Zach Collier
| AB | 3664 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .252 |
| OBP | .337 |
| SLG | .398 |
| HR | 70 |
- Full name Zachary Edward Collier
- Born 09/08/1990 in Long Beach, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Chino Hills
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Drafted in the C-A round (34th overall) by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008 (signed for $1,020,000).
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Collier was not selected to participate in the 2007 Area Code Games or the Aflac Classic, but he's had a high profile nonetheless. He started to generate buzz during the local Connie Mack summer season as a teammate of Isaac Galloway and Aaron Hicks. Rave reviews from parents and youth coaches began to filter down to scouts, and Collier helped his cause with strong showings in two showcase events held at the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton. He continued gaining ground this spring, and then moved into first-round consideration when he took a Hicks 93 mph fastball deep during a tournament game in Fullerton. To make sure the 40-plus scouts in attendance were paying attention, Collier ripped two more hits. Lefthanded all the way, Collier has an athletic and projectable 6-foot-2, 195-pound outfielder's frame. His above-average speed makes him a threat as a baserunner and permits him to patrol center field for now. As he slows down and matures physically, he'll play an outfield corner, and his average arm makes right field a possibility. Collier had a surgical procedure to improve blood flow to his heart, performed in May 2006, which may be a concern for some clubs, but he's been medically cleared for two years and has had no problems. Collier's hitting ability and solid all-around game had him moving up boards, possibly in the middle of the first round.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Collier was having a miserable 2013 season until August, when everything seemed to click. During that final month, he hit .327/.433/.485 with three doubles, five triples and a home run. Before that, however, he had cobbled together a .191 average, the worst among all players in the Double-A Eastern League. The Phillies attributed Collier's poor season to his not being in a strong position to hit at the outset of his swing. They worked on that throughout the year and saw the benefits toward the end. He also has injuries in his background, including a pair of hand injuries that cost him all of the 2010 season. Collier also served a 50-game suspension at the outset of 2012 after testing positive for the stimulant Adderall, and he has never put it all together for a full season. If everything clicks, he projects to be an average hitter with below-average power. His eight home runs this year matched his previous career total. He has plenty of strength, but it hasn't translated into a slugging percentage of better than .400 in any of his five professional seasons. Collier shows terrific range in center field and has the arm strength and accuracy to be an acceptable defender in either corner. He likely will head back to Double-A Reading in 2014 to build on his strong August and fulfill his potential as a backup outfielder in the big leagues. -
Collier has been slowed by injuries and a suspension since signing for $1.02 million as the 34th overall pick in 2008, though he did show promise last season. He missed all of 2010 after having two surgeries on his right hand, and his 2011 comeback was short-circuited by a 50-game suspension for testing positive for Adderall, a prescription amphetamine. Despite a late start last year, Collier stood out in high Class A and made up for lost time in the Arizona Fall League. Scouts came away seeing the tools of a prototype center fielder, with everything except power, and compared him to Denard Span. Collier is a plus runner with good range and a solid arm. He has a quick swing and the ball jumps off his bat. He's working to better incorporate his lower half at the plate. He was considered a polished hitter coming out of high school, and he still has a solid approach. Added to the 40-man roster in November, Collier just needs to play, and 2013 will be an important developmental year for him as he moves to Double-A. -
Collier moved up draft boards in 2008 after homering off a 93-mph fastball from his summer-ball teammate, Twins first-rounder Aaron Hicks. The Phillies considered taking Collier with their firstround pick instead of Anthony Hewitt in 2008, and took Collier 10 slots later at No. 34, where he signed for $1.02 million. Some teams were scared away by a 2006 surgical procedure on Collier's heart to improve blood flow. He was unable to handle low Class A pitching in 2009, then missed all of 2010 after having two surgeries on his right hand. He finally showed the potential he flashed in high school again last year, but shortly after the season ended he was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for amphetamines. Collier has good plate coverage and the ball jumps off his bat, though he cuts himself off and doesn't use his lower half well, which limits his power. He has plus speed and is a good baserunner, with an average arm. Collier is an energetic player who makes everything look easy. He has missed a significant amount of playing time and is behind the developmental curve, but he has enough tools to develop into a useful fourth outfielder at the major league level. -
Collier ranked eighth on this list a year ago, after he signed for $1.02 million as a sandwich pick and enjoyed a solid pro debut. He moved to full-season ball in 2009 and was one of Lakewood's few disappointments. Considered a fairly polished hitter coming out of high school, he failed to make adjustments and lost his confidence last year. A midseason demotion to Williamsport didn't help. The biggest concern was his lack of power, as Collier hit only one home run. He didn't make frequent or hard contact, and scouts have started to question his explosiveness. He also was overmatched by lefthanders. Collier remains athletic and has a projectable body that should get stronger, but he may top out with just gap power. He's a plus runner, and his average arm gives him flexibility to play any outfield spot, though he fits best in left. He needs to show more in his second tour of low Class A this year to regain some of his lost luster. -
Collier jumped into first-round consideration after homering off his summer-ball teammate, Twins first-rounder Aaron Hicks, on a 93 mph fastball during an April high school tournament. A surgical procedure on his heart, performed in 2006 to improve blood flow, may have scared some clubs away. The Phillies pounced on Collier with the 34th pick in June and signed him for $1.02 million. With a frame and swing that evoke Garret Anderson, Collier brings a combination of offensive polish and athleticism to the table. He has a projectable frame and present hitting ability thanks to a smooth, strong swing. Some scouts see him developing plus power once he develops physically and learns which pitches he can drive, while others see him as more of a .300 hitter with average pop. He's a plus runner with an average arm. Collier probably will slow down and play either left or right field down the line. He'll have to hit for power or be a steady producer like Anderson to be a regular on a corner. Collier's hitting skills should help him hit the ground running in low Class A in 2009. He's much more polished than fellow 2008 draftees Anthony Hewitt and Anthony Gose, and should be the first hitter from the Phillies' draft class to reach the major leagues.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Collier was the most impressive of the three high school position players the Phillies took in the first two round and sent to the GCL, outperforming Anthony Hewitt and Anthony Gose. Regarded for his lefthanded bat and projectability, Collier signed for $1.02 million and ripped a double in his first pro at-bat. Collier swings with plus bat speed and the ball tends to jump of his bat. He didn't hit any home runs in his first pro summer, but he has plenty of power potential. "He has some juice in his bat," Mansolino said. "Power comes when you learn how to hit in the right counts. With that and a little better pitch recognition, he will definitely have power down the road." A pure athlete who runs well, Collier has basestealing ability and good range in the outfield. He has an average arm and good instincts, though he'll most likely end up at a corner position as he matures physically.
