MLB: The Most Underrated Prospects Heading into 2017
By Jason Reed
Manuel Margot – 23rd
Manuel Margot is a name that many casual baseball fans do not know, perhaps due to the franchise he plays with. Margot is an outfielder within the San Diego Padres organization and is in the running for the starting center field spot on Opening Day. My personal belief is that Margot will land the job over Travis Jankowski, perhaps moving him to left field. Despite being a name that many casual fans do not know, Margot will make his mark in MLB as a great outfielder.
Margot’s biggest weapons at his disposal are his speed and fielding. Margot is an electric runner, thriving on the base paths and in the field. His speed allows him to track down balls, make athletic plays and steal bases. In 466 games in the minors, he stole 162 bases and was caught 56 times. Margot has a pretty good bat as well; while his power ceiling is likely 10-15 home runs, he batted .288 in the minors.
Margot provides the speed and contact hitting that are the mark of any good center fielder. To me, Margot resembles Dexter Fowler, and could produce very similar numbers while stealing more bases. Margot undoubtedly belongs in the top 20 prospects in baseball, and can arguably even be ranked in the top 15.