2014 MLB Draft Profile: Jacob Gatewood, SS/3B, Clovis, CA High School

JACOB GATEWOOD PROSPECT VIDEO, SS, CLOVIS HIGH SCHOOL #MLBDRAFT @BIGLEAGUEFUTURE #PGAAC (via Steve Fiorindo)

Already physically mature at 6'5", 190 lb, he still has plenty of room to fill out and grow more. He is a lean, high waisted lanky athlete. He has good bloodlines, as his Dad was a first round pick in 1982, but his pops was a 6'2, 205 catcher.

He currently is a shortstop but I have very little faith that he will play any of his impact years at that position. He has average speed and a great arm. It's just that he's really big. It would be hard to imagine him up the middle but hell, Miguel Cabrera played third base last year so it's possible. His actions are solid and I don't see any reason he won't be a good third baseman.

The bat is his biggest asset, especially his power. His hit tool is all projection at this point. He has a lot of movement in his swing. He twists his wrists and taps his toe prior to his swing. He takes a long stride transferring his weight and then he unleashes a powerful swing. It will make him vulnerable to pitches he doesn't recognize immediately. He looks like he swinging an eight-pound bat the way it goes through the zone and the ball flies off of it. The velocity that is created almost looks hard to stop as he finishes with the bat hitting his shoulder or flipping over it. The leverage he has is big due to his load and his long limbs. He launches balls to all fields but the most power is to the pull side. It will be the tool that makes the most impact if he becomes a star at the big league level.

I see him as a boom or bust player due to his extra long swing and potential for a lot of swing and miss. The potential is huge, owning a superstar ceiling but he could also never have an impact at bat above AA. The obvious comparison, size and position wise, is Carlos Correa, thus Alex Rodriguez and Manny Machado could be added to that mix for a mental image of a major leaguer. Both big leaguers are more agile than Gatewood though and comparisons to Correa at the same age favor Correa. I liked Correa's hit tool and they have similar power potential. Gatewood may hit a few more light tower blasts but Correa's is more usable.

Gatewood's tools are very good. He has a big arm, big power and average speed. He is athletic and is likely to stay in the infield. That adds up to an easy top of the first round pick. If he attends college, he is committed to Southern California.