Jake Bauers

Bauers got off to a strong start this spring at the Southern California Invitational in Compton, ripping a triple into the right-center-field gap. He carried that momentum into the spring for Marina, hitting .545 with four homers through 44 at-bats. He has one of the best bats in the Southern California draft class, with a short lefthanded stroke, excellent barrel awareness and a knack for making frequent hard contact. He also has solid pull power, giving him a chance to be an average hitter with fringe-average to solid-average pop down the road. Bauers will have to hit for power, because he lacks the speed or defensive ability to play anywhere other than first base, where he projects as an average defender. Part of Hawaii's outstanding recruiting class, Bauers draws natural comparisons to fellow Marina High product Daric Barton, and he could be drafted between the fifth and eighth rounds.