Philadelphia Phillies Prospect Countdown: #15 Zach Green

Zach Green

19 years old (March 7, 1994)

6’3″ 210 lbs.

Bats: Right  Throws: Right

Positives:

Zach Green already possesses a big-league body – long, lean and athletic.  He has a combination of natural strength and above-average bat speed, which should translate to plus power when he fully matures as a player.  Defensively, Green is very athletic in the field with just an average glove.  He does, however, possess a well above-average throwing arm – making powerful and accurate throws to first base on a consistent basis.

Negatives:

Like most young power-hitters, Green has a very long, loopy swing.  That swing translates into an inordinate amount of swings-and-misses, which in turn, translates into a very high strikeout rate.  Green still lacks barrel control, which prevents him from squaring pitches on a consistent basis.  His swing mechanics are inconsistent, not only from at-bat to at-bat, but from pitch-to-pitch.  He is also a below-average runner and will more than likely get slower as his body matures.

Outlook:

Zach Green is a very intriguing prospect.  He has high-upside as a big time power hitter from the right side of the plate.  However, he is also very risky due to his inconsistent contact and high strikeout rate.  The strikeouts are a big issue – he struck out 91 times in just 270 at-bats.  Those strikeout rates must drop dramatically for him to remain a top-tier prospect.

Green was a 2013 All-Star in the New York-Penn League, playing for the Single-A Williamsport Crosscutters.  He walloped 13 home runs and 20 doubles with an .822 OPS.  Impressive numbers considering he played a in a short-season league and is still getting accustomed to using wood bats on a daily basis.  As he physically continues to mature, I can see him moving to first base in a year or two.  He has the possibility to become an everyday, power-hitting first baseman for many years.

The bottom line is that if he can square the ball consistently and cut down on his strikeouts, then the Phillies will find a spot for him.  My prediction is first base.

ETA: 2017