2023 MLB Draft Prospect Dillon Head’s Elite Speed, Hand-Eye Coordination And Instincts Have Separated Him From The Field

2023 MLB Draft Prospect Dillon Head’s Elite Speed, Hand-Eye Coordination And Instincts Have Separated Him From The Field

by | May 16, 2023 | THE THREE SPOT

 

Dillon Head is a 5-foot-11 and 180-pound outfielder by way of Homewood-Flossmoor HS in Floosmoor, Illinois. The speedy base thief is the 40th-ranked prospect in the upcoming 2023 MLB Draft, and he’s considered the best prospect to ever come out of Homewood-Flossmoor, surpassing the likes of pitchers John Ely, Eric Hillman and Larry Rothschild.

What sets Head apart is his uncanny speed and instincts. That in itself caught the eye of former major leaguer and 2019 NLCS MVP and World Series champion Howie Kendrick.  During the 2023 MLB Dream Series in January, Kendrick got to see it firsthand, and told reporters this about the supremely talented Head.

 

“Really good player, with a lot of speed. He can play the game, and I like the way he goes about it. He’s a hard worker.”

 

During his junior season, Head was named all-state and set the school single-season records for both hits and stolen bases. That speed and base-running is a trait that all MLB teams crave, and it should bode well for whatever franchise drafts Head in the July draft. Speed aside, Head’s high school coach says there’s so much more to Head as a player and person.

 

Head Possesses Other MLB Skills 

 

While Head will be looked upon for that top-end speed, quickness and elite athleticism, his high school coach John McCarthy says he’s so much more than that overall.

“With Dillon, everybody wants to say he’s an athlete, but he’s not an athlete, he’s a smart, smart, smart baseball player. His athleticism and speed are one thing, but for me, it’s his elite hand-eye coordination and his baseball instincts.”

Head Is Committed To Clemson, But Expects To Be Drafted

 

Lauded for his leadership and maturity, Head who was originally committed to Michigan, flipped to Clemson after the Wolverines head coach Erik Bakich left Ann Arbor for Clemson. As Head preps for the MLB Draft, he isn’t letting the pressure get to him, in fact he’s taking it all in stride.

 

 

“Whether I go to college or pro ball out of high school, I see myself getting there to the big leagues one day either day, I’m not too stressed about it.”

The belief is Head will be drafted early and not attend Clemson at all, instead going right into prepping for his major league climb in the very foreseeable future.

“You Certainly See The Velo, Here’s A Guy… Who Touches 100 Occasionally” | Palm Beach Manager Gary Kendall Raves About Markevian “Tink” Hence

“You Certainly See The Velo, Here’s A Guy… Who Touches 100 Occasionally” | Palm Beach Manager Gary Kendall Raves About Markevian “Tink” Hence

by | Aug 23, 2022 | THE THREE SPOT

In St. Louis, baseball is king and winning starts in the draft. The Cardinals have long been a franchise who drafts well. The franchise has drafted great pitchers in the past like Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, Dan Haren and more recently MLBbros “Black” Jack Flaherty and Jordan Hicks. So the franchise knows how to pick a great arm. 

The team possesses a great scouting department and always has a solid farm system. That was no different when they drafted former Arkansas commit and flame-tossing marksmen Markevian “Tink” Hence in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft as a 17-year-old pitching prospect. 

Palm Beach manager Gary Kendall, raved about the projected future ace of the Cardinals staff. 

“You certainly see the velo , here’s a guy that throws in the upper 90’s, who touches 100 occasionally.”

Hence was lights out for the Palm Beach Cardinals of the Single-A Florida State League, allowing just one measly run in his first four starts.

 

Hence Was 63rd Pick Of 2020 MLB Draft: Minor League Season Canceled In 2020

When the Cardinals chose Hence with the 63rd overall pick in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft, they got a young melanated mound marauder with huge upside. But with the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world, the righty didn’t make his debut until 2021, after the 2020 Minor League season was shutdown. 

In 2021, Hence got his chance to step on the mound, pitching eight innings. Not a huge sample size, so his ERa, which hovered around 9.00 was misleading. His pure mechanics and other metrics suggested the promise that made him a high draft pick by the Cardinals was right around the corner. 

 He managed to strikeout 14 of the 26 batters he faced which further proved his ERA was nothing to worry about. In 2021, Hence’s velocity was in the range of 90-94 and topped out at 96 MPH. Very good for a young 18-year-old who didn’t get to play in 2020. But whatever the Cardinals did with him mechanics-wise from 2021 to 2022, has worked wonders.

Hence A Different Hurler In 2022: Striking Out Batters Repeatedly

Hence hit the road running in 2022. In his season debut he stayed in the mid-90’s on his fastball and sinker, topping out at 97.5 MPH. In three innings, he struck out five batters, allowed one hit, one walk, and one run which was earned.

