The UCLA Bruins are ranked in the top fifteen of all Division I college baseball programs, and they’ve managed to produce a first round talent in Garrett Mitchell. Mitchell is a 21-year old outfielder.
He grew up in California, and played baseball at Orange Lutheran High School. Prior to attending UCLA, he was drafted in the 14th round of the 2017 MLB Amateur Draft by the Oakland Athletics. He decided to become a Bruin because it was always a dream of his.
Mitchell had a breakout season in his sophomore campaign. He boasted an impressive slash line of .349/.418/.566. He started every single game and batted lead-off for the majority of the year. The talented outfielder had a team-leading 90 hits, 18 stolen bases, 12 triples, and 57 runs. His performance throughout 2019 put him on MLB scout’s radars. Unfortunately, his true junior season ended before it ever really began. His time at UCLA was a definite success though, as Garrett Mitchell is ranked 12th on the pre-draft prospect list.
Strengths
His speed is clearly his most sought after trait. He has shown the ability to stretch base-hits into doubles, and has the quickness to consistently rack up triples. Mitchell rarely makes mistakes in the outfield. As a sophomore, he had a perfect fielding percentage. He can cover a ton of ground in center field. Expect him to become a quality defender early on in his professional career.
In addition to his speed, Mitchell has made major improvements at the plate. According to MLB.com, he is as ‘toolsy’ as they come, and impressed scouts with his plus power in batting practices. He could be a top of the order batter with his intangibles. At 6’3 and 204 pounds, he will certainly have the ability to hit for power against elite pitching. Overall, his OBP will be the most important stat to keep an eye on as he progresses.
Weaknesses
His college career didn’t leave too many concerns to focus on, but there are some aspects of his game that he can improve on. At the plate, he’s not a great power threat yet. As he continues to work on his swing that may change, but right now he is more of a contact hitter. Teams will be counting on him to take advantage of his big frame in the future. He also needs to stay consistent, and maintain the production he brought to the table as a sophomore.
In addition to that, a leg injury kept Mitchell from competing with the College National Team. Teams may be worried about his durability long-term. Much of his game is reliant on his above-average speed, so an injury to his leg is somewhat of a concern. As of now, he is back to full health and ready to showcase his talents for the organization that drafts him.
MLB Comparison
The most accurate comparison to a current player is Colorado Rockies’ outfielder, Charlie Blackmon. Both players are nearly identical in height and weight. They each bat left-handed. Blackmon came into the league struggling to hit for power, but he now has consistent homer run potential at the plate. This may be the case for Mitchell as well.
Mitchell is expected to play center field, where Blackmon was positioned for nearly 700 games in his career, before being moved to right. He has made few errors, and has a career fielding percentage of .989 at center.
At the plate, Blackmon has a career slash line of .304/.360/.509. He does most of his damage at the lead-off spot, much like Mitchell in college. It’s not far fetched to believe that Mitchell can reach similar levels of success, he certainly has the ability to. Whether he manages to become a four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger, is to be determined. The only only clear differences between the two is their throwing hands — and Blackmon’s world famous beard, of course.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
