8. Kevin Maitan, IF, GCL Braves
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Considered one of the most impressive 16 year-old international prospects since a Miguel – whether it’d be Sano or Cabrera, depending on your take, Maitan is a legit plus future power and plus future contact. Scouts have said one or both tools could even grade as double plus in the future.
Defensively, Maitan won’t be a shortstop long-term, as he’s already filled out to roughly 6’4″-ish and 215ish “cut” pounds based on videos and pictures I’ve seen from extended spring and scouting reports I’ve read/heard as well.
Maitan does have high-level skills in the infield with a legit plus arm and smooth actions in the infield that will play to a plus defensive level at third, essentially giving Maitan to have four legit plus tools, which is why you see him ranked so highly.
A switch-hitter, Maitan has two distinct swings, but they’re both oriented well for each side of the plate, and he has very good pitch and zone recognition for a teen. It will be very exciting to see how he develops, and there is every reason to think that he could be as high as #1 on this list if he shows out this season in his pro debut.
7. Ian Anderson, RHP, Rome Braves
Just a year later, I’m not sure that if you drafted the 2016 draft all over again if Anderson wouldn’t go top 5 again regardless of his signing bonus. He was rumored to have been the Braves selection at #3 overall primarily due to his willingness to take a certain signing bonus, but from the folks I’ve talked with within the team, he was #2 on the team’s board going into the draft (and the #1 guy went #1 overall), regardless of his signing bonus and moved to the top of the board when signing bonuses came into play.
Anderson was seen very little in his senior year, which led to less known about him going into the draft, but he has legit ace stuff, with a fastball that can reach the upper 90s with excellent movement, along with an elite curve and change.
Anderson has had some issue with his consistency in his delivery this year, and I’ve been curious if there’s some fatigue involved with adjusting to his first year on a professional schedule as his leg work and arm slot typically stay in line, typically the points of issue in inconsistency. Anderson seems to have his inconsistency in his mid section within his delivery, not getting the same snap and restraint in his hips and obliques.
Even with those inconsistencies, Anderson has flashed, in my opinion, the best raw stuff in the minor leagues this year from any arm that I’ve watched. His line has been 14 starts, 65 1/3 innings, 3.72 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and a 34/83 BB/K ratio.
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