Dru Baker Stats & Scouting Report

AB	424
AVG	.288
OBP	.344
SLG	.328
HR	0

Full name Dru Ramsey Baker
Born 03/22/2000 in Tomball, TX
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Texas Tech
Drafted in the 4th round (130th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021 (signed for $431,800).

View Draft Report

Baker’s consistent ability to hit is why teams will spend a lot of time figuring out where he can play defensively. He’s been a valuable table setter for the Red Raiders for three seasons. He has hit .330/.407/.478 for his three years at Texas Tech and hit .356/.420/.502 in 2021. Baker has solid adjustability to his swing, and he uses the entire field. With above-average bat speed and good timing, Baker should be an above-average pro hitter. He has well below-average power. Despite a strong frame, he rarely threatens outfield fences. Defensively, Baker has played everywhere. Baker immediately stepped into Texas Tech’s lineup at shortstop as a true freshman. He then moved to third base. But for 2020 and 2021, he moved to the outfield, playing left and right field. Baker does not fit in pro ball as a corner outfielder, since his game lacks power. He’s fringe-average defensively in the outfield—he sometimes struggles to get back on balls over his head, even though he’s an above-average runner. At third base, he handled balls hit at him, even if he didn’t look fluid doing it, but his range was limited. He has average arm strength, but it played better in the infield, as his accuracy is sometimes lacking in the outfield. His best pro position may end up being second base, but a team picking him is betting on the bat. Baker is a gamer who has shown he’ll play wherever he’s needed, so there’s a reasonable hope he may work his way into finding a playable defensive home.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: Baker was Texas Tech’s shortstop for part of his freshman year, but while the Red Raiders loved his bat, they quickly realized he was better in the outfield. Baker spent most of two seasons in Class A before reaching Double-A Montgomery at the end of the 2023 season.

Scouting Report: If Colton Ledbetter can be described as a well-rounded outfielder with potentially five average tools, Baker’s profile is similar, but with a little less pop and a lot more strikeouts. Baker’s 14 home runs in 2023 were a surprise—he had hit 15 in the previous four years combined. His power is almost entirely pull-side shots that just clear the left field fence, and he’s more of a line-drive and groundball hitter. Baker is a capable, fringe-average hitter, but there are worries that more advanced pitchers will make his solid 22% strikeout rate climb. He’s average in center field and above-average in the corners with an average arm. As a basestealer, Baker is exceptional. He has swiped 76 of 85 in his pro career.

The Future: If Baker can keep this up, he could end up as a well-rounded fourth outfielder. He can play all three outfield spots, he steals bases in bunches and hits well enough to pinch-hit. It would just be an easier path for him if he hit lefthanded rather than righthanded.

Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Field: 55 | Arm: 50

Draft Prospects

Baker’s consistent ability to hit is why teams will spend a lot of time figuring out where he can play defensively. He’s been a valuable table setter for the Red Raiders for three seasons. He has hit .330/.407/.478 for his three years at Texas Tech and hit .356/.420/.502 in 2021. Baker has solid adjustability to his swing, and he uses the entire field. With above-average bat speed and good timing, Baker should be an above-average pro hitter. He has well below-average power. Despite a strong frame, he rarely threatens outfield fences. Defensively, Baker has played everywhere. Baker immediately stepped into Texas Tech’s lineup at shortstop as a true freshman. He then moved to third base. But for 2020 and 2021, he moved to the outfield, playing left and right field. Baker does not fit in pro ball as a corner outfielder, since his game lacks power. He’s fringe-average defensively in the outfield—he sometimes struggles to get back on balls over his head, even though he’s an above-average runner. At third base, he handled balls hit at him, even if he didn’t look fluid doing it, but his range was limited. He has average arm strength, but it played better in the infield, as his accuracy is sometimes lacking in the outfield. His best pro position may end up being second base, but a team picking him is betting on the bat. Baker is a gamer who has shown he’ll play wherever he’s needed, so there’s a reasonable hope he may work his way into finding a playable defensive home.