Austin Cousino Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Austin Spencer Cousino
Born 04/17/1993 in Columbus, OH
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 178 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Kentucky
Drafted in the 3rd round (80th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2014 (signed for $400,000).

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Cousino has a long track record of success, though scouts worry that the 5-foot-10, 185-pounder may have already reached his physical peak. He was MVP of the IBAF World Championship in 2009 for USA Baseball's 16-and-under national team, and he played for the college national team in 2012 after his boffo freshman season at Kentucky, showing power while playing center field. But after hitting nine homers and slugging .515 that season, Cousino appeared to change his approach. His plate discipline has gone south (36-7 strikeout-walk in 2014), and he doesn't get on base enough to take advantage of his excellent basestealing instincts. (He is 44 of 47 stealing bases for his college career.) Scouts grade his power as below-average, but it's just enough to get him in trouble. He's a solid-average defender in center field with an average arm and good instincts. Some scouts view him as a tweener and fourth outfielder type rather than a true center fielder.

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When Cousino was in high school, he injured his left shoulder playing hockey. So when baseball season rolled around, he decided to try throwing with his right arm. It didn't work--he had to sit out the season, but it illustrated his all-out approach. After turning pro for $400,000, he showed a more mature approach than he exhibited at Kentucky, vital for a player who profiles best as a top-of-the-order hitter with speed. Cousino always has been a free-swinger, but he showed a better sense of when to take a pitch in his pro debut. He has a loose swing with gap power that should provide doubles and 5-10 home runs. Cousino's calling card is his baserunning and defense. He's a tick above-average runner, and he's an above-average defender in center field thanks to excellent routes and quick, accurate reads of the ball off the bat. His average arm would be stretched in right field. He's been a successful basestealer, though his lack of pure speed likely will limit steals as he moves up. As a lefty hitter with a strong glove and an idea on the bases, Cousino can end up an extra outfielder. He should head to low Class A Clinton in 2015.

Cousino has a long track record of success, though scouts worry that the 5-foot-10, 185-pounder may have already reached his physical peak. He was MVP of the IBAF World Championship in 2009 for USA Baseball's 16-and-under national team, and he played for the college national team in 2012 after his boffo freshman season at Kentucky, showing power while playing center field. But after hitting nine homers and slugging .515 that season, Cousino appeared to change his approach. His plate discipline has gone south (36-7 strikeout-walk in 2014), and he doesn't get on base enough to take advantage of his excellent basestealing instincts. (He is 44 of 47 stealing bases for his college career.) Scouts grade his power as below-average, but it's just enough to get him in trouble. He's a solid-average defender in center field with an average arm and good instincts. Some scouts view him as a tweener and fourth outfielder type rather than a true center fielder.

Cousino got the third-largest signing bonus in the Mariners' draft class ($400,000) and was the club's highest-drafted collegian. He has a long amateur track record with USA Baseball, including being MVP of the 16U team at the 2009 World Championships, and a solid three-year career at Kentucky. His savvy showed in his successful pro debut. Cousino had a terrific first half before slumping down the stretch, due in part to fatigue and also to being pitched around as the focal point in a light Everett lineup. He walked more than he had in college, though, and showed good gap power, owing to his present strength and aggressiveness. Cousino is a solid athlete and a solid-average defender in center field but may fit better as a fourth outfielder down the line. He has an average arm, if not a tick above, and can play all three spots. He's an average runner but has savvy on the bases that played in his debut, helping him rank fourth in the NWL with 23 stolen bases.