Isaiah Greene is a 6’1″ 180-pound centerfielder out of Corona High School (California). Greene’s draft stock dropped after a substandard junior season in 2019, but he rebounded over the summer with an impressive showing at the Area Code Games. In this showcase, he exhibited improvement at the plate — posting a slash line of .429/.438/.714. The 18-year-old further boosted his stock after displaying his skills on the scout team that played against USA Baseball’s 18-and-under team. As a result, he’s currently listed as the 62nd-best prospect on MLB.com’s 2020 Prospect Rankings and will likely be a second round pick.
Strengths
The thing that stands out the most with Greene is his impressive speed. At the 2019 Perfect Game National Showcase, he demonstrated his plus speed by posting a 60-yard dash time of 6.48 seconds. This time placed him in the 98.69 percentile and was much better than the class average of 7.26 seconds. In that same event, he recorded a 10 yard split time of 1.61 seconds — placing him the 82.68 percentile. He uses this quickness to create havoc on the basepaths and to quickly cover ground in centerfield.
At the plate, Greene bats from the left side. He features good plate vision and does an excellent job of making consistent contact. This is validated by his career slash line of .309/.405/.406 in high school. Greene also utilizes his speed by putting the ball on the ground and beating throws to first. He should hit for a high average at the next level as his bat speed continues to improve and as he works on his swing mechanics. On MLB.com’s scouting scale, his hit tool received an above-average grade of 55/80.
In the field, Greene uses his wheels and athleticism to make difficult plays look easy. He also possesses a strong, accurate arm. His throwing velocity from the outfield clocked in at 85 mph at the 2019 PG National Showcase — exceeding the class average of 82 mph. Although he still has a lot of room to grow with his routes and reads in center field, scouts believe he’ll continue to get better as he develops his footwork and fielding skills.
Weaknesses
One flaw in Greene’s game is his lack of power. He can square the ball up on occasion, but overall his swing is relatively flat. Consequently, his power received a below-average scouting grade of 45/80. Although he’s not considered a power threat, he should develop more pop at the plate as he fills out his athletic frame and gets into professional training.
Another cause for concern is Greene’s commitment to the University of Missouri. It’s not uncommon for a high school prospect to forgo the start of their professional career in order to further improve their draft stock by going to college. Some teams may decide to pass on drafting Greene if they believe his signability is low.
MLB Comp
Greene has drawn a lot of comparisons to former Los Angeles Angels All-Star outfielder Garret Anderson. Both players have similar left-handed swings, and much like Greene, Anderson implemented a contact first approach at the plate. However, the most striking similarity is their personalities. Just like Greene, Anderson was a “quiet presence” in the clubhouse. Instead, he let his play on the field do the talking.
Even Greene himself likes the comparison, saying, “I can see why I get compared to him. He was a quiet, low-key guy like me, but he could also get the job done.”
Time will tell if Greene can become a player of Anderson’s caliber. But one thing is for certain, Greene has all the tools to become a star at the next level.
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