42. Mike Papi, Virginia, OF, 6′ 3″, 210 lbs.
Papi can play all three outfield positions, but corner is best suited for him. He’s even played a little first base. But it’s the bat the gains the attention.
He has a quick bat and displays good plate discipline and pitch recognition. For this past season, Papt hit .299, but his OBP was .455. He drew a total of 50 walks compared to just 36 strikeouts. This in 186 AB.
Some believe the power isn’t quite there. That might not actually be the case as the field Virginia calls home, Davenport Field, has a reputation for being pitcher-friendly. Papi managed to lead the Cavaliers in home runs with 10. He also drove in 47 which was also tops on the team. Adding a little muscle won’t hurt, but not too much.
I don’t see much going on with his swing. Seeing this compact, free and easy stroke from a left-handed bat can set a lefty apart from a righty. This swing just looks natural. This is why I made the statement about not adding too much muscle. This swing is nice to watch.
You saw his home-to-1B time on the video. Papi only attempted nine steals this season. He was successful on six of those attempts. He’s not a burner, but he’s not excessively slow either.
You could add that Papi is also dependable as he was one of only two Wahoos to start every game during the regular season.
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