LaMonte Wade

Wade's best tool is his fluid lefthanded bat. He has plus bat speed and advanced strike zone discipline. Wade has a tendency to finish on top of the ball out front, but his timing has improved from year to year. Wade is a plus runner and moves well under way with an average throwing arm, giving him a chance to stick in center field. The main knocks on Wade are his tiny track record and struggles against quality pitching. Playing for Brewster, Wade was overmatched on the Cape last summer, going 8-for-55, though he did draw 17 walks against 10 strikeouts. He bounced back this spring. After playing first base as a sophomore, Wade moved to center field this year and responded by hitting .347/.467/.483. A hamate injury cost him a month but he showed few ill effects upon returning to the lineup. The team that picks Wade will be betting on his ability to stick in center--he has plenty of speed but has struggled with routes this year--and make adjustments against quality offspeed pitching.