Stuart Fairchild

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #9 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Fairchild continued to adapt offensively in his third season of pro ball. While he hasn't shown the power he did at Wake Forest that made him a second-round pick in 2017, Fairchild managed to cut down on his strikeouts and hit .300 in May and June at high Class A Daytona to earn a promotion to Double-A Chattanooga in July.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Fairchild isn't overly physical or toolsy, but he plays above his supposed limitations. He is known for being a grinder and a solid all-around contributor. Fairchild made the effort to simplify his swing and start it earlier, which has enabled him to put the barrel on the ball more consistently and show average or better hitting ability. With improvements to the timing of his lower and upper half, Fairchild has a chance to develop above-average power down the road. His plus instincts and plus speed give him the ability to play center field, and he has the average arm to man all three outfield positions as needed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Fairchild should get plenty of at-bats in the upper minors in 2020. His continued offensive development will determine whether he becomes a solid everyday player or a useful fourth outfielder.
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #10 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: After a productive career at Wake Forest, Fairchild has acquitted himself nicely in his first two pro seasons. He's shown he can get on base while playing a solid center field, but the righthanded hitter has yet to show as much pop as he demonstrated with the Demon Deacons.
  
  Scouting Report: Although he has solid-average tools, Fairchild is known for performing above them. He takes an advanced approach to hitting, showing both patience and the ability to drive the ball. He has a strong build and clean swing, which should lead to roughly average power. Fairchild is a plus runner and plays center field well. He has good feel for roaming the outfield, although his arm is considered below-average.
  
  The Future: Fairchild will likely begin the season at high Class A Daytona, but will end up playing most of the season in Double-A. His offensive adjustments and ability to play quality defense in the outfield give him a chance to be a big league regular, but he'll have to hit for more power or average to avoid a fourth outfielder tag.
• 
  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #16 prospect in 2018
  The Reds took Fairchild with the 38th overall pick, and see him as a true center fielder who could be in the big leagues within three years. The biggest part of that is his defense and speed. He covers plenty of ground in the field and has good instincts, making up for an average arm. Although he struggled in the Cape Cod League before his junior year, he had a solid debut with the wood bat in rookie ball, hitting .302/.393/.412 in Billings. Fairchild has a short, compact swing and a short stride, playing to his speed. He has shown the ability to let balls get in deep, and has a late trigger with a line-drive approach and good bat speed. His power developed in his junior year for the Demon Deacons, hitting five home runs in each of his first two seasons before hitting 17 as a junior. It's not a sure bet that power will translate to wood bats as Wake Forest's Gene Hooks Field is considered a great park for power. In Billings, he showed the power in batting practice, but it didn't necessarily translate into game situations. Scouts see him as having 10-15 home run power, but not the plus power his college stats might indicate. Fairchild will likely begin the season at low Class A Dayton, but there's a good chance he won't end the year there.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #43 prospect in 2017 draft
  Scouts have debated Fairchild and North Carolina's Brian Miller all year as college center fielders in the same geographic area. They're quite different players, starting with Fairchild batting righthanded and having more power than Miller, even accounting for the cozy confines of Wake's Gene Hooks Field. Fairchild arrived from Seattle and was a freshman All-American in 2015, then ranked as the Cal Ripken League's No. 1 prospect that summer. His power didn't start playing consistently until his junior season, though, becoming a fifth average or better tool. He has solid pop but also has some swing-and-miss in his game, and he doesn't control the strike zone on par with top-caliber college hitters. Fairchild's best tools are not his hitting tools; it's in the field, as he's an above-average runner who earns plusses for his throwing arm and defense in center field. He has good instincts for the position and impressed scouts with several highlight catches in the 2016 ACC tournament. While the 6-foot, 200-pound Fairchild has shown more power than Miller, he had a middling summer in the Cape Cod League (.234) last year, which probably keeps him from ascending higher than the second round. His defensive ability gives him a high floor as a potential fourth outfielder.
• Ranked #271 prospect in 2014 draft
  Fairchild was an all-state player in Washington as a junior and committed to Wake Forest, which spotted him before his strong Area Code Games performance last summer. The 6-foot, 200-pounder has present strength, especially in his wrists and forearms, and good bat speed, which makes him one of the state's best hitters. He's physically mature and lacks much projection. A team would have to believe that Fairchild will maintain his present above-average speed and keep him in center field to draft him high enough to sign him. He's considered academically oriented and unlikely to sign.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pioneer League #13 prospect in 2017
  Drafted by the Reds in the second round after his three-year career at Wake Forest, Fairchild spent his first pro season as Billings' primary center fielder. Scouts and PL managers had mixed opinions on his projection, with most of his tools grading as right around average. Fairchild has a short, compact swing and takes a small stride, giving the ball time to get deep into the zone, though observers who saw him later in the season noted a longer swing. He's a line drive hitter with below-average power, and his swing gets defensive at times. He's got more raw power in batting practice but it doesn't carry into games. He hit 17 home runs as a junior, but that didn't translate even in the hitter-friendly PL. Fairchild is an above-average runner who covers plenty of ground in center field, and his average arm will be enough for the position. Some scouts project him as a fourth outfielder.

