{"id":20453,"date":"2019-06-02T21:45:18","date_gmt":"2019-06-03T01:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/\/?p=20453"},"modified":"2019-06-02T21:45:18","modified_gmt":"2019-06-03T01:45:18","slug":"gunnar-henderson-2019-mlb-draft-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2019\/06\/02\/gunnar-henderson-2019-mlb-draft-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Gunnar Henderson 2019 MLB Draft Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"

The MLB is filled with star shortstops. From Francisco Lindor<\/a><\/strong> to Carlos Correa<\/a><\/strong>, the league has rarely seen this level of top-notch shortstop play. Still, there\u2019s always room for more, and Morgan Academy\u2019s Gunnar Henderson<\/strong> is one of the best in the class. Only 17 years old, Henderson should be selected near the middle or end of the first round.<\/p>\n

Gunnar Henderson 2019 MLB Draft Profile<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Strengths<\/h3>\n

Gunnar Henderson has one of the best all-around hit tools in the draft. While he\u2019s still working on developing his power, the 17-year old star has a well-developed swing and the ability to find gaps in the defense. Additionally, he\u2019s started to show some strength and could develop more power as he gets older.<\/p>\n

Henderson has the potential to be a threat on the basepaths. While he\u2019s not Rickey Henderson<\/strong><\/a> by any means, the high schooler has good speed and an advanced feel for the basepaths. He might not be a 30-steal guy, but he\u2019s a heads-up player who can turn singles into doubles and take the extra base on throws.<\/p>\n

Weaknesses<\/h3>\n

The biggest question surrounding Henderson is how he\u2019ll develop with added muscle. As things currently stand, Henderson is 6\u20193\u201d and weighs 193 pounds. That\u2019s likely to change and Henderson tries to add muscle and add more power. Additionally, he\u2019s only 17, so his body isn\u2019t done developing yet.<\/p>\n

Henderson doesn\u2019t have the best defensive range for a shortstop, and some fear that added weight could eliminate his range. If that happens, he\u2019ll need to move over to third base. Henderson has above-average power for a shortstop but falls closer to the middle of the pack relative to third basemen. His hit tool ensures that he\u2019ll be productive regardless, but his value gets diminished if he cannot stick at shortstop.<\/p>\n

Last Word on Gunnar Henderson<\/h3>\n

Gunnar Henderson is a classic high-ceiling high schooler who carries some risk. The lefty has one of the best hit tools in the class and should develop more power as he gets older and his body develops. The Morgan Academy product added on some mass prior to his Senior season, and the added muscle helped him put the ball in the air. He still has room to grow and could develop into one of the better all-around hitters at shortstop.<\/p>\n

However, Henderson carries a decent amount of risk. If he adds more muscle, he risks becoming a defensive liability. If this happens, he\u2019ll end up at third base and lose some of his value. Power hitting third basemen aren\u2019t hard to find in today\u2019s day and age, and Henderson\u2019s power won\u2019t be exceptional relative to the average third baseman. He\u2019ll still be a productive major leaguer, but he probably won\u2019t make any All-Star teams at third.<\/p>\n

Because of his relative risk, Henderson will probably come off the board late in the first round. While he doesn\u2019t have the highest floor, he has the ceiling of a top-15 selection.<\/p>\n

Main photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>