Brett Cumberland Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

Full name Brett Cumberland
Born 06/25/1995 in Turlock, CA
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: S / Throws: R
School California
Drafted in the CB-B round (76th overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2016 (signed for $1,500,000).

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An eligible sophomore, Cumberland was the rare Cal player performing during a disappointing spring for the Bears. He didn't play last summer after right hand and wrist injuries that dogged him as a freshman, instead working on an almond orchard, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. He's come back strong as a sophomore, leading the Pacific-12 Conference in home runs, with 33 percent more than any other hitter by mid-May. He's a bat-first backstop with bat speed and strength as well as some feel for hitting from both sides of the plate. Cumberland's defense has improved but needs more polish, with fringy arm strength (though he's thrown out 42 percent of opposing runners in 2016). His receiving and blocking skills are below-average presently. He has below-average athleticism and figures to go out in the first three rounds.

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Cumberland led the Pacific-10 Conference with 16 home runs in 2016, and his power potential and solid swing from both sides of the plate led the Braves to make the draft-eligible sophomore the 76th overall pick. He began his pro career at Rookie-level Danville and failed to impress scouts, though fatigue from catching a full college season played a part. Cumberland showed plus bat speed from both sides as well as raw power to his pull side, but rarely carried it to games. He demonstrated a good approach at the plate and the ability to work counts but needs to hit balls on the outer half with more authority. The Braves knew when drafting Cumberland that his defense needs polish, particularly with his footwork and ability to block balls in the dirt. He has soft hands and catches the ball well. He features average arm strength but needs to quicken his release. Cumberland's stocky build does not exude athleticism and fluidity, which led several scouts to suggest he would be better served moving to first base. The Braves will continue to work with Cumberland behind the plate, starting him at low Class A Rome in 2017.

An eligible sophomore, Cumberland was the rare Cal player performing during a disappointing spring for the Bears. He didn't play last summer after right hand and wrist injuries that dogged him as a freshman, instead working on an almond orchard, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. He's come back strong as a sophomore, leading the Pacific-12 Conference in home runs, with 33 percent more than any other hitter by mid-May. He's a bat-first backstop with bat speed and strength as well as some feel for hitting from both sides of the plate. Cumberland's defense has improved but needs more polish, with fringy arm strength (though he's thrown out 42 percent of opposing runners in 2016). His receiving and blocking skills are below-average presently. He has below-average athleticism and figures to go out in the first three rounds.

After the Braves selected three high school pitchers to start their draft, they popped Cumberland, a bat-first college catcher, in the second round and signed him for $1.5 million. Atlanta believed in his ability to hit from both sides of the plate and improve his defense. Reviews of Cumberland's pro debut were largely negative. He hit just .216 with some gap power, in part due to tiring over long spring and summer seasons, and scouts heavily criticized his defense. He has a stocky build with strength, and he flashes plus bat speed from both sides. His swings from both sides have some holes, and he struck out 26 percent of the time this summer. He has plus raw power and the ability to drive the ball over the fence to the opposite field, though he is still learning to get to his raw power consistently. Several scouts projected a move to first base for Cumberland because of his slow-twitch footwork behind the plate, lack of fluidity and difficulty blocking ball in the dirt this summer. Others noted his framing ability and hands that showed well at times. His defense requires projection, but he has the work ethic and aptitude for the position.