Newcomer to Keep an Eye On: Yunior Severino, SS
Birthdate: 10/3/99 (17 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: None
Stats in 2016: Did not play in 2016
This spot had a lot of angles I could take. Do I choose one of the young arms taken in the draft in Joey Wentz, Kyle Muller, or Bryse Wilson? Perhaps one of the later round picks that turned in brilliant first seasons in Corbin Clouse or Devan Watts? Instead, I chose to highlight one of the large group of international signings of the Braves this year.
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The Braves went over the spending limit for international prospects for the first time in their history, and they did it in a big way. Severino was the #2 rated player in that class and the #8 rated player in the entire international class by Baseball America.
Severino is 6’0″ and 170 pounds now, but he is noted for his big time power potential as he has very quick wrists and generates excellent leg power for such a young hitter. He does struggle at times to keep his wrists and hips in sync, but when they both snap at the same time, the ball explodes off of his bat.
Severino has the soft hands and good movements to stay in the infield, but his arm is on the average end, and he’s an average runner, which is reflected in his range at short. He does have very good instincts off the bat, which allows that limited range to play up, so second base would likely be a position he could still play with very good defense.
Overall, the offensive profile for Severino and video on him remind me a ton of Robinson Cano. That would be one heck of a signing for the Braves to have in the system.
Next: D-Backs Top 10 Prospects for 2017
Agree? Disagree? Someone you have a question about from the system? Leave a comment down below!