Freshman Spotlight: Texas’ Will Gasparino’s Ceiling Is Sky-High
Image credit: Will Gasparino (Brian Westerholt/Four Seam Images)
Will Gasparino has been entrenched in the baseball world for his entire life. He grew up as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ spring training bat boy and is the son of Dodgers scouting director Billy Gasparino. As time went on, Gasparino bloomed into a premium prospect. He was a two-time Area Code Games attendee and a standout during his time at national powerhouse Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.).
Heading into his senior season, there was top-two round chatter surrounding Gasparino. However, he suffered a hand injury that caused him to miss the start of his season and performed inconsistently after his return to the lineup. In the lead-up to the draft, there was still a chance for Gasparino to be a top-three round selection, but he ultimately decided to honor his commitment to the University of Texas.
An Excellent Athlete
At 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, Gasparino has a big league frame and is as tooled out as any true freshman in the country. Offensively, he is currently a power-over-hit profile. Gasparino sets up in the box with a slightly open front side and a medium-high handset. He possesses plus bat speed as well as plus power.
In order for Gasparino to maximize his immense upside, he will need to improve his pitch recognition skills and refine his approach. Swing-and-miss issues are not uncommon with hitters of Gasparino’s stature, especially at the prep level. With plenty of reps across his three-year college career on top of summer ball, Gasparino has nothing but time to solidify his plate skills.
On defense, Gasparino has an above-average arm and is an excellent athlete. He moves like a gazelle in the outfield with plenty of range and advanced baseball sense. Between his throwing arm, athleticism and instincts, Gasparino has the defensive chops to potentially stick in center field.
Gasparino’s Future
The long-levered Gasparino is also a plus runner and a threat on the basepaths. He has legitimate five-tool upside and could be an opening day starter for the Longhorns. Coach Pierce will be tasked with replacing two-thirds of his 2023 outfield following the departures of rightfielder Dylan Campbell (4th round, Los Angeles Dodgers) and Eric Kennedy (NDFA, Kansas City Royals). Veteran Porter Brown (.323/.426/.545) will anchor a corner outfield spot, but Gasparino has a golden opportunity to win the starting job in center.
Gasparino’s ceiling is immeasurably high, and he figures to be in the mix for the Big 12’s Freshman of the Year award. Should he put together a productive collegiate career, Gasparino in 2026 has a chance to be selected in the top half of the first round.
