• Full name Nicholas Avery Buckner
  • Born 08/09/1995 in Houston, TX
  • Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: L / Throws: L
  • School North Shore
  • Drafted in the 14th round (419th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013 (signed for $135,000).
    View Draft Report
    He offers big raw power and is more athletic than fellow Texas high school slugger Corey Simpson, though scouts are still trying to figure out how well Buckner's pop will play against better competition. The 6-foot, 200-pounder's strength and bat speed aren't in question, but he has a long, uphill lefthanded swing and a dead-pull approach. While his hand-eye coordination allows him to barrel a lot of balls, he struggles against well-placed fastballs and quality breaking balls. With adequate speed and arm strength, Buckner profiles as a left fielder. The Houston commit also deploys his left arm on the mound, showing an upper-80s fastball and a decent breaking ball. He could go in the first five rounds because of his power potential and his signability.

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