Connor Narron
| AB | 897 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .213 |
| OBP | .315 |
| SLG | .297 |
| HR | 11 |
- Full name Connor Reese Narron
- Born 11/12/1991 in Goldsboro, NC
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: S / Throws: R
- School C.B. Aycock
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Drafted in the 5th round (148th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2010 (signed for $650,000).
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Narron's bloodlines work for him and against him. He has benefited by being around the game at a high level all his life. His father Jerry spent part of eight seasons catching in the majors--including replacing Thurman Munson after the Yankees captain died in a 1979 plane crash--and parts of five others as a manager. Connor served as a batboy for many of his father's teams and spent time observing big league behavior. His big league approach at the prep level can turn off scouts, however, who want to see him play with more intensity. Other scouts question Narron's ability to stick in the infield thanks to his below-average speed and would have liked to see him behind the plate, but that never happened. Narron's bat was tough to scout this spring because he averaged two walks a game as teams pitched around him. He has surprising power and solid hitting tools from both sides of the plate, even though he's active in the batter's box and has an unconventional load. Narron's hands and arm strength are both good enough that he should be able to step in as a freshman at North Carolina and play right away, probably at shortstop, if he doesn't sign. By the time he's draft-eligible again, he'll likely be a third baseman.
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Narron has deep baseball bloodlines. His father Jerry is the best-known member of the family, having played and managed in the major leagues, but his uncle Johnny is also a longtime minor league player and coach who's currently a special-assignment coach with the Rangers. His great-uncle Sam was a big league catcher with the Cardinals; Sam's son Rooster was a minor league catcher; and Rooster's son Sam is a lefthander who spent 2010 in the Brewers system and has reached the majors. So it probably shouldn't have been a surprise that Narron took the Orioles' $650,000 bonus offer as a fifth-round pick in 2010, passing up a scholarship to North Carolina. His father's time in major league dugouts gave Narron ample exposure to the professional game, including serving as a batboy, and he was a four-year starter in high school, leading Aycock High (Pikeville, N.C.) to a state championship in 2007. Narron's best tool is his bat, as he's a switch-hitter with pop from both sides of the plate. Some scouts like his swing better from the right side, though he may have better bat speed lefthanded. He's lean and lanky and played shortstop in high school, but third base will be his position as a pro. He started the move there toward the end of his pro debut. He has good hands and arm strength, as well as average speed. Some amateur scouts thought Narron showed a big league attitude in high school, but Baltimore has seen none of that and likes his work ethic. He'll get an opportunity to break camp with Delmarva as a teenager in his first full pro season.
