David Calabrese

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #30 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 40/Very High
  
  Track Record: Calabrese reclassified to become draft eligible in 2020, but was sparsely seen by scouts that spring because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Angels liked his tools and youth, and signed him to a $744,200 bonus in the third round to keep him from an Arkansas commitment. Injuries and the pandemic slowed the start of his career, but he turned a corner in 2022, hitting .301 with an .843 OPS in his final 57 games with Low-A Inland Empire. The Angels assigned him aggressively to Double-A in 2023 at 20 years old and he performed poorly.
  
  Scouting Report: Calabrese is an athletic lefthanded-hitting outfielder with intriguing tools. He has a loose and rhythmic swing that has been altered throughout development to make him more upright and get his hands in a better hitting position to drive the ball with more authority. Calabrese is a patient hitter, but also deals with significant swing-and-miss. He has sacrificed contact to tap into his fringe-average power as he has physically matured. He is a plus-plus runner who uses his instincts well on the basepaths. He is a plus defender at all three outfield positions with an accurate arm.
  
  The Future: His speed and defense make him a candidate for a bench role, but Calabrese needs to hit to unlock more. He’s only 21 years old, but the clock is ticking as he approaches Rule 5 eligibility following the 2024 season.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 45 | Run: 70 | Field: 60 | Arm: 50
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #17 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Very High
  
  Track Record: Reclassifying to be draft-eligible in 2020, Calabrese was seen sparsely over the spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, including not being seen with Team Canada when their annual trip to Spring Training was cancelled. The Angels liked Calabrese's contact and speed combination, selecting him in the third round of the 2020 draft, signing him for full slot at $744,200 keeping him from his Arkansas commitment. Injuries and missed reps from Covid hindered Calabrese's pro debut, and it looked to be much of the same in his full season debut in Low-A where he struggled in the first half. He was dubbed a 'different player' in the second half where he had an .843 OPS in his final 57 games and carried that performance to a standout showing at instructional league.
  
  Scouting Report: Calabrese is a rhythmic hitter with a loose swing from the left side. Growing an inch while adding strength to his compact five-foot-11 frame, Calabrese changed his setup, lowering his hands and getting into a more upright stance and started making harder contact and had emerging power that still projects to be below-average. Calabrese's best tool is his 70-grade speed which he uses well on the base paths and outfield. He is a plus defender who covers a lot of ground and has the athleticism to make challenging plays allowing him to stick in center field.
  
  The Future: Calabrese has the speed and defense to be a serviceable bench option, but the Angels feel he is a sleeper that has everyday upside with physical gains.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50. Power: 40. Speed: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #24 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: The speedy Calabrese impressed scouts at the Future Stars Series in 2019 at Fenway Park, where he ran a 6.47-second 60-yard dash, hit several doubles and made a few highlight-reel plays in center field. The Ontario native wasn't able to showcase his ability with Team Canada in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the Angels still drafted him in the third round and signed him for $744,200 to turn down a scholarship to Arkansas.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Calabrese has a simple, efficient swing from the left side. He doesn't offer much in the way of power with his short, thin frame, but he has a good rhythm at the plate and the elite speed to be a base-stealing threat. Once he gains a more consistent bat path, he should develop into a solid gap-to-gap hitter. Calabrese shows good instincts on both sides of the ball and has the potential to be a plus defender with his plus-plus closing speed and ability to cover a lot of ground in center field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Calabrese has the athleticism and speed to stick in center field. It remains to be seen how much strength he develops in order to impact the ball.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #67 prospect in 2020 draft
  The top Canadian prospect in the 2020 class, Calabrese has a shot to be the highest drafted outfielder from the country since 1997, when the Orioles took Ntema Ndungidi in the supplemental first round with the 36nd overall pick. He’s likely not as fast as Dasan Brown, an 80-grade runner and Canadian outfielder from the 2019 class, but Calabrese is a plus-plus runner himself who’s shown flashes of a very good lefthanded bat. Calabrese could be a challenge for teams to evaluate, as he didn’t attend a ton of high-profile events over the summer and also didn’t get to showcase his ability this spring with Team Canada. Still, he raised eyebrows at events like the Future Stars Series last fall at Fenway Park, where he ran a 6.47 60-yard dash, hit several doubles and made a few highlight-reel plays in center field. Calabrese has a simple, efficient swing from the left side. At 5-foot-10, 160 pounds he doesn’t offer much power, but there are scouts who think he could grow into average raw power in the future. He shows good baseball instincts on both sides of the ball and should be a safe bet to stick in center field thanks to those instincts, as well as his athleticism and speed. Teams will also like the fact that Calabrese won’t turn 18 until late September, making him one of the youngest players in the draft class. He’s committed to Arkansas.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Very High
  
  Track Record: Reclassifying to be draft-eligible in 2020, Calabrese was seen sparsely over the spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, including not being seen with Team Canada when their annual trip to Spring Training was cancelled. The Angels liked Calabrese's contact and speed combination, selecting him in the third round of the 2020 draft, signing him for full slot at $744,200 keeping him from his Arkansas commitment. Injuries and missed reps from Covid hindered Calabrese's pro debut, and it looked to be much of the same in his full season debut in Low-A where he struggled in the first half. He was dubbed a 'different player' in the second half where he had an .843 OPS in his final 57 games and carried that performance to a standout showing at instructional league.
  
