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MLB Draft Notebook Excerpt: Ryan Bolden

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Ryan Bolden Position: OF School: Madison Central HS
State: MS Height: 6’3’’ Weight: 190

Bats: R Throws: L Birth Date: 9/17/91
Player Rating: XXX Commitment: Ole Miss

Ryan Bolden is one of those rare Rickey Henderson-like players who bats from the right side and throws from the left. Bolden’s from Madison, Mississippi, about 15 miles north of Jackson, and he bears one striking similarity to the all-time great in Henderson. Bolden’s plus-plus speed is his standout tool, and he could steal 40 bases in the big leagues with work on his jumps. He could also use that speed in the outfield, where his fringe-average to average arm could make him an above-average Major League center fielder. His routes are very raw for now, but teams live on projection with someone like Bolden, whose frame also has great strength projectability. At the plate, Bolden is considerably rawer, but the projections run wild there. He has below-average current power, but some scouts project him to be above-average in that department as he fills out. There’s a lot of projection in that assessment, but it’s not an uncommon one. His hit tool is much better, though he hasn’t seen the sort of elite stuff that one would hope. However, he projects to be above-average at the plate, possibly a .290-.300 hitter with elite speed. All this adds up to a prospect that’s likely to go in the 2nd to 4th round range, and his Ole Miss commitment shouldn’t be a big hurdle in that range.