me feel at ease.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/01/09/tj-white-nationals-prospect/

[imref]

Jesse Dougherty  @dougherty_jesse

Apr 5
Sources: Outfielder Daylen Lile, the Nationals second-round pick in last summer’s draft, underwent Tommy John surgery in March and will begin the year rehabbing in Florida. Not as detrimental a procedure for a position player, though still sets Lile’s development back a bit.

[imref]

update on Lile. He's cleared to resume baseball activities:

https://www.talknats.com/2023/01/16/daylen-lile/

[imref]

Update:

https://www.mlb.com/news/nationals-prospects-daylen-lile-and-t-j-white-ready-for-next-step

Lile, meanwhile, is excited to put his arm to the test after successfully rehabbing, during which he was able to pick former top prospect Carter Kieboom’s brain as Kieboom also worked his way back from Tommy John surgery.

“It was so hard,” Lile said. “But the guys that I had around me like [Kieboom], he was down here with me. I just picked his brain about certain stuff and he's helped me along the way, with him being a big leaguer and then coming through the ranks.”

After spending a year working back, Lile feels confident. He might have “launched” his first throw after surgery -- he was expecting it to be “nice and smooth” -- but with an arm that feels “brand new,” he’s ready to get back into the grind now that he’s had time to work on his mental game, too.

“The biggest thing was the mental side of the game, learning how to deal with that,” Lile said. “Learning from the failures and not being too up, not being too down -- to stay level-headed.”

Lile boasted an advanced hit tool and solid power before surgery, plus an ability to draw walks that highlighted his patience. Getting him back into action and hitting the ground running in the outfield will be the next step for the Nats.

Right now, Lile and White are just happy to be back to work -- and sharing a clubhouse.

“Me and Elijah played on FTB [Florida Travel Baseball] together,” White said. “Me, James [Wood] and Daylen, we all played against each other. … It’s really amazing. It feels like yesterday we were just teenage kids out there having fun, playing travel ball, drinking milkshakes after the game and all that. And now it's like, we're here.”

“We're super talented,” Lile said. “We got a lot of athletes. We got a lot of young talent. It's going to be a special year for all of us. And I see us in a couple years winning a World Series for sure.”

[Section214]

Spring Training base hit for Daylen! Base hit off Eduardo Rodriguez and checking in at LF. Very happy to see him out there.

[welch]

Spring Training base hit for Daylen! Base hit off Eduardo Rodriguez and checking in at LF. Very happy to see him out there.

I think he went 3-for-4.

[Natsinpwc]

I think we will go to Lille, France on a day trip from Paris. Will think of this guy.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I think we will go to Lille, France on a day trip from Paris. Will think of this guy.

hope you Lovett.

[zimm_da_kid]

I like Lile a lot.  Not gonna be a huge power guy but should hit for good average.  His arm limits him to LF though so he’s gonna have to at least get to 15 hr a year with high average.  Maybe like a poor man’s Michael brantley

[Natsinpwc]

hope you Lovett.

[imref]

kid's got spark. Maybe there's a nickname there.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Jim Callis flags Lile as a potential breakout candidate in our system:
https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/washington-nationals-spring-training-report-2023?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

"Daylen manages the strike zone as well as anyone here," Watson said. "He plays hard and is an unbelievable competitor. He was swinging it so well back here that we sent him over to big league games and he showed out: quality at-bats, flying around the bases, making diving catches in the gap."

[imref]

Raking at Fredricksburg. 3rd HR. 1.041 OPS.

[zimm_da_kid]

him and house are due for a promotion within a few weeks

[imref]

Still hitting at Fredricksburg. Should be promoted soon.

[imref]

Via NatsFarm:
272 PA
.283/.375/.489
.209 ISO
145 wRC+
20.2% K-rate
12.5% BB-rate
7 HR, 5 3B, 17 2B
21 SB

[imref]

OPS up to .879 after tonight's 2-4, 3B performance.