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2019 MLB Draft Profile: JJ Bleday

Despite some limitations to his all-around game, Bleday has risen up draft boards this spring by simply raking against SEC pitching.

By Hector Rodriguez
NCAA Baseball: Super Regional-Vanderbilt vs Mississippi State George Walker IV-USA TODAY Sports

Overview

Position: OF

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 205 pounds

High School: A. Crawford Mosley High School

College: Vanderbilt

JJ Bleday 2019 MLB Draft Profile

JJ Bleday is a 21-year-old outfielder from Panama City Beach, Florida and plays college baseball for Vanderbilt University. He is one of the top collegiate prospects in the 2019 MLB Draft.

Bleday also played for the Orleans Redbirds in the Cape Cod League in 2018. According to Perfect Game, Bleday was the 151st-ranked prospect and the 21st-ranked first baseman in the 2016 class.

In his first two years at Vanderbilt, Bleday was one of their key contributors as he hit for high average and was constantly on base. In his junior season, he has continued to tear the cover off the ball, currently batting .352 with 23 home runs (a Vandy single-season record), 61 RBI and has a 1.246 OPS.

At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Bleday has a large, athletic frame and is one of the best bats in this draft. His approach at the plate is more advanced than most of the draft-eligible collegiate hitters. He can spray the ball to all fields and has good gap-to-gap power. In this season, Bleday has finally tapped into his raw power and is a top hitter in the Vandy lineup.

On defense, Bleday is a future corner outfielder with a good arm. He has below average speed, but still covers some ground with his instincts. His hitting tools will carry him but Bleday still has some room to fill in and become even better.

Strengths

  • Advanced approach
  • Strong arm
  • Great plate discipline
  • Above average bat speed
  • Drives ball to all fields
  • Makes lots of contact
  • Walks more than strikeouts
  • Run producer

Weaknesses

  • Can only play corner outfield
  • Below average speed
  • Sacrifices contact for power

Pro Comparison: Daniel Murphy

Projection: Top 10 pick

Bottom Line

The 2019 Miami Marlins offense has been one of the worst offenses in the majors. They have a very high strikeout rate and fail to deliver at key scoring opportunities. The Marlins really need to add some top hitting prospects to their farm system who can eventually serve as long-term reinforcements.

With the fourth pick of the 2019 MLB Draft, the Miami Marlins should consider taking Vanderbilt outfielder JJ Bleday. The club’s scouting department agrees, according to ESPN’s Ketih Law, who projected Bleday to go to Miami in his latest mock draft (subscription required).

This is a player that they could plug into the middle of the order and trust as one of their main run producers. He’s a potential 20-30 home run power source at the next level and still hits around .285-.300.

Ultimately, Bleday may not be the Marlins’ pick, but he’s definitely high on their draft board.

New hour-long episode of Fish Bites discusses the 2019 draft class in further detail with Burke Granger of 2080 Baseball.

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