Drafted in the 14th round (437th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2008 (signed for $525,000).
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Great makeup is always the first thing people attirbute to outfielder Tyler Massey. Coaches and scouts love the way he plays the game and handles himself on and off the field. He's also athletic and was a multi-sport standout in high school. At the plate, he has raw power and a feel for hitting, with natural strength. He has a short lefthanded stroke with leverage and uses the whole field. Massey is an average runner and could play either corner outfield position or first base. He is committed to Virginia.
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Massey played football for his father Phil at the Baylor School in Chattanoogan and could have played the sport in college as well. He accepted a baseball scholarship offer from Virginia, which scared teams away from him in the 2008 draft, but the Rockies persuaded him to turn pro with a $525,000 bonus in the 14th round. His pro debut was cut short when he ran into an outfield wall and tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, requiring surgery. Colorado challenged Massey with a jump to low Class A last season, and his numbers weren't pretty. Some scouts from other clubs question his feel for hitting after he posted the third-worst OPS (.551) among South Atlantic League regulars. The Rockies aren't as concerned. They point to his short stroke and ability to use the whole field, and believe he'll be more productive with more experience. He has good raw power but needs to do a better job with his plate discipline and pitch recognition. Massey has the drive to put in the work to make improvements. His arm is solid but his speed is average at best, so he fits best in left field or at first base. He may return to Asheville until his bat gets going.
Massey was a mid-round find for the Rockies. Teams shied away from him because he had a baseball ride to Virginia, but by the 14th round, Rockies scouting director Bill Schmidt couldn't resist and opted to select Massey, whose father is the football coach at the Baylor School in Chattanooga. Massey's season was cut short when he ran into a wall at Rookie-level Casper in late August, leading to surgery to repair a torn left anterior cruciate ligament. He is expected to be ready by the start of spring training. Given a $525,000 signing bonus spread over four years, Massey shows the mentality of a player who also had Division I football options. He has raw power and a feel for hitting. With a short lefthanded stroke and good body balance he uses the whole field. A pitcher and first baseman in high school, Massey is an average runner best suited for first base or a corner outfield spot.
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