Jeff Malm Stats & Scouting Report

IP	101
ERA	3.653
WHIP	1.446
BB/9	2.673
SO/9	8.822

Full name Jeffrey Christopher Malm
Born 10/31/1990 in Las Vegas, NV
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Bishop Gorman
Drafted in the 5th round (169th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009 (signed for $680,000).

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The first thing out of everyone's mouth when talking about Malm is some variation of: "That guy can hit." Few high school players in the draft have a better track record of performance than Malm, who does it from the left side. Everywhere he goes, he hits, whether it's as the youngest player on the USA Baseball junior national team--where he saw more time at first base than Eric Hosmer--or as the only underclassman at the 2007 Cape Cod High School Classic. Playing for one of the nation's top high school teams, Malm was leading the state of Nevada with 15 home runs heading into the playoffs. The question is whether he will be able to hit for the same power with a wood bat. At a soft-bodied 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, he's limited to first base and will need to produce power. He has a good arm--sitting at 87-89 mph as a pitcher--but can't play the outfield. As a lifelong Southern California fan with a long personal relationship with head coach Chad Kreuter, Malm's commitment to the Trojans is strong.

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When the Rays didn't sign their top two picks (LeVon Washington, Kenny Diekroeger) in the 2009 draft, they invested that money in several later selections. Among them was Malm, who tied a national high school record with 277 career hits and led Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) to four straight Nevada state championships. Signed for $680,000 as a fifth-rounder, he has yet to advance to full-season ball but did lead the short-season New York-Penn League with 12 homers last summer. Malm has a relatively short swing for his size and hits lefties well. Scouts believe his batting average will improve if he quit trying to pull most pitches and used the opposite field more often. He sees a lot of pitches at the plate and enhanced his on-base percentage by tying for the NY-P lead by getting hit by 13 pitches in 2011. Malm shows average range and good instincts at first base and is adequate with the leather. He's a below-average runner and athlete whose feet seem heavy at times on defense, though he looked decent while taking some flyballs in the outfield during instructional league. Tampa Bay wanted to see if his above-average arm strength might be useful in left. He may see some time in the outfield when he advances to low Class A Bowling Green in 2012.
While most teams thought Malm was headed to Southern California to play for head coach and family friend Chad Kreuter, Tampa Bay was able to sign him last August for $680,000 as a fifth-round pick, adding a much needed big bat with power potential into the organization. Malm was a fixture on the national youth circuit for years. He was the youngest player on the U.S. junior national team in 2007 and the only underclassman to earn a spot in the Cape Cod High School Classic that summer. Playing for powerhouse Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas, Malm helped the team to state championships in all four of his seasons and tied a national high school record with 277 career hits. He draws comparisons to Travis Hafner with his big build and ability to swing the bat. He has a sweet lefthanded stroke and manages the strike zone well. The only question some scouts have about his offensive potential is how much pop he'll have with wood bats, but he has the size and strength to develop at least average power. Malm has a strong arm and was clocked at 87-89 mph off the mound, but his lack of overall athleticism is expected to limit him to first base, where his defense is a tick above average. He's a below-average runner but could improve as he loses some of the baby fat on his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame. After a seven-game debut last summer, Malm will get his first extended pro experience at either Princeton or Hudson Valley in 2010.