Austin Gallagher
| AB | 2018 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .281 |
| OBP | .359 |
| SLG | .427 |
| HR | 50 |
- Full name Glenn Austin Gallagher
- Born 11/16/1988 in Lancaster, PA
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Manheim Township
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Drafted in the 3rd round (116th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2007 (signed for $252,000).
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Austin Gallagher always dreamed of playing at Clemson like his father Glenn, who played football and baseball for the Tigers before being drafted by the Blue Jays in the 1981 June draft. But he ended up committing to the rival Gamecocks instead. Austin is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound third baseman who was considered by most scouts to be unprepared for professional pitching right now. There were at least a handful of clubs, however--including the Reds, Pirates, Dodgers and Yankees--that could feel otherwise. Their main attraction is likely Gallagher's plus raw power from the left side and physical frame. His bat speed isn't exceptional, nor are his instincts for the game, and Gallagher has a tendency to collapse his back side in his swing. The loft and leverage are evident in batting practice and he has considerable room for improvement. He's a good athlete who was also a basketball player, quarterback and righthander for Manheim Township, compiling an 8-0, 0.90 record for one of the state's most competitive high school teams. He'll probably have to be offered slot money in the fifth round or earlier in order to skip college.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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After holding his own as a 19-year-old in high Class A in 2008, taking over at third base for Inland Empire when Josh Bell went down with a knee injury, little went right for Gallagher last season. He strained his throwing shoulder during spring training, and the Dodgers decided to have him take it easy by playing first base and serving as the DH in low Class A. He continued to reaggravate his shoulder and never got his bat going before getting shut down in July to have surgery. Gallagher's frame and bat speed suggest he could blossom into a power hitter, but he has yet to develop loft in his swing and instead focuses on hitting line drives to all fields. Pitchers were able to beat him by working him inside in 2009. Los Angeles still has hopes that Gallagher can stay at third base, but his lack of mobility and his shoulder problems seem to make it inevitable that he'll wind up at first base. He's a below-average runner. Gallagher likely will begin this season at Inland Empire, though the Dodgers want to see how he performs in spring training before making a decision. -
Taking his size, makeup and the fact he and succeeded offensively in high Class A at 19 into account, Gallagher has established himself as a potential middle-of-the-order bat. He comes from athletic bloodlines; his father Glenn (Austin's actual first name is also Glenn) played football and baseball at Clemson and was the Blue Jays' third-round pick in 1981. He later became a Division II and Division III college baseball coach, and his son has some of the savvy that goes with growing up around the game. Gallagher began 2008 in extended spring training but went to Inland Empire after Josh Bell got shut down in May with a knee injury. Despite long arms and a big build, he stays inside the ball and can drive the ball to the opposite field as well as pull it. His plate coverage and discipline are impressive for a large-body hitter. He has plus bat speed and could develop from a line-drive hitter into a power threat thanks to the leverage in his swing. If the home-run power doesn't come, however, Gallagher may not fit the profile of an everyday major leaguer, since he isn't quick or agile and will probably have to move across the diamond when he grows too big to play third base. He's already played some first base and needs work at both infield corner spots to become an average defender. Despite his strong offensive season, he's likely headed back to high Class A at least to start 2009.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Several area scouts who covered Gallagher as a Pennsylvania high schooler thought he wasn't ready to handle professional pitching, but he proved otherwise. He held his own in the Pioneer League, showing a good grasp of the strike zone and opposite-field power. His swing tends to collapse on the backside and he's raw in many phases of the game, but his instincts should improve now that he's focused full-time on baseball after playing basketball and football in high school. Gallagher has good hands but doesn't move well at third base, which could lead to a move across the diamond to first base in the future.