  Scouting Report: Calabrese is a rhythmic hitter with a loose swing from the left side. Growing an inch while adding strength to his compact five-foot-11 frame, Calabrese changed his setup, lowering his hands and getting into a more upright stance and started making harder contact and had emerging power that still projects to be below-average. Calabrese's best tool is his 70-grade speed which he uses well on the base paths and outfield. He is a plus defender who covers a lot of ground and has the athleticism to make challenging plays allowing him to stick in center field.
  
  The Future: Calabrese has the speed and defense to be a serviceable bench option, but the Angels feel he is a sleeper that has everyday upside with physical gains.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50. Power: 40. Speed: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Very High
  
  Track Record: Reclassifying to be draft-eligible in 2020, Calabrese was seen sparsely over the spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, including not being seen with Team Canada when their annual trip to Spring Training was cancelled. The Angels liked Calabrese's contact and speed combination, selecting him in the third round of the 2020 draft, signing him for full slot at $744,200 keeping him from his Arkansas commitment. Injuries and missed reps from Covid hindered Calabrese's pro debut, and it looked to be much of the same in his full season debut in Low-A where he struggled in the first half. He was dubbed a 'different player' in the second half where he had an .843 OPS in his final 57 games and carried that performance to a standout showing at instructional league.
  
  Scouting Report: Calabrese is a rhythmic hitter with a loose swing from the left side. Growing an inch while adding strength to his compact five-foot-11 frame, Calabrese changed his setup, lowering his hands and getting into a more upright stance and started making harder contact and had emerging power that still projects to be below-average. Calabrese's best tool is his 70-grade speed which he uses well on the base paths and outfield. He is a plus defender who covers a lot of ground and has the athleticism to make challenging plays allowing him to stick in center field.
  
  The Future: Calabrese has the speed and defense to be a serviceable bench option, but the Angels feel he is a sleeper that has everyday upside with physical gains.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50. Power: 40. Speed: 70. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The speedy Calabrese impressed scouts at the Future Stars Series in 2019 at Fenway Park, where he ran a 6.47-second 60-yard dash, hit several doubles and made a few highlight-reel plays in center field. The Ontario native wasn't able to showcase his ability with Team Canada in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the Angels still drafted him in the third round and signed him for $744,200 to turn down a scholarship to Arkansas.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Calabrese has a simple, efficient swing from the left side. He doesn't offer much in the way of power with his short, thin frame, but he has a good rhythm at the plate and the elite speed to be a base-stealing threat. Once he gains a more consistent bat path, he should develop into a solid gap-to-gap hitter. Calabrese shows good instincts on both sides of the ball and has the potential to be a plus defender with his plus-plus closing speed and ability to cover a lot of ground in center field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Calabrese has the athleticism and speed to stick in center field. It remains to be seen how much strength he develops in order to impact the ball.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The speedy Calabrese impressed scouts at the Future Stars Series in 2019 at Fenway Park, where he ran a 6.47-second 60-yard dash, hit several doubles and made a few highlight-reel plays in center field. The Ontario native wasn't able to showcase his ability with Team Canada in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the Angels still drafted him in the third round and signed him for $744,200 to turn down a scholarship to Arkansas.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Calabrese has a simple, efficient swing from the left side. He doesn't offer much in the way of power with his short, thin frame, but he has a good rhythm at the plate and the elite speed to be a base-stealing threat. Once he gains a more consistent bat path, he should develop into a solid gap-to-gap hitter. Calabrese shows good instincts on both sides of the ball and has the potential to be a plus defender with his plus-plus closing speed and ability to cover a lot of ground in center field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Calabrese has the athleticism and speed to stick in center field. It remains to be seen how much strength he develops in order to impact the ball.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The speedy Calabrese impressed scouts at the Future Stars Series in 2019 at Fenway Park, where he ran a 6.47-second 60-yard dash, hit several doubles and made a few highlight-reel plays in center field. The Ontario native wasn't able to showcase his ability with Team Canada in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the Angels still drafted him in the third round and signed him for $744,200 to turn down a scholarship to Arkansas.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Calabrese has a simple, efficient swing from the left side. He doesn't offer much in the way of power with his short, thin frame, but he has a good rhythm at the plate and the elite speed to be a base-stealing threat. Once he gains a more consistent bat path, he should develop into a solid gap-to-gap hitter. Calabrese shows good instincts on both sides of the ball and has the potential to be a plus defender with his plus-plus closing speed and ability to cover a lot of ground in center field.
  
  THE FUTURE: Calabrese has the athleticism and speed to stick in center field. It remains to be seen how much strength he develops in order to impact the ball.