Clint Coulter Stats & Scouting Report

AB	3115
AVG	.26
OBP	.345
SLG	.432
HR	107

Full name Clinton T Coulter
Born 07/30/1993 in Vancouver, WA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Union
Drafted in the 1st round (27th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2012 (signed for $1,675,000).

View Draft Report

To put it simply, Coulter is a beast. Runners will not want to encounter him at the plate, as the former state wrestling champion has a chiseled 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame. The size helps him in the batter's box. He's strong with leverage in his swing, above-average power and good pitch recognition. Like most catchers, Coulter has below-average speed, but he runs the bases well and shows good aggression and instincts. His size also limits him some defensively and he'll have to work hard to remain at the position as a pro. Coulter shows good athleticism for his size and has above-average arm strength and the intangibles teams look for in a catcher. He's a vocal leader on the field, takes instruction well and plays the game hard all the time. Coulter has learned from a good teacher, as Union's head coach is former big leaguer Tom Lampkin, but the Arizona State recruit needs to work on improving his agility, footwork and blocking.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Selected as a high school catcher in the first round of the 2012 draft, Coulter shifted to right field in 2015 and hit brilliantly at high Class A Brevard County in April, when he recorded a 1.078 OPS with six homers. His production tailed off in May, however, and he hit .232 with seven homers the rest of the way when his swing got too long and pull-oriented. Even so, Coulter led the Florida State League with 46 extra-base hits and tied for third with 13 homers. Coulter has a somewhat unusual approach at the plate with an exaggerated load and powerful cut that at times gets him out of whack and long with his swing. But it also allows him to generate immense power, and hit mistakes a long way. He knows the strike zone and doesn't give an inch at the plate--he got hit 18 times in 2015. Coulter failed to make enough defensive progress at catcher, so he took up the outfield in the 2014 Arizona Fall League. While his inexperience shows at times, his athleticism and strong arm--he recorded an FSL-leading 16 assists--should make him a playable right fielder. Speed is not a part of his game. Coulter will move up to Double-A Biloxi in 2016 to continue his progress as a right fielder. The Brewers still believe his offensive skills will make him an impact player in the big leagues, though his path is blocked by Ryan Braun, who is signed through 2020.
Coulter was not ready to compete at low Class A Wisconsin in 2013 as a teenager and received a demotion to Rookie-level Helena, with injuries playing a factor in stalling his development. He made a triumphant return to the Midwest League in 2014, leading the league in home runs (22) and on-base percentage (.410). Coulter does not have a picture-perfect swing, for it involves an exaggerated load and powerful cut that makes it difficult at times to control the barrel. That combination leads to swings and misses on pitches he should hit, but when he does make contact, he does so with power (53 extra-base hits). His plate discipline improved in 2014 and he stopped getting himself out as often by swinging at pitches out of the strike zone. Coulter's defense at catcher remains a work in progress, however, particularly with his throwing mechanics and footwork. Coulter has good arm strength and is a tremendous worker, but catching is not his future . Coulter's bat will get him to the big leagues, so the Brewers sent him to instructional league and to the Arizona Fall League in 2014 to learn to play right field. They were encouraged with how quickly he improved there, though big league right fielder Ryan Braun is signed for six more years. Coulter will be tested at a challenging high Class A Brevard County ballpark in 2015.
The Brewers didn't want Coulter to sit around in extended spring training in 2013, waiting for the Rookie-level Helena season to begin, so they sent him to low Class A Wisconsin, knowing it would be a challenge for him. Accordingly, they weren't surprised when the 2012 first-rounder struggled at the plate, batting .207/.299/.345 in 33 games, to earn a ticket to Helena. Nagging injuries to Coulter's oblique muscle, knee and wrist as well as his struggles at the plate prompted him to drop a level lower to the Rookie-level Arizona League. Coulter has impressive tools. A former high school wrestling champion, he is a physical specimen with tremendous offensive upside. He gets good leverage and power from a quick bat and makes consistent contact, minimizing his strikeouts. The main question remains: Will he be able to stay behind the plate? Coulter still is a raw defensive player, though his strong arm and work ethic allowed him to show improvement in throwing out basestealers. The Brewers would like to keep him behind the plate because he shows leadership and confidence. Coulter doesn't run particularly well but shows good instincts and is aggressive on the basepaths. The 2013 season was a learning curve for Coulter in many aspects, particularly in learning how to deal with nagging injuries. He likely will return to Wisconsin to begin 2014, and the Brewers will keep him behind the plate until he proves he can't do it.
The Brewers fell in love with Coulter's offensive potential and quickly zeroed in on him as the first of their two first-round picks in 2012. He's a physical specimen who was a Washington state high school wrestling champion before turning his focus to baseball. After going 27th overall and signing for $1,675,000, he led the Rookie-level Arizona League in on-base percentage (.439). Coulter has considerable offensive upside. He's strong with good leverage in his quick swing, and he knows how to work counts to get pitches to drive, so he has above-average power potential. He doesn't get himself out at the plate. Though his high school coach was former big league catcher Tom Lampkin, Coulter is still raw defensively. He has solid arm strength but must improve his mechanics and agility after throwing out just 16 percent of basestealers and giving up 21 passed balls in 26 pro games. He has the leadership, desire and work ethic to remain behind the plate. He has below-average speed but good instincts and an aggressive nature on the bases. The Brewers will be patient with Coulter, who is just 19 and didn't play a lengthy high school schedule in the Pacific Northwest. Whether he begins his first full pro season in low Class A Wisconsin depends on how he looks behind the plate in the spring.

