On Monday the Phillies drafted OF/SP Adam Haseley with the eighth overall pick. The former Virginia Cavalier posted a 3.58 ERA and a 7-1 record in 11 starts and batted .390 with 14 homers his junior year. Although he was impressive as a pitcher in his two years at Virginia, the left-handed batter will step off the mound for good and play the outfield exclusively for the Phils. What makes Haseley such an intriguing prospect; however, is how productive he was at the plate despite not fully devoting his time to improving as a batter.
Haseley finished with a slashline of .310/.404/.483 in three seasons at Virginia. Even more impressive, Haseley improved in all three areas every year:
Improving from .250 to .390 in just two years is extraordinary, especially considering he was practically moonlighting as an outfielder. Haseley also flashed potential to hit for power his junior season. After hitting just seven home runs in his first two years combined, the lefty belted 14 long balls into the stands. Haseley credited the drastic improvement at the plate to adding a leg kick in his swinging motion and studying launch angles that allow him to keep the barrel of the bat in the strike zone longer.
I think that Haseley has a good chance of becoming a better batter as a pro than he was in college. In addition to fully committing to his craft as a hitter, renouncing his duties on the mound will allow him to exercise and train his body differently, which could lead to an uptick in power.
Haseley is already projected to be a very good player, but the Phillies should sleep well at night knowing that he is just starting to scratch the surface of his sky high potential.
Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
