A.J. Simcox Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1952
AVG	.254
OBP	.299
SLG	.352
HR	21

Full name Austin Jay Simcox
Born 06/22/1994 in Knoxville, TN
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Tennessee
Drafted in the 14th round (430th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2015 (signed for $600,000).

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The SEC has an especially strong group of shortstops this year, led by Vanderbilt's Dansby Swanson and LSU's Alex Bregman, who could be two of the first five picks in this year's draft. Simcox doesn't match their upside or production, but is a solid prospect in his own right. Even before playing for the Volunteers, Simcox was a fixture in the program. His father, Larry, was a longtime assistant coach at Tennessee and A.J. served as the Volunteers bat boy for eight years when he was growing up. Simcox has been Tennessee's starting shortstop since he arrived on campus and is a steady defender who is expected to be able to stay at the position as a professional. Simcox has good hand-eye coordination and a line-drive swing, but he hasn't developed much power during his college career. His defense gives him a chance, but he'll have to prove he can hit enough to be an everyday player as a professional.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The 2015 Tennessee roster featured three future Tigers prospects--outfielder Christin Stewart, first baseman Will Maddox and Simcox. Simcox ranked No. 1 among Baseball America's Top 10 prospects in the Alaska League in 2013, and his father, Larry, played in the minor leagues and spent 17 years as an assistant coach at Tennessee. The younger Simcox is a fundamentally sound player who won't blow anyone away with any one tool, but is average or near-average across the board. He has a sound hitting approach, stays inside the ball well and has begun to drive the ball with more authority as he's gained strength. He still has a bit of work to do in that strength department, however, in order to round himself into a player with everyday offensive value. He is an average defender with average arm strength, though his accuracy needs improvement. His speed is above-average. If he improves with the bat, Simcox has an outside chance at an everyday role. Otherwise, his future is as a backup or a utility player. He should move to Double-A Erie to begin 2017.
Simcox was college teammates at Tennessee with Christin Stewart, who the Tigers drafted in the first round in 2015. In the 14th round, the Tigers picked Simcox and signed him for a well above slot bonus of $600,000. He struggled early with his swing after signing, but he hit better after jumping to low Class A West Michigan. Simcox is a smart, savvy player with good hand-eye coordination and bat-to-ball skills. Once he got to West Michigan, he did a better job of stabilizing his lower half, which helped him pepper line drives, especially to the opposite field. Simcox has size and projection in his frame, but he's never shown much power, though that could come once he learns when to turn on a ball with more authority. Simcox is a smooth, steady defender with a good internal clock. An average runner, Simcox projects to stick at shortstop, where he has sure hands, slows the game down and has an above-average arm. Simcox is further away from the big leagues than Dixon Machado and isn't the same type of defender, but he has more offensive upside. If he shows he can develop more power, he could become an everyday player.

Draft Prospects

The SEC has an especially strong group of shortstops this year, led by Vanderbilt's Dansby Swanson and LSU's Alex Bregman, who could be two of the first five picks in this year's draft. Simcox doesn't match their upside or production, but is a solid prospect in his own right. Even before playing for the Volunteers, Simcox was a fixture in the program. His father, Larry, was a longtime assistant coach at Tennessee and A.J. served as the Volunteers bat boy for eight years when he was growing up. Simcox has been Tennessee's starting shortstop since he arrived on campus and is a steady defender who is expected to be able to stay at the position as a professional. Simcox has good hand-eye coordination and a line-drive swing, but he hasn't developed much power during his college career. His defense gives him a chance, but he'll have to prove he can hit enough to be an everyday player as a professional.
Simcox's father Larry was an assistant coach for Tennessee for 17 seasons, and A.J. served as a Vols bat boy on their trips to the College World Series in 2001 and 2005. He would likely be Tennessee's starting shortstop as a freshman if he makes it to campus. Simcox has emerged as the top hitter in the Volunteer State this spring by adding strength to his wiry frame; he's listed at 6-foot-1, 170 pounds but is closer to 180 now. He hit the weight room, resulting in harder contact from his improving swing. His feet and hands work well, and his average speed should be sufficient at the college level. He may not have the present speed or power for teams to buy him out of Tennessee, but his defensive ability and improved bat make Simcox an intriguing fourth-round talent.