Braden Holcomb

IMPROVEMENT AREAS

• Evaluate sustained performance with level and age context
• Review role fit, health, roster status, and organization need

SCOUT REPORT

Though Holcomb was an all-state tight end at Foundation Academy (Winter Garden, Fla.), he preferred to use his physicality on the diamond. He spurned interest from pro teams out of high school to attend Vanderbilt, and he was the Commodores' best hitter (.352/.434/.621) this spring. There aren't many college players who can match his size (6-foot-5, 245 pounds) or history of playing five different positions. Holcomb's strength gives him well-above-average raw power, and he can drive the ball out of the park to all fields from the right side of the plate. But he doesn't maximize his pop because he's way too aggressive, chasing all types of pitches, struggling to make contact on offerings on and off the plate and not catching up to quality velocity. He has 30-homer ceiling but has slugged just .388 with wood bats in two seasons in the Cape Cod League and might not make enough contact to do damage in the Majors. Holcomb has sneaky athleticism with average speed, and he'll flash solid run times and steal bases on occasion. He covers enough ground to get the job done on the outfield corners and played a surprisingly adequate center field when he saw action there this spring. He has the solid arm strength for third base but is a stiff defender there, while first base is a viable option.