With the 2018 MLB Draft approaching, teams are gearing up to select the player they hope can prosper into a star and get them a World Series title. Teams can find anything from rare gems in the later rounds to busts in the first round. In this Last Word On Baseball Draft Profile, we take an in-depth look at outfielder Nick Schnell.
Nick Schnell 2018 MLB Draft Profile
Schnell is an outfielder from Roncalli High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, the first player drafted from his school. He is committed to play baseball at the University of Louisville this fall. Another high school prospect committed to Louisville, though many are doubting he will attend, is fellow outfielder Jarred Kelenic. Schnell is the best of five prospects from his home state of Indiana to be recruited by Louisville. It remains to be seen if Schnell, coming into the draft in his senior year, will playing for Louisville or heading straight to the majors, depending on his draft spot.
Strengths
According to the MLB Pipeline scouting report done on Schnell, his greatest strength is a toss up between his speed and his arm. This is a great problem to have—especially for an outfielder—because it makes him flexible in the field. If a team were to play him at center field, he would have the speed to be able to move fast to track the ball if it heads for the track. If he were to play in right, he could have an arm that makes baserunners think twice about going to the next base after they tag up on a pop fly.
Weaknesses
Schnell’s biggest weakness in his game right now is his power. He has enough power to hit the gaps in the field, but he doesn’t quite have the over-the-fence power. However, that part of his game is coming, and once he gets that power he can round out his batting. But with that strength, Schnell has the potential to lose some speed if he does improve his power.
Final Thoughts
Nick Schnell is one of the more underrated prospects in this draft. With few weaknesses in his game, he could decide to stay in the draft instead of going to Louisville. He also has played as a pitcher with a fastball that hits the low 90s. While he may not become the next Shohei Ohtani, it is always a good skill to have, especially for an outfielder. In their latest mock draft, MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo has Schnell going to the Tampa Bay Rays with the 32nd overall pick, while Jim Callis projects Schnell to be selected by the Kansas City Royals with the 33rd overall pick. If Schnell ends up going to MLB, he will no doubt progress through the ranks in no time.
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