Harrison Bader

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #6 prospect in 2018
  A decorated three-year starter at Florida, Bader hit his way up the minors and made his major league debut on July 25, barely two years after he was drafted. He returned for good in September and drew considerable playing time starting in center field. Bader is, first and foremost, an eager and aggressive hitter who takes big hacks no no matter the count. His power output has progressively risen at each level with an ambush approach, and he has shown enough hitting ability to project for average power. Bader's overall hit tool is in question, however, because the gap between his strikeouts and walks widens at every level. He has yet to develop a two-strike approach and is particularly susceptible to curveballs. Bader is an above-average runner who shows solid range in center field with an average arm, and can slide over to left seamlessly. His speed plays down on the bases and makes him an inefficient basestealer, with a low 58 percent success rate the last two seasons. Bader's size, aggressiveness and power is similar to Cardinals teammate Randal Grichuk, with the same risks if he loses his strike-zone discipline or fails to develop a two-strike approach. He will get a shot to cement his spot in the Cardinals outfield in 2018.
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  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #7 prospect in 2017
  Bader shined as a three-year starter for Florida and even hit the first home run to center field at Omaha's TD Ameritrade Park, but faced persistent questions whether he would hit for enough power to fit a corner outfield spot. The Cardinals drafted and signed Bader for a $400,000 bonus, and he rewarded them with a .311/.368/.523 line in his debut. His 11 homers led all 2015 draft picks. That allowed the Cardinals to test him with advanced placement in Double-A, where before the end of May he had a 17-game hitting streak, one shy of affiliate record. Cast as a leadoff hitter to inspire a grinding approach, Bader, at heart, remains an eager hitter. Two evaluators called him "aggressively confident" at the plate and his ambush power has grown as a result. He is a coiled, broad-shouldered athlete that has above-average speed and a rising aptitude to take an extra base. A solid-average swing and a seasoned feel for the strike zone served him well in the Arizona Fall League to go with his average power potential. Bader showed capable range and a good arm for center, where his bat profiles as an asset. A taste of Triple-A in 2016 will become a priority starting role there in 2017. If he sticks at center, Bader will increase his imminent value to the Cardinals as a fourth outfielder or muscle his way into a trade.
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  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #15 prospect in 2016
  Bader was a late signee to Maryland when coach Erik Bakich left the Terrapins' program to become Michigan's coach. When the Gators swooped in with a late offer, Bader headed to Gainesville, where he became a three-year starter and helped lead Florida to the 2015 College World Series. He hit the first home run to center field at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, and after signing for $400,000 as a thirdround pick, he impressed the Cardinals' staff with a .311/.368/.523 pro debut. His 11 home runs ranked first among 2015 draftees. Bader has solid-average power and a tick above-average speed, and he's earned at least average grades on all his tools, with above-average marks for his throwing arm. Bader's ceiling rides on his ability to stay in center field, where his bat would profile better. He entered pro ball with a solid hitting approach--he works counts, draws walks and drives the ball as well. Bader's center-field defense impressed club officials and he showed closing speed and impressive range after playing left field in the spring for the Gators. Bader's power numbers could suffer at high Class A Palm Beach in 2016, but he has the all-around game to help that team win a lot of games and could eventually do the same in St. Louis. DeJong signed for $200,000 as a 2015 fourth-round pick and immediately became one of the Cardinals' top power hitters. He hit 20 home runs in the wood-bat Northwoods League in 2014, when the Pirates failed to sign him as a 38th-round pick, then hit 14 more in the spring for Illinois State to lead the Missouri Valley Conference. DeJong's power comes from solid strength, an aggressive swing and strike-zone judgment. He is not afraid to take a big cut, which leads to some swings and misses, but the Cardinals will take the trade for the power. Knee injuries prompted him to take a redshirt year as a freshman in 2012. While he played catcher occasionally as an amateur, including six games in 2015, he likely won't reprise the role as a pro thanks to his knees. He played second and third base as well as the outfield corners on occasion for Illinois State and profiles best at third base as a pro because he has arm strength and good hands and below-average speed. He should be agile enough to handle the hot corner, however, and should join fellow 2015 draftee Harrison Bader in the 2016 lineup at high Class A Palm Beach.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #85 prospect in 2015 draft
  Originally committed to Maryland, Bader decommitted after coach Eric Bakich left for Michigan and wound up signing with the Gators. He stepped right into Florida's starting lineup as a freshman and led the team with a .312 batting average that season. He's been a key contributor ever since and has a strong track record at Florida, as he's hit better than .300 in all three years of his career. He has an aggressive approach at the plate but does a good job of putting the bat on the ball. He has wiry strength and has done a better job of getting to his power this spring. Going into the final weekend of the season, he had hit 12 home runs (five in SEC play), quadrupling his total from his first two seasons combined. He is a plus runner but doesn't always show that speed on the bases. Bader's speed plays better in the outfield and he has played center field for the Gators. He's in left field this year because sophomore Buddy Read may be the best defensive center fielder in the country, but Bader could fit in any outfield position as a professional. If he does stay in a corner, he'll need to prove his newfound power will translate to wood bats. If it does, he'll supply an intriguing power-speed combination.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #19 prospect in 2017
  Bader has played all three outfield positions during his time in the Cardinals organization, but Memphis manager Stubby Clapp thinks his home is obvious: center field. "He needs space to roam," he said. "He has too much speed to be stuck in a corner." The Cardinals seemed to agree. Bader saw most of his work in center during his two callups. Bader has shown significant power in three pro seasons and has the speed to contribute double-figure stolen bases. He could profile as a leadoff batter if he can improve his discipline and strikeout rate. "Once he develops a two-strike approach, he's going to be really good," Clapp said. "He just has to be better at selecting pitches and figure out what pitchers are trying to do to him."
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  Ranked Texas League #20 prospect in 2016
  Coming into his junior year at Florida, Bader looked to be a corner outfielder who didn't hit for enough power to profile in a corner as a pro. Bader answered some of those concerns with 17 homers as a college junior. Bader then hit 16 home runs in just 82 games at Springfield this year and also showed better-than-expected defense in center field. He is an average defender at best in center, but he impressed with his high-energy, no-fear approach to running down balls in the gap and at the wall. Bader's above-average speed doesn't really provide much value until he figures out how to get better jumps on the basepaths, and he strikes out too much, but his ability to hit for power while playing up the middle provides a path to the big leagues.
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  Ranked Midwest League #13 prospect in 2015
  A left fielder at Florida, the Cardinals third-round pick slid over to center field as a pro and showed some aptitude for the position. Surprising? Not really. Bader slid over to left in deference to fellow Gator and likely 2016 first-rounder Buddy Reed. The jury is still out on whether Bader has the range to handle center field, but he has enough speed to flag down balls in the gaps. He's a tick above-average runner who showed basestealing savvy in the MWL. If Bader isn't a full-time center fielder, his above-average arm fits fine in right field. As evidence, managers pointed to a perfect, on-the-line strike he threw from the right-center-field warning track to third base. A righthanded hitter, Bader has a pull-heavy approach, but he has shown that his newfound power this year in college has translated to pro ball. He slugged 22 extra-base hits in 54 games at Peroia, and he drives the ball with average power.

• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  A decorated three-year starter at Florida, Bader hit his way up the minors and made his major league debut on July 25, barely two years after he was drafted. He returned for good in September and drew considerable playing time starting in center field. Bader is, first and foremost, an eager and aggressive hitter who takes big hacks no no matter the count. His power output has progressively risen at each level with an ambush approach, and he has shown enough hitting ability to project for average power. Bader's overall hit tool is in question, however, because the gap between his strikeouts and walks widens at every level. He has yet to develop a two-strike approach and is particularly susceptible to curveballs. Bader is an above-average runner who shows solid range in center field with an average arm, and can slide over to left seamlessly. His speed plays down on the bases and makes him an inefficient basestealer, with a low 58 percent success rate the last two seasons. Bader's size, aggressiveness and power is similar to Cardinals teammate Randal Grichuk, with the same risks if he loses his strike-zone discipline or fails to develop a two-strike approach. He will get a shot to cement his spot in the Cardinals outfield in 2018.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  A decorated three-year starter at Florida, Bader hit his way up the minors and made his major league debut on July 25, barely two years after he was drafted. He returned for good in September and drew considerable playing time starting in center field. Bader is, first and foremost, an eager and aggressive hitter who takes big hacks no no matter the count. His power output has progressively risen at each level with an ambush approach, and he has shown enough hitting ability to project for average power. Bader's overall hit tool is in question, however, because the gap between his strikeouts and walks widens at every level. He has yet to develop a two-strike approach and is particularly susceptible to curveballs. Bader is an above-average runner who shows solid range in center field with an average arm, and can slide over to left seamlessly. His speed plays down on the bases and makes him an inefficient basestealer, with a low 58 percent success rate the last two seasons. Bader's size, aggressiveness and power is similar to Cardinals teammate Randal Grichuk, with the same risks if he loses his strike-zone discipline or fails to develop a two-strike approach. He will get a shot to cement his spot in the Cardinals outfield in 2018.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Bader shined as a three-year starter for Florida and even hit the first home run to center field at Omaha's TD Ameritrade Park, but faced persistent questions whether he would hit for enough power to fit a corner outfield spot. The Cardinals drafted and signed Bader for a $400,000 bonus, and he rewarded them with a .311/.368/.523 line in his debut. His 11 homers led all 2015 draft picks. That allowed the Cardinals to test him with advanced placement in Double-A, where before the end of May he had a 17-game hitting streak, one shy of affiliate record. Scouting Report: Cast as a leadoff hitter to inspire a grinding approach, Bader, at heart, remains an eager hitter. Two evaluators called him "aggressively confident" at the plate and his ambush power has grown as a result. He is a coiled, broad-shouldered athlete that has above-average speed and a rising aptitude to take an extra base. A solid-average swing and a seasoned feel for the strike zone served him well in the Arizona Fall League to go with his average power potential. Bader showed capable range and a good arm for center, where his bat profiles as an asset.
  
  The Future: A taste of Triple-A in 2016 will become a priority starting role there in 2017. If he sticks at center, Bader will increase his imminent value to the Cardinals as a fourth outfielder or muscle his way into a trade.