Adam Engel Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1419
AVG	.224
OBP	.279
SLG	.349
HR	30

Full name Adam Trevor Engel
Born 12/09/1991 in Cincinnati, OH
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Louisville
Debut 05/27/2017
Drafted in the 19th round (573rd overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2013 (signed for $100,000).

View Draft Report

Few players in the 2013 draft can match Engel's physical ability. A star quarterback at Loveland (Ohio) High, he drew football interest from programs such as Wisconsin. He's a 6-foot-1, 208-pounder who can cover 60 yards in 6.4 seconds, play a major league-caliber center field and display raw power potential. His arm is close to average, which is better than many center fielders. In spite of his first-round tools, his lack of performance at the plate will drop him at least a couple of rounds. While he has some bat speed and strength, he holds his hands too low at the plate and his righthanded swing doesn't produce enough contact. He hit .229/.328/.299 with wood bats in the Cape Cod League last summer, and was batting .239/.362/.294 with a week remaining in the 2013 regular season. His 38 steals ranked fifth in NCAA Division I, though he also had been caught 10 times.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Engel wasn't a star player in his three seasons at Louisville, struggling to hit consistently, but he was able to impact games with excellent defense and speed. The White Sox took a shot on his athletic ability as a 19th-round pick, and he's made subtle adjustments in pro ball. After finishing 2015 with an exceptional performance in the Arizona Fall League, Engel struggled mightily at Double-A Birmingham in 2016 prior to a May demotion to high Class A Winston-Salem. From that date forward he hit .280/.352/.429 with 33 stolen bases in 103 games as he reached Triple-A Charlotte. Engel is a 70 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale, and some evaluators feel he could be one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball. He flashes above-average raw power, but even those who like him feel that his swing mechanics will always impede his ability to make contact. He starts his swing with a bit of a hand raise, then drops his hands down just before he gets ready to rotate forward. Engel earns comparisons with Peter Bourjos as a plus defensive outfielder with speed and occasional power. He's near big league ready and could reach his ceiling as a fourth outfielder as soon as 2017.
Engel hit just .265 with two home runs in three years at Louisville, but his speedand- defense potential enticed the White Sox such that they ponied up $100,000 to sign the 19th-round pick. He adjusted his hand positioning at Rookie-level Great Falls in 2013 to improve his bat path and handle the inside pitch, while also gradually sharpening his eye at the plate. The work paid off at high Class A Winston- Salem in 2015, when Engel led the Carolina League with 65 stolen bases and 90 runs--but also 132 strikeouts. Engel's speed grades at the very top of the scouting scale, and he uses it judiciously to steal bases, drop down bunt hits and chase down flyballs as a plus defensive center fielder. He even has tick above-average raw power and arm strength. The only tool that could keep Engel from reaching his ceiling is his feel to hit. He's a muscular righthanded hitter with a swing that features a hitch and can be a bit rigid and lengthy, thus he tends to cheat on fastballs and can be retired on offspeed stuff out of the zone. Pitch recognition and understanding his swing will help Engel maximize his potential to be an average big league hitter. Engel's strong performance in the Arizona Fall League, which he led in batting (.403), on-base percentage (.523) and slugging (.642), should propel him to Double-A Birmingham in 2016.
The White Sox have drafted a lot of toolsy outfielders of late, and most of them haven't hit enough to break through to the big leagues, including Engel. He has explosive athleticism and speed when he's at his best, though he missed time last year after he injured his right lat muscle. Engel combines size and strength along with an average arm and fly-catching skills in center field. His bat is his weakest tool. He has the strength to hit for power, but he has never shown the ability to tap into it. He has stiffness in his swing despite his athleticism, and it gets choppy. He struggled in the Australian Baseball League, hitting .185 while striking out 23 times in his first 92 at-bats, but was leading the league in stolen bases. Engel will head back to Winston-Salem in 2015, and if the bat ever clicks he has the tools to be a regular.
No one in NCAA Division I stole more bases in 2012-13 than Engel (88). That's despite the fact that Engel hit just .236/.367/.301 as a junior at Louisville, with 20 hit-by-pitches accounting for a good portion of the on-base percentage. Scouts knew Engel was an elite athlete, an 80 runner who can cover 60 yards in 6.4 seconds. He combines that with physicality, with one scout comparing his body to that of an NFL safety. Engel just didn't hit in college, and the White Sox (with help from the Louisville coaches) set about adjusting his swing after he signed for $100,000. An adjustment to his hand positioning in his setup helped Engel get to pitches middle-in, and once he began seeing results, his confidence took off. Engel, who led the Rookie-level Pioneer League in steals, has the strength to hit for average power but the White Sox just want him to keep focusing on making consistent, hard contact. If he hits, Engel has the speed to be a factor as a leadoff man and defender in center field, with a fringe-average arm and good instincts. With a good spring training in 2014, Engel could make good on his Peter Bourjos comparisons, starting at low Class A Kannapolis.

