Kyren Paris

One of the youngest players in the 2019 class, Paris will be just 17 years old on the day of the draft. A 6-foot, 167-pound shortstop, Paris will draw some comparisons to Marlins’ 2018 second-round pick Osiris Johnson, who, like Paris, was also a young shortstop from Northern California. Paris edges Johnson in both speed and defense, while Johnson was the superior bat with more power coming out of high school. Paris is a plus runner and slick defender with quick-twitch actions up the middle. He glides around the infield and ranges to both his left and right with ease, putting himself in good throwing positions with active footwork and good angles to the ball. His arm is solid-average, and he has good hand-eye coordination, all of which should help him become a defensive asset at shortstop. Offensively, Paris has shown good feel for putting the bat on the ball. He has quick hands and good timing, with the discipline and bat speed to allow the ball to travel deep into the hitting zone. While Paris shows feel for hitting, he does not have much current raw power due to a level bat path that’s more line-drive oriented. He has added some strength and gotten taller this spring, however, so his power potential should be headed in the right direction. A few minor injuries, such as a broken finger, and dealing with an illness—in addition to weather that postponed several games—have made it challenging to scout Paris this spring, but his youth and ability to play shortstop could get him drafted early this June. Committed to California, Paris is praised for his no-nonsense demeanor off the field and all-around plus makeup.