Kellin Deglan Stats & Scouting Report

AB	2480
AVG	.223
OBP	.3
SLG	.389
HR	93

Full name Kellin Lee Deglan
Born 05/03/1992 in Langley, BC, Canada
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School R.E. Mountain
Drafted in the 1st round (22nd overall) by the Texas Rangers in 2010 (signed for $1,000,000).

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As a member of Canada's junior national team, Deglan has been steadily improving his stock as he has performed well in games against pro players in extended spring training exhibitions. Deglan has gotten bigger and stronger every year and has worked hard to maintain his balance and footwork behind the plate. He is an advanced receiver and has a strong arm, consistently displaying pop times around two seconds flat. Scouts do have a couple of questions regarding Deglan's swing. He has long arms, which can lead to a long swing, and he sometimes swings around the ball and can be attacked inside. But he also has a lot of strength and when he pulls his hands inside the ball, he can use his arms for leverage, which gives him intriguing power potential. When you combine all those things, it's easy to see why teams see a lot of potential in Deglan. He also has great makeup and the leadership qualities that teams look for in catchers. Because of his premium position and lefthanded power potential, Deglan could go as high as the back half of the first round, but grades out as more of a second- to third-round talent.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Deglan's high school in British Columbia didn't have a baseball team, but scouts evaluated him on Canada's junior national team and saw him play well in spring-training exhibitions against pro players, which vaulted him into the first round in 2010. Since signing for $1 million as the 22nd pick that year, Deglan has flashed promising tools but without the performance to match. With a quick, lefthanded bat and above-average raw power, Deglan can hit home runs to any part of the park. He's not a total free-swinger, but he's still learning the strike zone and becomes pull-happy in games. He has a long swing, a low contact rate and tends to tinker by trying to make adjustments on the fly, never settling into a consistent approach. Deglan has a plus arm and good footwork that help him get rid of the ball quickly, but his throws can be erratic and he's never been great at throwing out basestealers, catching just 21 percent in 2013. His blocking and receiving remain works in progress. A big man who sets up more upright than most catchers, Deglan doesn't move well laterally. He can get careless at times with his receiving, but he earns consistent high marks for his work ethic and dedication.
Despite attending a secondary school that didn't have a baseball team, Deglan faced quality amateur competition as a member of Canada's junior national team. Strong performances against pro players during extended spring training exhibitions in 2010 boosted his draft stock, and the Rangers signed him for $1 million after taking him 22nd overall that June. Deglan met expectations in 2011 by keeping his head above water in low Class A. While his numbers weren't impressive, the defensive strides he made have the Rangers optimistic about his future. Deglan has a strong, accurate arm and quick release capable of producing 1.8-second pop times, though he threw out just 21 percent of basestealers last year. He must improve his blocking and receiving, but he could develop into an above-average defender. Texas raves about his makeup, aptitude and feel for the game, and he did a nice job handling the Hickory pitching staff. Deglan's bat will determine whether he's an everyday player or a backup. He has a nice lefthanded swing and above-average raw power, though it plays as alley power during games. He needs to do a better job of staying back on pitches, as he's too often fooled by offspeed stuff. He's not afraid to work a walk, but his long arms add length to his swing and diminish his ability to make consistent contact. Deglan likely will return to low Class A this year in an attempt to jump-start his bat.
Deglan faced his share of quality competition as the catcher for Canada's junior national team, so the Rangers challenged him after drafting him 22nd overall and signing him for a below-slot $1 million last June. After a 10-game tuneup in the Arizona League, they sent him to Spokane, where he struggled mightily with the bat. Deglan has average or better lefthanded power potential down the road, but he must get stronger. He tended to get overly rigid at the plate last summer, and he must do a better job staying back on pitches, though he made progress in that regard during instructional league. Deglan's troubles came in part because he was worn down after a long year, but he still impressed with his defense and makeup. He has a strong, accurate arm that consistently generates 1.92- to 1.98-second pop times, helping him throw out 36 percent of basestealers in his pro debut. He's still learning how to handle pitchers, but he has a good idea how to call a game and he's a quick study. As he fine-tunes his setup and footwork behind the plate, he has a chance to become an above-average receiver. Deglan needs plenty of work at the plate, but he has the tools and leadership skills to be an everyday big league catcher. He could get a crack at low Class A at some point in 2011.

Minor League Top Prospects

The exposure to quality competition Deglan received as the catcher for Canada's junior national team allowed him to arrive in Spokane with more polish than the typical high school catcher. The 22nd-overall pick in the 2010 draft, he has a strong, accurate arm to go with soft hands and good game-calling ability. He threw out 32 percent of NWL basestealers. "He picks things up fast and he pays attention to the game," Spokane manager Tim Hulett said. "I liked his makeup for a guy behind the plate. When he didn't know what he was doing or if he made a bad sequence of calls and we sat down and talked with him about it, he was good about picking it up right away and incorporating it into the next inning or so." Though he batted just .159/.222/.220, Deglan does project to be a good hitter. His long arms can cause him to get tied up inside, but he has the potential to hit 15 homers annually in the majors. He's already strong and hasn't finished maturing physically.