RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Target ~142
CURRENT ADP: 151
ANALYSIS: Baltimore Orioles 1B/OF Trey Mancini turned heads last season by hitting .293 with 24 HR, 78 RBI, and 65 R. Still only 25-years-old, Mancini is poised to take his game to the next level in 2018.
Sporting a ground ball-heavy profile, Mancini still managed to pop 24 homers in 2017 while hitting an identical .293 against both lefties and righties. Mancini’s power and contact output slightly dipped in second half of last season (first half: .312 BA, second half: .276 BA), but Mancini is back raking his way through eight spring training appearances. His spring training splits of .318/.400/.636 are promising and should have Mancini’s draft stock slowly rising.
He’s probably being drafted at 151 because he doesn’t offer much hope in the speed category and his power didn't approach that of fellow rookies Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger. You should know, however, that scouts saw plus power in his potential range of outcomes and he finished top-50 in Barrels per PA last season.
Locked into a cushy middle-of-the-order spot with the Orioles, Mancini will only continue to improve as he ages into his prime. He’s not a guy you should drastically reach for, but you should be targeting him around pick 140 to ensure your league mates don’t snipe him off the draft board. Expect anywhere from 20-30 HR, .270-.285 BA, and a boatload of RBI as Mancini continues to find ways to produce at the major league level. After all, consistent high-level production from Mancini is essentially an annual guarantee.
