Michael Gigliotti

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #27 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: At Lipscomb, Gigliotti fit the profile of a speedster who takes good at-bats, which led the Royals to draft him in the fourth round in 2017. His problem as a pro has been staying on the field. Gigliotti missed almost all of 2018 with a serious knee injury and played just 87 games in 2019.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The best news is that Gigliotti's knee is as strong as ever, exceeding his pre-injury marks in speed tests and re-affirming his grade as a plus-plus runner. He has good instincts on the basepaths and stole 36 bags during his abbreviated 2019 season. Gigliotti is a patient gap-to-gap hitter with feel to hit and good hands, although he lacks home run power. A plus defender in center field, he takes good routes and gets jumps on balls. His average arm works in all three outfield spots, and he is an intelligent and instinctual ballplayer.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gigliotti will turn 24 just before spring training and will likely start the year at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Most see him as a future fourth outfielder or better, but only if he can stay healthy.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #27 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Royals' fourth-round pick out of Lipscomb in 2017, Gigliotti had a solid debut season, ut his second pro season ended early when he tore his ACL after only six games.
  
  Scouting Report: Gigliotti profiles as a top-of-the-order hitter with elite plate discipline, using his advanced knowledge of the strike zone to work counts and focus on making contact. He has a strong frame and quick hands with an efficient bat path. His below-average power is balanced by the plus-plus speed he showed prior to his knee injury. Gigliotti gets good jumps and reads on fly balls, and his average arm is enough for center field.
  
  The Future: Assuming he's back to full strength in 2019, Gigliotti should move to high Class A Wilmington. That determination won't be made until he's back in action during spring training, however.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #20 prospect in 2018
  A down year in his junior season at Lipscomb may have hurt Gigliotti's draft stock, with talent evaluators concerned that he had become a too patient hitter. The Royals grabbled the lefthanded hitting center fielder in the fourth round, signing him for $397,500 and assigning him to advanced-rookie Burlington to start his career. Gigliotti made it to low Class A Lexington for the last month of the regular season, posting a combined slash line of .320/.420/.456 with 22 stolen bases. While his patient approach concerned amateur scouts, the Royals see his plate discipline as an elite tool, noting his advanced knowledge of the strike zone allows him to focus on contact and work counts. Gigliotti has a strong frame and quick hands, profiling as a top-of-the order hitter with an efficient bat path and advanced feel at the plate but with below-average power. He's a plus-plus runner who gets good reads on fly balls, and his average arm is playable in center field. With some time at low Class A behind him, Gigliotti may be able to jump right to high Class A Wilmington in 2018. He projects as a starting center fielder and leadoff hitter at the major league level.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #71 prospect in 2017 draft
  Gigliotti wasn't a big name coming out of high school powerhouse Archbishop McCarthy (Southwest Ranches, Fla.), but he was an instant contributor when he arrived at Lipscomb, batting .336 as a freshman. Following his sophomore year, Gigliotti put together a strong summer in the Cape Cod League, batting .310 and posting an .810 OPS. This spring, he got off to a slow start; scouts pannedl his passive approach at the plate. He takes pitches often and works counts deeply, sometimes laying off pitches he might otherwise be able to drive. He has quick hands and a contact-oriented lefthanded swing. He's a plus-plus runner and his speed plays well in center field and on the basepaths. Entering the final weekend of the season, he had stolen 31 bases in 36 attempts and had reached base at a .452 clip. His batting average gradually improved throughout the year as he recovered from a slow start. Gigliotti's strong summer performance and up-the-middle defensive profile have put him in position to be selected in the first five rounds of the draft.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked American League #18 prospect in 2017
  A down spring exposed flaws in Gigliotti's approach that hurt his draft stock. The speedy center fielder then spent much of the summer in Burlington before finishing up in low Class A Lexington. Gigliotti's plus-plus speed gives him a boost out of the box. He's able to beat out infield hits and challenge defenders' throws across the diamond. He is focused on contact and is able to drive the ball to the gaps with a smooth lefthanded swing. He constantly works the count to put himself in the best situation to making it to first base. Gigliotti has an advanced knowledge of the zone and rarely swings and misses. He is lacking in the power department and doesn't project to hit more than 10 home runs in a season. One manager commented that Gigliotti's outfield glove is up there with Bubba Starling's as the best in the Royals organization. He gets good reads on fly balls and is able to track down even the toughest bounces. His possesses an average arm that's playable in center field.

• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: At Lipscomb, Gigliotti fit the profile of a speedster who takes good at-bats, which led the Royals to draft him in the fourth round in 2017. His problem as a pro has been staying on the field. Gigliotti missed almost all of 2018 with a serious knee injury and played just 87 games in 2019.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The best news is that Gigliotti's knee is as strong as ever, exceeding his pre-injury marks in speed tests and re-affirming his grade as a plus-plus runner. He has good instincts on the basepaths and stole 36 bags during his abbreviated 2019 season. Gigliotti is a patient gap-to-gap hitter with feel to hit and good hands, although he lacks home run power. A plus defender in center field, he takes good routes and gets jumps on balls. His average arm works in all three outfield spots, and he is an intelligent and instinctual ballplayer.
  
  THE FUTURE: Gigliotti will turn 24 just before spring training and will likely start the year at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Most see him as a future fourth outfielder or better, but only if he can stay healthy.