High school shortstop Colin Houck is MLB.com’s 14th-ranked overall prospect in this year’s draft. Coming out of Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia, Houck is a rare commodity in this year’s draft. He is a successful two-sport athlete, as he was a quarterback recruit who received serious attention. Despite this, he committed to Mississippi State University for baseball. His college career might end before it begins though, as he will likely go high in the 2023 MLB Draft.
#14 Draft prospect Colin Houck takes @StevePhillipsGM through his background as an elite two-sport athlete and breaks down the strengths in his game as a power-hitting shortstop!#MLBNow | @MLBPipeline pic.twitter.com/i1J9FgwFP2
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) June 15, 2023
Houck said in a recent MLB Network interview that he decided last summer to focus on baseball over football. That decision evidently paid off, as he took home the Gatorade Georgia Baseball Player of the Year award for 2023. Now, it has put him on the map as an MLB prospect in a big way. The 18-year-old Houck’s righty bat carries above-average power for a shortstop, and his strong throwing arm could make him a solid two-way player. Here’s a closer look at Houck’s pluses and minuses and how he might look in the majors.
Colin Houck MLB Draft Profile
Scouting grades (MLB.com): Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55
Strengths
Houck stands at 6’2″ and 190 lbs. This tall, slender frame could offer him a bit more range than an average shortstop. His history as a high school quarterback could make him a strong leader, both on the defensive infield and as a motivator in the dugout. Houck’s bat speed should give him relatively high power for his position. His smooth, balanced swing gives him the ability to hit to all fields, although most of his power will likely gravitate toward left field. Defensively, Houck’s strong throwing arm could give him the ability to covert key outs that otherwise might not be made. Additionally, this presents an option to play him at third base, where he also has experience. Houck will likely possess average speed as he grows closer to being major league-ready. As a result, he may become an occasional base-stealing threat.
Weaknesses
Houck’s swing and miss rate and his chase rate are a bit higher than hoped for. The thinking is he’ll have time to iron out these issues as he continues to exclusively focus on baseball. In fact, it seems the biggest worry with Houck at the moment is whether he has a change of heart. If he wanted to give football another shot, there is likely a fair share of colleges that would come calling. Since being taken in the MLB Draft would result in at least a year or two in the minors, this would give Houck ample time to change his mind if he so chose. This could be a factor teams weigh when deciding whether to draft Houck.
Colin Houck MLB Player Comparison
In terms of both physical profile and style of play, Colin Houck very much resembles Dansby Swanson of the Chicago Cubs. The former top overall draft pick is 6’1′ and 190 lbs, offering him flashy range defensively. This led to his first career Gold Glove Award in 2022, his last season with the Atlanta Braves. Swanson also possesses ample power for a shortstop. In his last two seasons in Atlanta, he hit 27 and 25 home runs, respectively, his two highest career totals.
Now, Swanson’s career average of .255 doesn’t jump off the page. A big reason for this is his frequent strikeouts, something Houck also needs to work on. Still, Swanson’s power and run production make him a plus offensively. As Houck continues to mature as a player, the hope is he can become an All-Star caliber two-way talent in the mold of Dansby Swanson.
Photo Credit: © Keith Warren
Players Mentioned: Colin Houck, Dansby Swanson
