Sam McMillan Stats & Scouting Report

AB	581
AVG	.225
OBP	.379
SLG	.299
HR	5

Full name Samual P. McMillan
Born 12/01/1998 in Gainesville, FL
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 193 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Suwannee
Drafted in the 5th round (155th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2017 (signed for $1,000,000).

View Draft Report

McMillan is the fourth-ranked prep catcher in this year's class. Primarily a catch and throw guy at this point, McMillan faces a tough challenge moving forward as he fits into one of the most risky demographics there is: a glove first, righthanded-hitting high school catcher. Scouts are unsure of how his bat is going to play moving forward, as he's more of a line drive hitter currently without much power, and his size doesn't offer the sort of projection you would like. He is one of the best receivers in the class with plus hands, but without a carrying tool, it might be tough for a team to buy him out of his commitment to Florida.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: McMillan was known mostly for his glove as an amateur, and scouts saw little power coming from a frame that lacked much in the way of projection. He earned strong marks for his receiving, and the Tigers liked his upside enough to draft him in the fifth round in 2017 and sign him to a $1 million bonus, which was the highest handed out in his round.

Scouting Report: While McMillan has a potential plus hit tool, he doesn’t show much power at all--he notched just seven extra-base hits in 50 games--and relies mostly on a contact approach and a solid feel for the strike zone. Scouts weren’t impressed by his defense this year, noting a league-worst 14 passed balls. His arm is below-average, too, and he threw out just 27 percent of runners with Connecticut. There’s plenty of work to be done to get back to his highly touted pre-draft defensive grades.

The Future: McMillan still has plenty of development remaining, and his profile still gives him a chance to be a backup catcher.
McMillan battled some very ill-timed tendinitis in his throwing shoulder during his senior season at Live Oak, Fla.'s Suwannee High. That led a number of teams to decide it would be better to let him head to Florida, but the Tigers stayed on him. They went far beyond slot value in the fifth round to sign him for $1 million. McMillan responded by putting together one of the best seasons in the Gulf Coast League, although he fell a few plate appearances short of qualifying for league leaderboards. McMillan's approach was more advanced than the pitchers he faced. He spit at sliders off the plate, laughed at buried curveballs and connected consistently when pitchers did throw in the zone. He was equally happy to slap the ball around the field as he was to take a walk. Scouts are confident in McMillan's potentially plus hit tool, but they are much less confident in his ability to drive the ball. He needs to add strength as his power potential is well below-average. McMillan was considered more polished defensively than offensively in high school. He's an advanced receiver for his age and although his arm was only average in his pro debut, it could play up in the future as he puts the tendinitis in the rear-view mirror. The Tigers' West Michigan manager in 2018 will be Lance Parrish, who would be a perfect mentor for the young catcher.

Draft Prospects

McMillan is the fourth-ranked prep catcher in this year's class. Primarily a catch and throw guy at this point, McMillan faces a tough challenge moving forward as he fits into one of the most risky demographics there is: a glove first, righthanded-hitting high school catcher. Scouts are unsure of how his bat is going to play moving forward, as he's more of a line drive hitter currently without much power, and his size doesn't offer the sort of projection you would like. He is one of the best receivers in the class with plus hands, but without a carrying tool, it might be tough for a team to buy him out of his commitment to Florida.

Minor League Top Prospects

McMillan lasted until the fifth round in 2017, where the Tigers drafted him and signed him for $1 million. Known more for his defense coming out of high school, McMillan was an on-base machine in the GCL. He has a simple swing, good bat-to-ball skills and makes quality contact, with an approach that creates more line drives than loft power. He showed a discerning eye in the GCL, staying within the strike zone and putting himself into advantageous hitters' counts. Behind the plate, McMillan is loose and flexible, with soft hands that make him a polished receiver for his age. He has an average, accurate arm with a compact throwing stroke.