Josh Prince Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Joshua Cole Prince
Born 01/26/1988 in Lake Charles, LA
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Tulane
Debut 04/06/2013
Drafted in the 3rd round (105th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2009 (signed for $304,200).

View Draft Report

Shortstop Josh Prince had a breakout season, batting .353 and tying for the NCAA Division I lead with 48 steals in 55 attempts. That was a far cry from his performance in 2008, when he batted .236 in his first season at Tulane after transferring from Texas. He struggled last year while recovering from elbow surgery, and getting healthy and wearing glasses to correct an astigmatism led to his turnaround. Prince's best tool is his speed, which makes him a threat on the bases and allows him to cover ground at shortstop. He's not the most fluid defender, but he does have a solid arm. A 6-foot-3, 195-pounder, Prince controls the strike zone, makes contact and offers modest power from the right side. He doesn't use his legs well or get much leverage in his swing, and he'll have to prove he can hit with wood bats.

Top Rankings

Drafted as a shortstop, Prince played that position for three pro seasons before moving to center field in 2012. His best tool is his above-average speed, which he used to tie for the NCAA Division I lead with 48 steals in 2009. He continues to cause havoc with his aggressiveness on the bases, stealing 147 bases in 385 pro games. But he's not a pure burner and must improve his basestealing efficiency after getting caught in 25 percent of his pro attempts. Prince is a contact hitter with little pop, using a level swing to put the ball in play and get on base. He improved his plate discipline considerably in 2012. His athleticism allowed him to make the transition to center field, where he's still learning the proper reads and routes but can run down balls. He has an average arm. The Brewers like Prince's confidence and feel for the game. While he doesn't have fluid infield actions, he profiles as a utilityman who can play almost anywhere on the diamond. After he hit .404 in the Arizona Fall League, Milwaukee decided not to expose him to the Rule 5 draft and protected him on its 40-man roster. He'll be on call in Triple-A this year.