Gio Brusa

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #163 prospect in 2016 draft
  A strong track record in the Cape Cod League had positioned Brusa to be one of the top college bats available for 2015, but nothing went right for him as a junior, from an elbow injury to modest performance after a poor start. A different Brusa showed up as a senior. Healthier, Brusa thrived under first-year head coach Mike Neu, putting together his best college season. His 14 homers ranked among the top 50 in the nation as he's shown a more mature approach and played with less pressure. Brusa has identified breaking balls better, laying off them and showing the bat speed to catch up to good fastballs. He's shown a solid-average arm and runs well enough to play right field. Brusa could go out 15-20 rounds higher than he did in 2015, when he was taken in the 23rd round.
• Ranked #114 prospect in 2015 draft
  At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, the switch-hitting Brusa looks the part of a corner bat. He's a wild card for the draft as he missed the last 21 games with a strained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Brusa got off to a rough start for Pacific (4-for-26) but had just started getting hot (hitting safely with 12 of his last 14 games) when he got hurt. Brusa shined more in the Cape Cod League last summer, where he showed tools that fit the right-field profile. He has a solid-average to above-average arm when healthy, above-average raw power and enough agility and speed for the position. He'll have to improve his aggressive approach and be a bit more patient for his power to play, and he was doing so this season, setting a career-best in walks in just half a season. Brusa had just started swinging the bat in late May, taking batting practice lefthanded first. He could move up draft boards late if he's healthy enough to put on a big power display in a private workout for a team.
• Ranked #177 prospect in 2012 draft
  Brusa stood out at the Area Code Games last summer for his muscular 6-foot-3, 195-pound physique and for his power during batting practice from both sides of the plate. His swing, however, was segmented and a little long. He smoothed things out this spring, allowing him to tap into his power more, and scouts loved that he hit with a wood bat. Not all scouts believe in Brusa, though. He's a good athlete but spent a lot of time this season at DH, rather than playing in the outfield. He has the tools to play there, and he's an average runner with fringe-average arm strength. Brusa is committed to Pacific, but scouts believe he wants to sign, which could help him move him up draft boards.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Northwest League #14 prospect in 2016
  The first thing about Brusa that sticks out to evaluators is his power; he led the NWL with 10 home runs after hitting 14 in the spring for Pacific as a senior. He's got power from both sides of the plate and natural loft to each of his swings, and he also showed the ability this year to take balls out to center and left field. There's plenty of swing-and-miss to Brusa's game, too, but managers across the league believed he could alleviate that problem with time and adjustments to pro pitching. He's not a standout on defense, and some evaluators suggested he might have to move to first base in the long-term. He's a well below-average runner, which might also push him out of the outfield. If such a move occurs, he'll have the power to profile at the position.

• December, 2015 Scouting Report
  A strong track record in the Cape Cod League had positioned Brusa to be one of the top college bats available for 2015, but nothing went right for him as a junior, from an elbow injury to modest performance after a poor start. A different Brusa showed up as a senior. Healthier, Brusa thrived under first-year head coach Mike Neu, putting together his best college season. His 14 homers ranked among the top 50 in the nation as he's shown a more mature approach and played with less pressure. Brusa has identified breaking balls better, laying off them and showing the bat speed to catch up to good fastballs. He's shown a solid-average arm and runs well enough to play right field. Brusa could go out 15-20 rounds higher than he did in 2015, when he was taken in the 23rd round.