Austin Hendrick

Hendrick impressed scouts with his hitting and power potential over the summer showcase circuit, where he showed the ability to lay off bad pitches at East Coast Pro and at USA Baseball’s PDP League. He put together a three-home run game on June 27 and upped the ante at the 2019 Under Armour High School All-American Game when he hit a ball out of Wrigley Field. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound outfielder has the quickest bat speed in the class and complements it with light tower raw power, giving him arguably the best power/hit combination of any high school hitter. Hendrick has extremely quick hands that allow him to get to his 70-grade raw power, though he’s had to implement some timing mechanisms to keep himself back. Those adjustments have included a quirky toe-tap that was replaced by a fluid leg kick. Hendrick’s consistency with his bat leaves fewer questions than for other high school hitters, though he does have some swing-and-miss concerns. The pitching he regularly faces in Pennsylvania is significantly worse than the top pitchers of his age, but he has the natural tools to make the adjustments necessary as he moves up the ladder. Hendrick has played all three outfield positions in high school, but scouts are split on his defensive routes. Some scouts believe he tracks the ball well and most agree his arm strength is near the top of the class. Hendrick is best suited to play in a corner outfield spot, where his power and above-average arm strength fit well. A 2020 high school preseason first-team All-American, Hendrick wasn’t seen much this spring, but likely would have had a tough time changing his draft stock much given the competition. Hendrick is old for the class and will turn 19 in the middle of June. Still, he should be one of the first high school players selected, and it’s unlikely he makes it to campus at Mississippi State.