Hence’s curveball is what’s going set him apart in his quest to become the ace of the Cardinals staff. While the pitch is still a work-in-progress, it’s already causing problems for hitters

Hence is currently 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, and as he continues to fill out in his development, you’ll see even more of the power stuff he has in his arsenal.

Hence/s work this season has allowed him to crack MLB’s Top 100 prospects list at 96. If he continues his trajectory throughout winter leagues, by next season he could crack the top 80-85. His expected arrival into the majors is 2024, and as of now there’s no reason not to believe he’ll be with the Redbirds at Busch Stadium for a long time.

Take That! | Enrique Bradfield Jr. Uses the Art Of Steal To Dominate College Baseball

Jeter Downs Is Called Up To The Big Show In Boston | Soul Power Hits Beantown

by | Jun 21, 2022 | THE TWO HOLE

You’ve heard of legendary MLBbro Boston Red Sox sluggers like Jim Rice and Mo Vaughn. Guys whose games were designed around putting sh*t into the bleachers. Well, top prospect Jeter Downs was recently called up to the majors and could be the next great, Black BoSox rocket launcher. The 23-year-old, drafted in 2017, is finally getting his shot.

Charles Nyonga gives us some intel about the rookie on “Take That.”

 

 

 

 

“I’m Ready To Go Out Here And Show…” | Arizona Diamondbacks Prospect Jordan Lawlar Is A Bro Ballin’

“I’m Ready To Go Out Here And Show…” | Arizona Diamondbacks Prospect Jordan Lawlar Is A Bro Ballin’

by | Apr 19, 2022 | THE THREE SPOT

When the Arizona Diamondbacks made Jordan Lawlar the No.6 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, they did so with the belief he’d be their shortstop of the future.

In his rookie season, the dynamic Lawlar has shown exactly why he was highly sought after coming out of Dallas Jesuit High School. In eight games this season with the Visalia Rawhide, an affiliate of the D-Backs since 2007, Lawlar has shined.

 The 6-foot-2 and 190 pounder is batting an insane .405 with 13 hits, three home runs, seven RBI and six stolen bases. He gets on base at a .511 clip and slugs .703.

 It’s still early in his development as the Rawhide is the first stop for Arizona Diamondbacks prospects once drafted.

But it’s also an early indication of the type of talent Lawlar possesses and gives the D-Back an extremely bright outlook of his future. He seems to be the goods.

 

 

Here’s what Lawler had to say prior to beginning the season earlier this month…

 “I got drafted last summer so I’m finally excited to put the jersey on and start putting up some numbers in front of these fans. Coming out of Dallas, Texas I played some pretty good high school baseball down there.

 Texas is definitely one of the top states for that, I’m proud to say it. And, yeah, just growing up around those coaches, those players, I was definitely in that winning environment and playing baseball every day, every summer, everything. I’m ready to get out there and show what that has done for my life, and my career.”

Lawlar Looks To Follow Nick Ahmed: He’s The Future

 The Diamondbacks joined MLB as an expansion franchise in 1998 and haven’t had a ton of success outside of their magical 2001 World Series win over the New York Yankees.

That team was led by K-Kings Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, along with sluggers Matt Williams and Luis Gonzalez. While they’ve had some really good players in their organization at many different positions including shortstop (Tony Womack, Craig Counsell, and Stephen Drew) Nick Ahmed is the probably the franchise’s greatest shortstop, but he’s 32.

Meaning, Lawlar was drafted to eventually replace him. Sort of like Barry Larkin, being drafted to replaced Dave Concepcion in Cincinnati. No we’re not saying either Ahmed or Lawlar are on that level, but the example fits what the D-Backs have in mind.

 Lawlar Turned Down Vanderbilt: D-Backs Showed Him The Money

Upon finishing high school Lawlar was slated to attend baseball powerhouse Vanderbilt, a team that has played in the last two College World Series, led by the arms of Jack Leiter (No.2 overall pick by the Rangers) and Kumar Rocker (No.10 overall pick by the Mets).

They were two of seven players from that team drafted. So Lawlar, really had the best of both worlds at his disposal, but at the end of the day money talks.

 His $6.7M bonus was the third-highest given to any position player in the 2021 draft. Plus the opportunity to go against other future big leaguers daily had to weigh in the decision to sign with the D-Backs right away and not go to school. 

 Lawlar has all the tools, and says he models his game after Yankees Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.

The wiry, strong, high-impact player also mentioned Twins shortstop Carlos Correa and defensive wiz in the hole Andrelton Simmons of the Cubs. For flare, style and pop he said he loves Fernando Tatis Jr., the do-it-all star of the San Diego Padres.

Keep an eye out for Lawler, he’s an MLBbro that is quickly rising through the minors and on a collision course with The Show.