Malique Ziegler Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Malique Avery Ziegler
Born 09/08/1996 in Des Moines, IA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School North Iowa Area CC
Drafted in the 22nd round (665th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2016 (signed for $100,000).

Top Rankings

After a year a Northern Illinois, Ziegler transferred to North Iowa Area JC and turned himself into a draftable prospect with a .395 season with 22 home runs and 31 steals. The Giants nabbed Ziegler as a late-round flier because he could run and play a solid center field. Two years later, that's still a very fair assessment of the speedy Ziegler. He's the fastest runner in the Giants organization as he's consistently timed at 4.00-4.05 seconds from the right side from home to the first. Defensively, he's comfortable tracking balls over his head and has the speed to turn doubles in the gaps into outs. Ziegler hit for power at NIACC, but with a wood bat he has well below-average power potential. His swing has some length with modest bat speed and minimal power, making it hard to project him as more than a fringe-average hitter, but considering his speed and defensive value in center field, he doesn't have to hit much to be a productive backup outfielder.

A 22nd round pick by the Giants in 2016, Ziegler got off to a sizzling start in his Salem-Keizer debut, batting .314/.388/.464 in the first half before a .149/.285/.263 finish. One opposing manager said he thought Ziegler looked "worn down" by season's end. At his peak, though, Ziegler showed the tools of a prospect, including speed that earned varying 70 or 80 grades and helped him steal 26 bases in 35 attempts. The righthanded hitter showed a little power, but his swing is more geared for the gaps than over the fence. His bat is his biggest question mark, but if he can get on base enough, he can cause havoc on the basepaths. Defensively, Ziegler has the range and physical tools to play center field long term, but he'll need to improve his routes. Ziegler is somewhat raw in all facets of his game, but his athleticism gives him upside if he's able to put everything together.