AB | 362 |
---|---|
AVG | .249 |
OBP | .327 |
SLG | .434 |
HR | 14 |
- Full name Brandon Winokur
- Born 12/16/2004 in Huntington Beach, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Edison HS, Huntington Beach, Calif.
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Drafted in the 3rd round (82nd overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2023 (signed for $1,500,000).
View Draft Report
School: Edison HS, Huntington Beach, Calif. Source: HS
Commit/Drafted: UCLA
Age At Draft: 18.6
BA Grade:50/Extreme
Tools:Hit: 40. Power: 55. Run: 55. Field: 55. Arm: 60.
A Perfect Game All-America Game selection last summer, Winokur has some of the best tools in the draft class and starred in multiple roles for Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) High. He hit .365 with nine home runs as the Chargers’ top hitter this spring and also had three saves and 21 strikeouts in 11.1 innings as their closer. Winokur has a tall, lean 6-foot-5, 218-pound frame with lots of room for projection. He generates plus raw power with his natural strength and leverage and frequently puts on shows in batting practice. He is a coordinated runner with above-average speed despite his lanky build and has plus arm strength that helped him reach 95-96 mph on the mound. He played shortstop for his high school team but projects to move to the outfield in pro ball, where his speed and athleticism give him a chance to be an above-average center fielder or a plus defender in the corners. Winkour’s main concern is how much he’ll hit. His swing gets long and loopy at times and he does most of his damage against mediocre stuff. He struggles to catch up to 90-plus mph fastballs and constantly tinkers with his stance and setup. Winokur has flashed the ability to be short and direct to the ball, leading to hope he can be a fringe-average hitter with pro instruction. He is committed to UCLA but projects to be drafted early on the draft’s second day if he makes himself signable.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade: 50/Extreme
Track Record: Winokur was one of the more interesting draft prospects on the West Coast. If you liked him, his athletic lanky build and present power made him an alluring future right fielder or third baseman. If you didn’t, you worried that inconsistencies in his swing and his struggles to catch up to top-notch fastballs could lead to too many strikeouts. The Twins were willing to gamble on Winokur’s potential and spent $1.5 million to buy him out of his UCLA commitment.
Scouting Report: The Twins’ selections of Walker Jenkins and Luke Keaschall were viewed as some of the safest picks in the draft at their respective positions. In righthander Charlee Soto and Winokur, the Twins also took some big swings at the top of the draft. Winokur had some of the best raw power in the draft class, but there are plenty of scouts who think he’ll have to simplify his swing and tone down a lot of early movement and a big leg kick to get to his 25+ home run potential. The Twins played Winokur nearly equally between center field and shortstop in his debut. Very few believe he’ll stay at shortstop for long, and as he fills out he’s most likely a right fielder or third baseman. His plus arm works at either spot, and his athleticism and quickness could help him stick in the dirt.
The Future: Winokur showed the power and strikeouts that were expected in his brief pro debut with nine extra-base hits and a 32% strikeout rate. He’s got a chance to develop into one of the best prospects in the Twins’ system, but it will take a lot of work in the batting cage to get there.
Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60
Draft Prospects
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School: Edison HS, Huntington Beach, Calif. Source: HS
Commit/Drafted: UCLA
Age At Draft: 18.6
BA Grade:50/Extreme
Tools:Hit: 40. Power: 55. Run: 55. Field: 55. Arm: 60.
A Perfect Game All-America Game selection last summer, Winokur has some of the best tools in the draft class and starred in multiple roles for Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) High. He hit .365 with nine home runs as the Chargers’ top hitter this spring and also had three saves and 21 strikeouts in 11.1 innings as their closer. Winokur has a tall, lean 6-foot-5, 218-pound frame with lots of room for projection. He generates plus raw power with his natural strength and leverage and frequently puts on shows in batting practice. He is a coordinated runner with above-average speed despite his lanky build and has plus arm strength that helped him reach 95-96 mph on the mound. He played shortstop for his high school team but projects to move to the outfield in pro ball, where his speed and athleticism give him a chance to be an above-average center fielder or a plus defender in the corners. Winkour’s main concern is how much he’ll hit. His swing gets long and loopy at times and he does most of his damage against mediocre stuff. He struggles to catch up to 90-plus mph fastballs and constantly tinkers with his stance and setup. Winokur has flashed the ability to be short and direct to the ball, leading to hope he can be a fringe-average hitter with pro instruction. He is committed to UCLA but projects to be drafted early on the draft’s second day if he makes himself signable.