Professional baseball is about to have a second infielder named Max Muncy when the 2021 Amateur Draft takes places this summer. The younger of the two currently attends Thousand Oaks High in California. The school has produced a handful of players throughout its history, the most notable being Chuck Crim in the 1979 Draft. The most recent Thousand Oaks alum to make the major leagues was Jett Bandy in the 2011 Amateur Draft.
Max Muncy 2021 MLB Draft Profile
Muncy is a right-handed 6’1″, 175-pound infielder. MLB.com rates him as the 38th-best player on their board while Baseball America currently slots him at 52nd overall. A handful of other shortstops are ahead of him on both boards, but he has the right tools that should result in a selection in either the first or second rounds. However, he also has the option of attending Arkansas if the offer is not to his liking. He would not be the first player to attend college in the hopes of securing a spot higher in the draft.
Strengths
Scouting reports reflect a player who won’t excel in any one area, but is above average in all areas. He has a 50 out of 80 for his hitting, running, fielding and arm. The only aspect of his game that is above 50 is his power at 55. And while this is not the best profile it is perfectly fine. His reported work ethic is excellent and should give him a chance to surpass his current grades in the right organization. It is especially nice to see a middle infielder with the long term potential to stick at second or short on top of the offensive tools. Not having a dead spot in the lineup purely for a glove is always a good thing. Getting too big is really the only major concern regarding his future up the middle.
Weaknesses
Both MLB and Baseball America point out that Muncy’s swing needs work. It can get too long at times, which prevents him from catching up to pitches. Many players can get by early with subpar swings, but advanced pitching will expose that quickly. The good thing is that people are identifying it now. Ending up in the right professional system should help alleviate any major issues with Muncy’s approach at the plate. High school players are also a riskier demographic in the draft, but hitters are the safer investment.
MLB Comparison
The current Muncy is not a good comparison, but several other quality players are. It might be worth considering current Chicago White Sox infielder Tim Anderson as one possible starting point. He and Muncy are the same height, bat right handed, and have good hitting instincts. It is also worth noting that Anderson was a high school product out of Mississippi when he was selected in the middle of the first round in 2013. Muncy will certainly need a few years of seasoning, but there are far worse projections for someone with his skill set. Players are also reaching the majors younger than ever. It isn’t outrageous to envision Muncy’s tools pushing him through a system quickly.
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