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2019 MLB Draft Profile: Rece Hinds

The prep power hitter should be a candidate for the Marlins to seriously consider with the No. 4 pick (assuming he’s still on the board by then).

By Hector Rodriguez
Photo by @rece_hinds/Instagram

Overview

Position: SS/3B/OF

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 210 pounds

School: IMG Academy

Commitment: LSU

2019 MLB Draft Profile

Rece Hinds is from Niceville, Florida and plays his high school ball at the prestigious IMG Academy. One of the most powerful prospects in the 2019 MLB Draft, Hinds played summer ball with the East Coast Sox Select and also spent some time with the USA National Team. He verbally committed to the Louisiana State University a little over two years ago.

Hinds was selected to play in the Perfect Game All-American Game. He also played in the Under Armour All-American Game twice as a junior and senior.

At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Hinds is already very physically mature. The first thing that jumps out at you is his power—some scouts have said that Hinds has the most raw power in the entire draft. His bat speed is at an elite level and his exit velocity has been measured as high as 101 mph. The right-handed batter has a slightly long swing, though that can easily be corrected. He’s shown the ability to drive the ball to all fields, but tends to swing around the ball and pulls off to try to hit home runs.

On defense, Hinds has the skillset to be a sound third baseman at the next level. He has one of the strongest arms in the class, clocked throwing 98 mph across the diamond.

Strengths

  • Elite power
  • Strong arm
  • Good baserunner
  • Strong ball player
  • Exciting prospect
  • Can also play one of the corner outfield positions
  • Raw bat speed
  • Lower half quickness

Weaknesses

  • Long swing
  • Swings and misses a ton
  • Has trouble staying inside the ball
  • Struggles with his footwork
  • Can’t play shortstop in the MLB

Pro Comparison: Joey Gallo

Projection: First-round pick

Bottom Line

Rece Hinds is going to be a first-round pick and has the potential to end up being the best player in the draft. His power will mostly like grade around a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale.

The Marlins already have a very solid third baseman in Brian Anderson, but Hinds’ potential might be too much to pass up on. If the Marlins do take him with the fourth pick, they are drafting a high-risk/high-reward prep prospect. After misfiring on several of those types of players in recent years, it’s also possible that the front office takes a safer route rather than gambling on Hinds’ extraordinary ceiling.

Here are some videos of his power:

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