Draft Prospects

To put it simply, Coulter is a beast. Runners will not want to encounter him at the plate, as the former state wrestling champion has a chiseled 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame. The size helps him in the batter's box. He's strong with leverage in his swing, above-average power and good pitch recognition. Like most catchers, Coulter has below-average speed, but he runs the bases well and shows good aggression and instincts. His size also limits him some defensively and he'll have to work hard to remain at the position as a pro. Coulter shows good athleticism for his size and has above-average arm strength and the intangibles teams look for in a catcher. He's a vocal leader on the field, takes instruction well and plays the game hard all the time. Coulter has learned from a good teacher, as Union's head coach is former big leaguer Tom Lampkin, but the Arizona State recruit needs to work on improving his agility, footwork and blocking.

Minor League Top Prospects

After struggling in the MWL last year, Coulter had a much more successful encore as he led the league with 22 home runs and a .410 on-base percentage. He showcased a rare combination of above-average power production with the ability to lay off pitches out of the zone. While Coulter does have a great batting eye, his swing isn't picture-perfect, as it involves a large load and a powerful cut that makes it hard to always control the barrel. That leads to swings and misses on pitches in the zone, but when he does connect, Coulter drives the ball. Coulter's power ability leads to more questions about his defense. He's a below-average receiver with an average arm, so there are scouts who think he'd be best off moving to first base or right field and concentrating on his offensive production.
The 27th overall pick in the 2012 draft and recipient of a $1.675 million bonus, Coulter is a hard work who projects as an offense-first catcher. He started slowly in the AZL before getting adjusted to the faster professional game and straightening a hitch in his swing. He posted a 1.012 OPS in season's final month and led the league with a .439 on-base percentage. Coulter is more of a line-drive hitter for now, but he should develop more home run power because he has a quick bat with good leverage in his swing. He does a good job of laying off pitches he can't drive. His offense is ahead of his defense, but he has a better chance than Trahan of staying behind the plate despite throwing out only 16 percent of basestealers and committing 21 passed balls in 26 games. Coulter has solid arm strength but needs to improve his footwork and agility, which should come with more reps. He takes a businesslike attitude on the field and shows good leadership skills.

Scouting Reports

Background: The Brewers fell in love with Coulter's offensive potential and quickly zeroed in on him as the first of their two first-round picks in 2012. He's a physical specimen who was a Washington state high school wrestling champion before turning his focus to baseball. After going 27th overall and signing for $1,675,000, he led the Rookie-level Arizona League in on-base percentage (.439). Scouting Report: Coulter has considerable offensive upside. He's strong with good leverage in his quick swing, and he knows how to work counts to get pitches to drive, so he has above-average power potential. He doesn't get himself out at the plate. Though his high school coach was former big league catcher Tom Lampkin, Coulter is still raw defensively. He has solid arm strength but must improve his mechanics and agility after throwing out just 16 percent of basestealers and giving up 21 passed balls in 26 games in his pro debut. He has the leadership skills, desire and work ethic to remain behind the plate. He has below-average speed but good instincts and an aggressive nature on the bases. The Future: The Brewers will be patient with Coulter, who's just 19 and didn't play a lengthy high school schedule in the Pacific Northwest. Whether he begins his first full pro season in low Class A Wisconsin will depend on how he looks behind the plate in the spring.