A team seemingly devoid of power has added a bat to ring the bell in Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies selected Wichita State third baseman Alec Bohm with the third overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft this evening, passing up on a reliable arm and steady bat in the process to find their next power stick. Bohm played three seasons with the Shockers after singing on out of Ohama, Nebraska. He made an immediate impact in his freshman campaign, hitting .303 in 178 at bats over 51 games. Bohm drove in 30 runs and scored an additional 20. He hit six homeruns as an 18-year-old, but walked just nine times in those 51 games.
There was no sophomore slump to speak of for Bohm, who increased his average by two points, up to .305, in 58 games. Bohm took an additional 55 at bats in 2017, as his offensive production sw an uptick in nearly every category. He hit 11 homeruns and drove in 40 runs. More importantly, he picked up an extra 17 hits and 20 walks, which led to Bohm scoring 24 more times in his sophomore season. Bohm’s used those 37 supplemental times on base to increase his on base percentage by nearly 40 full points, up to .385 from .346 a year prior.
2018 saw Bohm take another significant step toward becoming the third overall pick The righty hit .339 over 224 at bats, driving in a career high 55 runs. He provided the Shockers with a career high in average, RBIs hits (77), doubles (14), homeruns (16), on base percentage (.436), OPS (1.061) and stolen bases (nine). The 16 homeruns led the conference. Statistically, Bohm was tremendous, as he was honored with second-team All American Athletic Conference honors. He was also named a semi-finalist for the Dick Howser Award, given to the nation’s best collegiate baseball player.
While Bohm provides immediate power, the other aspects of his game are not MLB ready. Bohm, a drafted third baseman, is believed to be less-than-suited for the position at the highest level. He isn’t quick, not fast, but quick, in terms of lateral movement at the hot corner. His glove is dependable, but not stellar either. Many scouts belief he will eventually have to transition into a first baseman as his career progresses.
As I’ve previously mentioned, his path to the Major Leagues may not be as swift as Nick Madrigal’s or Brady Singer’s, two player rumored to be in the mix for the third pick. Madrigal was selected by the Chicago White Sox with the fourth overall pick. Madrigal has the most compact swing in the Draft and will likely be MLB ready relatively quickly. Consistency will be the key with Bohm’s rise. If he can make an immediate impact, his rise to the big leagues could be semi-meteoric. I’d bet Madrigal gets to the Majors first, even if Bohm ends up having a more successful career.
Bohm became the first third baseman the Phillies selected in the first round since the team drafted Pat Burrell in 1998.
Bohm was selected behind Auburn’s Casey Mize and Georgia Tech’s Joey Bart with the third overall pick. the selection values at approximately $6.9 million. The two picks ahead of Bohm are now worth $8 million and $7.4 million respectively.
Mandatory Photo Credit: AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
