MLB Draft 2015: Miami Marlins add speed, outfield depth by drafting Isaiah White

Round 3: #85 Overall, OF Isaiah White, Greenfield School

It took two rounds, but the Miami Marlins have finally drafted their first right handed prospect, the 138th ranked prospect in the country, Prep speedster and center fielder Isaiah White. White, after being selected 85thoverall in the 3rd round by the Marlins, became the first player in the history of his Greenfield School in Wilson, NC to be drafted in MLB’s First-Year Player Draft. White finished his senior season at Greenfield with a .547 AVG and 3 home runs in 89 plate appearances to complement 31 stolen bases in 31 attempts.

White, who is just 18 years old, stands at 6’0 170 lbs. and can absolutely cruise on the base paths and on the grass in the outfield+, making him comparable to Miami Marlins 2014 7th round selection Anfernee Seymour – a speedy utility player currently playing with Miami’s rookie league affiliate the GCL Marlins. The clearest difference between the two is White’s raw athletic ability at the plate, using his decisively fast hands to generate more pop from his wood than the average speedster prospect. White’s developmental issues were addressed when scouts talked about his plate presence in the batter box, stating that he struggles with recognizing pitches and attempts to use his quick hands to make up for his mistake in pitch recognition – fostering subpar plate discipline. If White elects to sign with the Miami Marlins and forgo his commitment to East Carolina University, this skillset will need to be refined with a full season of developmental ball in the Gulf Coast League. The 85th selection is slotted at $698,100 – there has to be more than a good chance White will sign with the Fish.

The signing of Isaiah White will certainly bolster the outfield depth in the Marlins minor league system, even if he’s been ridiculed for not facing pro talented prospects during his prep years. With pre-prime Major League studs Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton already slotted to hold down the outfield for a few years, White will have time to develop his skillset and be given the opportunity to come up with the next wave of young talented outfielders. These include Miami Marlins top outfield prospects Austin Dean, Isael Soto and Casey Soltis.

MLB Debut: 2019

Ceiling: Lead-off hitter (Kenny Lofton)

Floor: Utility Outfielder (Peter Bourjos)

Tools: Arm: 5/8 Contact: 4/8 Power: 5/8 Run: 6.5/8 Defense: 5/8

Notables:

60 yard dash:  6.3

Outfield Arm Velocity: 87 MPH

2015 – Perfect Game 3rd Team All-American, 1st Team All-Region

2014 – 1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-State, Player of the Year