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  A prototypical extra outfielder, Fairchild was acquired from Cincinnati in the Archie Bradley trade at the 2020 trade deadline and recently made his MLB debut. A plus defender, Fairchild has the speed to handle all three outfield positions.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Fairchild's well-rounded skill set prompted the Reds to take him with the 38th overall pick in 2017. Though his power was slow to emerge, he gained a reputation for being a heady, instinctual player capable of outperforming his tools. He began the 2020 season at the Reds' alternate training site and was traded to Arizona with Josh VanMeter at the trade deadline for Archie Bradley.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Fairchild is a sum-is-better-than-the-parts type of player. He has good strike-zone awareness and a mature approach that makes him a headache for opposing pitchers. He has worked to simplify his swing, starting his hands farther from his body to become more direct. Fairchild makes a fair amount of contact and his gap-to-gap power is good for a steady volume of doubles, as well as the occasional home run. He's a good defender at all three outfield positions and has an average arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Some evaluators see Fairchild as the righthanded half of a platoon, but most see a likely fourth outfielder. He will start 2021 at either Double-A or Triple-A and is likely to surface in the majors at some point.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Fairchild continued to adapt offensively in his third season of pro ball. While he hasn’t shown the power he did at Wake Forest that made him a second-round pick in 2017, Fairchild managed to cut down on his strikeouts and hit .300 in May and June at high Class A Daytona to earn a promotion to Double-A Chattanooga in July.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Fairchild isn’t overly physical or toolsy, but he plays above his supposed limitations. He is known for being a grinder and a solid all-around contributor. Fairchild made the effort to simplify his swing and start it earlier, which has enabled him to put the barrel on the ball more consistently and show average or better hitting ability. With improvements to the timing of his lower and upper half, Fairchild has a chance to develop above-average power down the road. His plus instincts and plus speed give him the ability to play center field, and he has the average arm to man all three outfield positions as needed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Fairchild should get plenty of at-bats in the upper minors in 2020. His continued offensive development will determine whether he becomes a solid everyday player or a useful fourth outfielder.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Fairchild continued to adapt offensively in his third season of pro ball. While he hasn't shown the power he did at Wake Forest that made him a second-round pick in 2017, Fairchild managed to cut down on his strikeouts and hit .300 in May and June at high Class A Daytona to earn a promotion to Double-A Chattanooga in July.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Fairchild isn't overly physical or toolsy, but he plays above his supposed limitations. He is known for being a grinder and a solid all-around contributor. Fairchild made the effort to simplify his swing and start it earlier, which has enabled him to put the barrel on the ball more consistently and show average or better hitting ability. With improvements to the timing of his lower and upper half, Fairchild has a chance to develop above-average power down the road. His plus instincts and plus speed give him the ability to play center field, and he has the average arm to man all three outfield positions as needed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Fairchild should get plenty of at-bats in the upper minors in 2020. His continued offensive development will determine whether he becomes a solid everyday player or a useful fourth outfielder.