Byron Wiley
| AB | 716 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .272 |
| OBP | .394 |
| SLG | .472 |
| HR | 25 |
- Full name Byron J Wiley
- Born 12/12/1986 in Tomball, TX
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Kansas State
-
Drafted in the 22nd round (659th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2008.
View Draft Report
Outfielder Byron Wiley hit .366 as a sophomore, setting the stage for him to go in the first five rounds of the 2008 draft. Then he hit .217 in the Cape Cod League and .227 while losing his starting job this spring. He appears to be a victim of draftitis, trying to do too much to impress scouts. Instead, Wiley has chased too many pitches and stopped making hard contact. He looks better in batting practice and still displays speed and some raw strength, so someone may take a flier on him.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Coming off of a .366 sophomore season at Kansas State, Wiley put himself in position to be an early-round pick for 2008. Then he hit .217 in the Cape Cod League and .227 as a junior, which caused him to drop to the 22nd round. Since then, he has done everything he can to prove that his struggles were an aberration, batting .289/.403/.507 in pro ball. Wiley shows natural strength in his stroke and good plate coverage. He has an excellent batting eye allows him to draw walks though he takes a full swing and sometimes sells out for power. Few pitchers can throw a fastball past him. Wiley will have to hit to make it to the majors because he's a poor defender. His arm is weak, even for a left fielder, and he his below-average range plays down because he doesn't take good routes. Wiley has some athleticism, so there's hope that he can improve and become a passable corner outfielder. He has slightly above-average speed once he gets going, though he's just an average runner out of the box because of his big swing. He'll move up to high Class A this season.