Draft Prospects

Few players in the 2013 draft can match Engel's physical ability. A star quarterback at Loveland (Ohio) High, he drew football interest from programs such as Wisconsin. He's a 6-foot-1, 208-pounder who can cover 60 yards in 6.4 seconds, play a major league-caliber center field and display raw power potential. His arm is close to average, which is better than many center fielders. In spite of his first-round tools, his lack of performance at the plate will drop him at least a couple of rounds. While he has some bat speed and strength, he holds his hands too low at the plate and his righthanded swing doesn't produce enough contact. He hit .229/.328/.299 with wood bats in the Cape Cod League last summer, and was batting .239/.362/.294 with a week remaining in the 2013 regular season. His 38 steals ranked fifth in NCAA Division I, though he also had been caught 10 times.

Minor League Top Prospects

Engel has plenty of tools. He's a top-of-the-scale runner, as exhibited by his Carolina League-leading totals of 65 steals and 90 runs scored. He also legged out nine triples and plays fantastic defense in center field, albeit with an arm that's a bit short. He even shows sneaky power now and again. The trouble for Engel, a 19th-round pick from Louisville in 2013, is that he shows limited feel to hit. He led the circuit with 132 strikeouts, has trouble recognizing pitches and has stiff hands and actions at the plate. He also has a tendency to cheat on fastballs, which gets him in trouble with breaking pitches. Even without a fully developed hit tool, Engel's speed and defense could get him to the big leagues as a defensive-minded backup outfielder or a situational pinch-runner. If he does find consistency and rhythm at the plate, however, his ceiling rockets to potential regular center fielder and leadoff man.
Engel is a human toolbox, with borderline 80 speed and above-average arm strength in a muscular body that scouts describe as NFL caliber. He had a brutal junior season at Louisville, however, hitting just .236/.367/.301 and free-falling down draft boards. The White Sox eventually signed him for $100,000 out of the 19th round. The Great Falls coaching staff worked with Engel to adjust his stance and help him develop a plan at the plate. He started driving the ball better and finished strong, batting .336 over his final 34 games. He makes good contact and draws his fair share of walks, projecting to be a leadoff hitter with occasional power. In addition to plus-plus speed, Engel possesses good instincts on the bases that he used to steal a league-leading 31 bases. He already plays a major league-caliber center field. If he continues to refine his feel for hitting, he has a chance at a big league career. ?He?s a very good prospect,? Great Falls hitting coach Charles Poe said. ?This guy?s going to be a good for a long time.?

Career Transactions

CF Adam Engel assigned to Tacoma Rainiers.
Seattle Mariners signed free agent CF Adam Engel to a minor league contract.
San Diego Padres released CF Adam Engel.
San Diego Padres designated CF Adam Engel for assignment.
San Diego Padres activated CF Adam Engel from the 10-day injured list.
San Diego Padres sent CF Adam Engel on a rehab assignment to El Paso Chihuahuas.
San Diego Padres placed CF Adam Engel on the 10-day injured list retroactive to March 27, 2023. Left hamstring strain.
San Diego Padres activated CF Adam Engel.
San Diego Padres signed free agent CF Adam Engel.