Cardinals select prep slugger Nolan Gorman No. 19 overall
With the 19th pick in the 2018 MLB amateur draft, the St. Louis Cardinals selected Nolan Gorman, a high school third baseman out of Arizona. He is the first player born in the year 2000 to ever be selected in the MLB draft.
Gorman's raw power is undeniable - he notably won showcase home run derbies in Miami and Chicago - making the Arizona commit one of the most coveted bats on the board this year. However, despite talent and bat speed, the infielder lacks consistency and is prone to strikeouts and contact issues.
Bio
Age: 18
Position: 3B
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 210 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/R
School: Sandra Day O'Connor HS (Phoenix, Ariz.)
NCAA commit: Arizona
Pick value: $3,231,700
MLB prospect rank: 12
MLB.com money quote: "The left-handed hitter has as much raw power as anyone in the class, with some scouts giving it as high as a 70 grade on the 20-to-80 scale."
Scouting grades
| Hit | Power | Run | Arm | Field | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 40 | 50 | 50 | 55 |
2018 stats
| PA | AVG | OPS | HR | BB/K | SB (SB%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 128 | .421 | 1.536 | 10 | 46/16 | 4 (30.7%) |
Take a look ...
.@markdero7 is all in on @Cardinals top pick, @NolanGorman. #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/y6mzBfnAWP
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 5, 2018
(Grades courtesy: MLB Pipeline)