Cord Sandberg
| AB | 1652 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .246 |
| OBP | .306 |
| SLG | .347 |
| HR | 24 |
- Full name Cord William Sandberg
- Born 01/02/1995 in Bradenton, FL
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Manatee
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Drafted in the 3rd round (89th overall) by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2013 (signed for $775,000).
View Draft Report
Sandberg's timing is excellent. He's an athlete with size and power potential in a draft class where such players are in short supply. Crosscheckers who have seen both players compare Sandberg to Georgia prep outfielder Austin Meadows physically, and many of Sandberg's tools are on par with those of Meadows, who entered the year as the No. 1 prep player in the country. Sandberg has a quarterback's build at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and he committed to Mississippi State for football after throwing for 2,674 yards and 35 touchdowns last season. The football commitment could complicate signability for Sandberg, but he's believed to want to play pro baseball. His father Chuck played at Florida and also played minor league baseball in the Red Sox system, though he also was a prep football coach for more than 20 years. Sandberg's two-sport history has curtailed his baseball experience, and it shows in his instincts and defense. He profiles best in left field but has a chance to stick in center if he learns better reads and jumps to go with his average speed. Sandberg shows plenty of strength and raw power as well as bat speed, and scouts credit him for making strides with his hitting approach this spring. He's expected to go out in the second or third round.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Sandberg's father Chuck played in the minor leagues but also was a high school football coach. The Phillies bought Sandberg out of a Mississippi State football commitment (he was a quarterback) for $775,000 and saw progress in his first year as a full-time baseball player. Sandberg has an athletic body with some present strength and should fit an outfield corner profile if he clicks. Scouts have to project on his power future, with some seeing 20-25 homers as he learns his craft. He started to show some hitting ability, with a good stroke and a willingnss to use the whole field but remains raw thanks to his two-sport background. Sandberg needs to refine his approach and learn better pitch recognition, but the Phillies laud him for his improved two-strike approach and unquenchable work ethic. His next step will be low Class A Lakewood in 2015. -
The Phillies wooed Sandberg, a two-sport star at Bradenton's Manatee High, away from a scholarship to play quarterback at Mississippi State with an over-slot bonus of $775,000. He was the first of the franchise's two third-round selections in 2013. Sandberg's father Chuck played three seasons in the minors for the Red Sox, who took him in the ninth round in 1979. Big, physical, speedy and lefthanded, Sandberg drew comparisons with Tim Tebow as he navigated football's recruiting trail. Those same qualities will serve him well in center field. He spent the 2013 season learning what it's like to play every day and getting into baseball shape. For now, Sandberg sports power potential, signs of aptitude with his hitting approach and plenty of quickness, though his reads in center need work. Though the Phillies have shown a willingness to push younger players up to low Class A Lakewood for a trial by fire, Sandberg's rawness likely means he'll begin 2014 in extended spring training before moving to short-season Williamsport come June.
Draft Prospects
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Sandberg's timing is excellent. He's an athlete with size and power potential in a draft class where such players are in short supply. Crosscheckers who have seen both players compare Sandberg to Georgia prep outfielder Austin Meadows physically, and many of Sandberg's tools are on par with those of Meadows, who entered the year as the No. 1 prep player in the country. Sandberg has a quarterback's build at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and he committed to Mississippi State for football after throwing for 2,674 yards and 35 touchdowns last season. The football commitment could complicate signability for Sandberg, but he's believed to want to play pro baseball. His father Chuck played at Florida and also played minor league baseball in the Red Sox system, though he also was a prep football coach for more than 20 years. Sandberg's two-sport history has curtailed his baseball experience, and it shows in his instincts and defense. He profiles best in left field but has a chance to stick in center if he learns better reads and jumps to go with his average speed. Sandberg shows plenty of strength and raw power as well as bat speed, and scouts credit him for making strides with his hitting approach this spring. He's expected to go out in the second or third round.
