One of college baseball’s best double-play combinations featured two players that went undrafted out of high school. The Mississippi State University duo features Jordan Westburg at shortstop and Justin Foscue at second base. Both men are top-40 draft prospects. Although Foscue is five spots higher on the rankings, Westburg is considered to have the higher ceiling and better defensive value.
One of his best offensive performances in college came in 2018 against the University of North Carolina. In that game, he tied a College World Series record with seven RBI, and he was a big reason for Mississippi State getting to Omaha that season.
Although Westburg was considered for the US Collegiate National team, he did not make it. Instead, he took advantage of the opportunity and slashed .326/.385/.516 in the Cape Cod League in 2019.
Strengths
Westburg’s best skills are his arm and speed, and both tools are graded 55/80. These two tools allow Westburg to range well and make strong throws from any area. Because of this, scouts think he can remain a long-term option at shortstop.
Scouts feel that Westburg’s power can play at the next level, and he could produce 20 home runs per season. Between his three seasons with Mississippi State and two summer leagues, he hit 54 doubles and 15 home runs. He was slugging .517 before the 2020 season was postponed.
Weaknesses
The big issue for Westburg is his consistency at the plate. Scouts grade his hit tool as a 45/80, and that is due in large part to a pull-happy approach. Additionally, he struggles to manage the strike zone and recognize pitches, leading to stretches of inconsistency.
Between spring and summer ball, Westburg struck out 20.9% of the time in college. Also, he did not show too much improvement on the strike outs in the abbreviated season, striking out 20.2% of the time.
Although scouts think that Westburg can stay at shortstop long term, that could change depending on how he matures physically. His 6’3 frame is a little tall for the position, but his 191 pound weight makes him a little undersized.
He can afford to add some muscle, and that could slow him down enough to warrant a move to third base. On the bright side, he also profiles well as a third baseman because of his potential 20-home-run power.
MLB Comp
Jordan Westburg shows similarities in his game to Carlos Correa of the Houston Astros. Correa is a player who can range very well at shortstop with an arm good enough to make the throw from wherever he fields the ball. Correa measures 6’4 so he is also a little tall for the position, but he shows that it is possible to have long-term success at shortstop with that kind of height.
One other similarity is in how both men perform at the plate. In terms of power, Correa has hit at least 20 home runs in every season but one during his career. Additionally, his pure hitting ability is not as refined as his power, similar to Westburg. Correa is a lifetime .277 hitter, but he strikes out 20.9% of the time, identical to what Westburg produced in college.
Jordan Westburg has a higher ceiling than his double-play partner, and his defensive abilities are a plus. Westburg feels like a safe pick for any team that is looking to improve their organizational depth on the right side of the infield.
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