The Texas Rangers surprised some when they selected outfielder Lewis Brinson out of Coral Springs High School (Fla.) with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft.
Brinson has a remarkable upside, but his bat has been inconsistent. ESPN projected Brinson as the No. 52 player on their board. Here's what ESPN had to say about Brinson.
Brinson has as high an upside as any player not named Byron Buxton in this draft with an ultra-projectable frame and plus tools galore. The problem is that fifth tool, his bat, and it's been so hit and miss that many teams won't consider him in the top two rounds.
…
His upside is undeniable, he has great makeup and some fixable flaws; a tools-oriented club is expected to pop the Florida commit in the top 50 picks.
MLB.com had Brinson as the No. 39 prospect. Here's what MLB.com had to say about him.
Tall, lanky and athletic, he reminds some of Dexter Fowler or Cameron Maybin. Brinson has good bat speed and can spray line drives gap-to-gap. There's leverage in his swing with good raw power, which could develop into above-average pop in the future. He's an easily above-average runner, which should play well on both sides of the ball. He makes the plays in the outfield and has a strong arm.
More than anything, Brinson is still raw. But as he showed over the summer, the more he plays against good competition, the better he gets. That bodes well for his future and there are sure to be many teams interested in his very full toolbox.
Read more about the Texas Rangers at Lone Star Ball and head over to Baseball Nationfor more around Major League Baseball.