5. Zack Collins, C
Birthdate: 2/6/95 (21 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: rookie, high A
Stats in 2016: .244/.396/.435, 6 HR
With big worries about his ability to stay behind the plate, Collins was a volatile prospect for much of the draft season. As the draft got closer and teams were able to do individual workouts, it began to leak out from multiple clubs how impressive Collins was in his individual workouts with the tools of ignorance on.
He did hit like a mad man in college, whether or not he was having success behind the dish. He was originally drafted as a 27th-rounder by the Reds, but chose to attend Miami, and became arguably the best hitter in the nation last season, so the decision was a wise one.
Collins made significant strides in his lateral movement behind the plate, and some in the AFL have labeled Collins as the best framer in the Arizona Fall League
The White Sox grabbed Collins at #10 after he had scared off some teams with high contract demands, but he quickly got into camp, and he was able to really show his bat in his short time before going to the Arizona Fall League.
The big thing for Collins was his ability behind the plate. He’ll likely never be a Gold Glove catcher, and his arm will always be fringe average, but Collins made significant strides in his lateral movement behind the plate, and some in the AFL have labeled Collins as the best framer in the Arizona Fall League. That’s pretty big praise.
He’ll probably get a shot at AA to start in 2017, and his progress there will determine his timeline to the big leagues.
Next: #4