Conner Uselton
| AB | 7 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .429 |
| OBP | .429 |
| SLG | .571 |
| HR | 0 |
- Full name Conner Uselton
- Born 05/20/1998 in Oklahoma City, OK
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Southmoore
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Drafted in the CB-B round (72nd overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017 (signed for $900,000).
View Draft Report
In 2011, Oklahoma produced the best high school draft class the state has seen, with four future big leaguers--Dylan Bundy, Archie Bradley, Michael Fulmer and Adrian Houser--all being selected in the top 70 picks. Just two Oklahoma preps have been drafted in the top 70 picks since. But Uselton, Ryan Vilade and Mitchell Stone could make this the best Sooner draft class since 2011. Uselton had plenty of potential as a football star as well, but after starting for his high school team at quarterback as a freshman, he quit to focus on baseball as a sophomore. He has the athleticism one would expect from a former two-sport star. He is an above-average runner who runs well enough to start out as a center fielder, although most evaluators expect he'll slide to right field long-term, where his above-average arm will play well. He has plus power thanks to above-average bat speed and present strength. His ability to hit for average is more open to interpretation. He hits stinging line drives, but there's some swing-and-miss in his approach. It's geared for power as he has a significant load to start his swing. As a righthanded hitting outfielder who likely ends up in a corner, a team will have to be sold on his offensive potential to buy him out of his commitment to Oklahoma State.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Track Record: Uselton, a former high school quarterback, was given a $900,000 signing bonus out of Southmoore High thanks to a combination of raw athleticism and power. So far as a professional, he hasn't had a lot of opportunity to display either, as he's raised questions about his conditioning and has struggled when he has gotten on the field.
Scouting Report: Uselton blew out his hamstring in just his second game as a professional in 2017 in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He wasn't well conditioned when he arrived for spring training, and 2018 was an uphill battle throughout. He finished with just three extra-base hits, none of them home runs, in 43 games with Rookie-level Bristol, a very disappointing result for as right fielder with plus power potential. Uselton has a lot of work to do to project as a below-average hitter. He still has a long ways to go with his swing mechanics, which include a significant amount of wasted motion, but the Pirates at least saw some impact and bat speed return towards the end of the season.
The Future: They hope he will have turned the corner by spring training and that 2019 will not be as much of a wasted season as 2018 was. -
Uselton was a high school quarterback but gave up football in his sophomore year to pursue baseball. The move paid off when Uselton signed for $900,000 as the Pirates' supplemental second-round pick in 2017 after hitting .467 as a senior at Southmoore High. Uselton played both ways in high school and hit 91 mph with his fastball, but he'll focus on the outfield as a pro. He went down with a hamstring injury in just his second game in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and never returned, but he went 3-for-5 in that game. Uselton's swing mechanics will need extensive work in the minor leagues. There's a lot of motion in the swing that doesn't need to be there, he's prone to too many strikeouts and he doesn't have a great feel for the barrel yet. However, he also has a lot of raw power, so when he does barrel the ball, it can go a long way. Uselton has a chance to start his career in center field because he has above-average athleticism, good instincts and a decent arm. Uselton might eventually have to move to a corner outfield spot, but if he reaches his offensive ceiling, he may still fit well in PNC Park's spacious left field.
Draft Prospects
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In 2011, Oklahoma produced the best high school draft class the state has seen, with four future big leaguers--Dylan Bundy, Archie Bradley, Michael Fulmer and Adrian Houser--all being selected in the top 70 picks. Just two Oklahoma preps have been drafted in the top 70 picks since. But Uselton, Ryan Vilade and Mitchell Stone could make this the best Sooner draft class since 2011. Uselton had plenty of potential as a football star as well, but after starting for his high school team at quarterback as a freshman, he quit to focus on baseball as a sophomore. He has the athleticism one would expect from a former two-sport star. He is an above-average runner who runs well enough to start out as a center fielder, although most evaluators expect he'll slide to right field long-term, where his above-average arm will play well. He has plus power thanks to above-average bat speed and present strength. His ability to hit for average is more open to interpretation. He hits stinging line drives, but there's some swing-and-miss in his approach. It's geared for power as he has a significant load to start his swing. As a righthanded hitting outfielder who likely ends up in a corner, a team will have to be sold on his offensive potential to buy him out of his commitment to Oklahoma State.
