Drafted in the CB-B round (74th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2018 (signed for $800,000).
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Little is a left fielder who most scouts grade as having below-average power. That would seem to be the kind of player teams would pass on, but, as a draft-eligible sophomore, Little is an athletic, versatile player with an outstanding ability to put the barrel on the ball. Even though he plays left field for the Red Raiders, there's enough athleticism that scouts believe he can play second or third base, as well as some center field, in pro ball. He makes good reads and takes solid routes to make the most of his average speed and he has even played some shortstop in fall ball. His fringe-average arm keeps him from projecting there, but he could play shortstop in an emergency. Little's swing is compact and generates plenty of contact. Scouts are particularly impressed with his pitch recognition and his ability to do damage when he gets into hitters' counts. He has hit 10 home runs this season as part of his .380/.478/.678 slash line, but scouts don't see average power during batting practice and several of his home runs are of the wind-blown variety.
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Draft Prospects
Little is a left fielder who most scouts grade as having below-average power. That would seem to be the kind of player teams would pass on, but, as a draft-eligible sophomore, Little is an athletic, versatile player with an outstanding ability to put the barrel on the ball. Even though he plays left field for the Red Raiders, there's enough athleticism that scouts believe he can play second or third base, as well as some center field, in pro ball. He makes good reads and takes solid routes to make the most of his average speed and he has even played some shortstop in fall ball. His fringe-average arm keeps him from projecting there, but he could play shortstop in an emergency. Little's swing is compact and generates plenty of contact. Scouts are particularly impressed with his pitch recognition and his ability to do damage when he gets into hitters' counts. He has hit 10 home runs this season as part of his .380/.478/.678 slash line, but scouts don't see average power during batting practice and several of his home runs are of the wind-blown variety.
Minor League Top Prospects
ittle joined the Tri-City team after competing in the College World Series with Texas Tech, signing with the Padres as a draft-eligible sophomore. The concern about Little during his two-year college career was that his below-average power wouldn't allow him to fit in an outfield corner role, and that question remains after his pro debut. He makes contact, shows good hand/eye coordination and has good bat-to-ball skills but doesn't yet impact the baseball.
"He adjusted to the wood bat over the season," Tri-City manager Mike McCoy said. "It took him a couple of weeks to adjust, but he just needs to get bigger and stronger so he can drive the ball. I think there could be some power in there."
While playing mostly left field in college, Little also saw time in center field with Tri-City. An above-average runner, he gets good reads in the outfield and his average arm is accurate. Little played some infield as an amateur, so with his athleticism he could profile as a super-utility player if the bat develops.
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