Scouting the 2017 Draft: Ricardo De La Torre

Ricardo De La Torre, SS, HS(PR).  B-R, T-R.  6'2", 175 lbs.

What's really fun about combing through early draft prospect lists is finding players you think are grossly under-ranked.  Ricardo De La Torre comes in at #38 on MLB's early top 50 list.  I think that is way too low and look for him to catch serious helium as the draft approaches.  He's got all 5 tools and they are all plus:  6.63 60 yd dash, 95 MPH on IF throw, 89 MPH Exit Velocity, .104 Time to Impact.  He is athletic enough with an arm to be a true SS.  He can hit and with enough power to move to a corner.  He's fast enough to play CF with enough arm for RF.  Wiry frame with plenty of room to fill out.  I like Brady McConnell, who I currently have at #6, just a tad better, but I like De La Torre just a bit better than another pop-up prospect, Austin Beck, who I have at #11.  Of course, moving De La Torre into the top 10 moves other good prospects down a notch.  This draft may be weak at the top but it is looking deep.

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DrB's Updated 2017 Draft Board:

1.  Jordan Adell, OF, HS.
2.  Mark Vientos, SS, HS.
3.  Hunter Greene, RHP/SS, HS.
4.  JB Bakauskas, RHP, College(North Carolina).
5.  Brendan McKay, LHP/1B, College(Louisville).
6.  Brady McConnell, SS, HS.
7.  RICARDO DE LA TORRE, SS, HS.
8.  Royce Lewis, SS/OF, HS.
9.  Trevor Rogers, LHP, HS.
10.  Brendon Little, LHP, JC(State College of Florida).
11.  Seth Romero, LHP, College(Houston).
12.  Austin Beck, OF, HS.
13.  Wil Crowe, RHP, College(South Carolina).
14.  Jeren Kendall, OF, College(Vanderbilt).
15.  Alex Faedo, RHP, College(Florida).
16.  Tanner Houck, RHP, College(Missouri).
17.  Kyle Wright, RHP, College(Vanderbilt).
18.  Alex Lange, RHP, College(LSU).
19.  Alex Scherff, RHP, HS.
20.  Hans Crouse, RHP, HS.
21.  DL Hall, LHP, HS.
22.  Jacob Heatherly, LHP, HS.
23.  Calvin Mitchell, OF, HS.
24.  Conor Uselton, OF, HS.
25.  Garrett Mitchell, OF, HS.
26.  Keston Hiura, 2B, College(UC Irvine).
27.  Clarke Schmidt, RHP, College(South Carolina).
28.  Michael Gigliotti, OF, College(Lipscomb).
29.  Pavin Smith, 1B, College(Virginia).
30.  Jake Burger, 3B, College(Missouri St.).
31.  Cole Brannen, OF, HS.
32.  Evan Skoug, C, College(TCU).
33.  Colton Hock, RHP, College(Stanford).
34.  Mackenzie Gore, LHP, HS.
35.  Nick Allen, SS, HS.
36.  Blayne Enlow, RHP, HS.
37.  Hagen Danner, RHP, HS.
38.  Alejandro Toral, 1B, HS.
39.  Corbin Martin, RHP, College(Texas A&M).
40.  Tristan Beck, RHP, College(Stanford).
41.  JJ Schwarz, C, College(Florida).