Riley Adams
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45
Adams was a solid catching prospect coming out of high school, a very flexible athletic backstop who is a black belt in karate. While some worry that he's lost some of that behind the plate, some success with his bat, coupled with the usual dearth of college catching, should help this University of San Diego backstop come June.
A Cape Cod League All-Star, Adams has shown some ability at the plate and he's increased his power output in each of his three years as a starter at San Diego. Some of that has come because he's a good guess hitter and pulls balls out of the park, but some scouts feel he has become too spread out at the plate with his Kris Bryant-like stance. In the past, he has shown solid defensive skills and a solid arm, though reports out of the Cape and this spring about his defense have not been overwhelmingly positive.
Adams is big and strong; the raw power is legitimate. The team that feels it can get him back to tapping into it with a better setup at the plate, not to mention helping him refine his defensive play, will take him off the board in the top three rounds.