Mississippi State Bulldog Justin Foscue is rising quickly up MLB draft boards, and for good reason. The six-foot, 200 pound, second baseman is considered to have one of the highest floors of any position player and has seen his offensive production increase in each of the last three seasons since entering college.
In his sophomore year for the Bulldogs, the right-handed swinging Foscue hit .331 with 14 home runs and 22 doubles. He also made several All-American lists that year as well. In 16 games this season, he hit .321 before the remainder of the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak. Despite not being drafted out of high school, Foscue could hear his name called in the first round of this year’s MLB draft. He is currently listed as the 32nd-best prospect, according to MLB.com.
Strengths
Without a doubt, scouts see hitting as Foscue’s biggest strength. After tweaking his swing in the offseason between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Foscue’s production at the plate exploded. After managing to hit only three home runs in his freshman year, he blasted 14 the following year, and his average rose from .241 to .331. Even as his power numbers increased, he still only struck out at a ten percent clip during his sophomore season. During the Bulldogs run to the College World Series in 2019, Foscue was the only player on the team to not not have consecutive hitless games all year.
Foscue is known to be a workhorse who practices very hard. He has shown that he is capable of manning both the second and third base positions. As such, this has more to due with his work ethic and instincts. He and fellow top-prospect teammate Jordan Westburg formed arguably the best double-play combination in all of college baseball. He projects more as a second baseman at the MLB level as his ability to turn and pivot is seen as a major strength.
Weaknesses
Despite being an excellent hitter, Justin Foscue has a tendency to become a little pull-happy at the plate. His high leg kick and full body swing allow him to hit the ball hard. However, it can lead to pitchers taking advantage of his aggressiveness. Foscue will have to learn to hit to all parts of the field if he hopes to remain a productive hitter at the next level.
Also, Foscue’s speed is seen as a concern. Not a speedy runner out of the box, he only manages average speed once he gets going. Foscue’s range and arm at second base is also seen as average. Despite showing great instincts for playing the position, he may struggle a bit at the next level when competing against speedier players. His throws and turns will have to come much quicker than at the college level.
MLB Comp
A good comparison for Justin Foscue is Dustin Pedroia. Despite being a bit bigger than Pedroia, Foscue heavily resembles the Boston Red Sox second baseman. Both players rely more on their work ethics than athleticism. Also, both players have great instincts and do not strike out much, while hitting for a decent amount of power. And, surprisingly, neither player was drafted out of high school.
During Pedroia’s college years, much like Foscue, he was considered and offensive player first who’s tools needed some work. Whichever team drafts Foscue will be thrilled to have a player with the potential of Dustin Pedroia. Should Justin Foscue continue to develop his hitting and work on his defense, there’s no reason to think he won’t reach that level.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
