Eyewitness Accounts: 2017 Draft Prospects

McKay showcases elite bat-to-ball skills, with an unexpected increase in in-game power this season. McKay’s hit tool can carry him through the minors; the only concern is whether it’ll play at first base where the demands on the bat are higher. There’s the potential for a real impact position player here, the type of player who’s an All-Star multiple times over the course of his career.

If you believe there’s potential for McKay to play the outfield long term, as I do, it makes his potential profile as a position player even more attractive.

Warmoth is a high-floor middle-infielder who seems to only hit hard line drives. He showed good patience at the plate and was robbed of three straight line drive base hits into left-center by a terrific stop by the shortstop.

What Warmoth lacks in ceiling, he makes up for with a high floor. He should be able to stick at shortstop, and hit well enough to not be a liability there. He won’t be a great defensive shortstop at the major league level, but he should play good enough defense and hit well enough to be a solid regular.

Miller was impressive in ACC Tournament play, collecting a number of hits and a home run while displaying excellent pitch recognition and plate discipline. This season Miller led the Tar Heels in batting average while walking more than he struck out. Miller makes center field look easy, taking good routes to the ball and controlling his body through difficult catches look easy. He has plenty of speed, and it plays on the base paths and in the field.

The biggest red flag on Miller's profile is his lack of raw power. He’ll likely hit for below-average power at the next level, with more doubles and triples driving his slugging percentage than homers. The hit tool and defense will have to carry him through the minor leagues.

Ellis is a perfect example of a player whose value hinges on his hit tool. He projects as a borderline defender with an okay glove at third at the next level, and while the arm can play on the left side, there will be some accuracy issues along the way. Ellis has terrific raw power, but the question is whether or not he’ll hit enough to get to that power in games. His long swing will likely give some teams pause.

If Ellis proves that he can recognize and lay off secondaries, he can have a future as a low-average, 20-plus homer average regular at third.

Hairston is a gritty player, the kind who gets mad when he doesn’t throw a runner out after tracking down a ball he had no right getting to. Despite his small stature, Hairston brings a big presence to the field. He swings hard and plays harder, sometimes to his detriment.

His swing can get too much loft in it, resulting in fly balls rather than base hits. Hairston can be a streaky hitter, launching line drives into left field with repetition before going on a run of fly balls that are caught for outs. If Hairston can hone his approach at the next level and stick at shortstop ,there’s a chance he could be a solid regular who plays above his tools.