Mariners of the Future: 2017 MLB Draft Profile Jordon Adell

As we creep closer to Opening Day, we creep closer to the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. Last week, we looked at Alex Lange of LSU. This week, we turn our attention to one of the top prep bats in this class, Jordon Adell.

Adell is a 17-year-old high school outfielder from Kentucky who throws and hits right-handed. At 6’2″, 195 lbs, Adell is already in great physical condition but still has room to add good weight to his frame.

Widely considered to have the best tools of any high school player in the 2017 draft, Adell has played well this spring, boosting his already healthy draft stock.

The only question surrounding him is his hit tool. There is a lot of swing and miss to Adell’s game. This is unfortunate because he posses tremendous raw power.

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Adell won the Homer Run Derby at the Area Code Games and poses immense bat speed to generate his considerable power. Adell best tool might be speed, which he uses to create havoc on the basepaths.

A centerfielder by trade, Adell has the arm strength to play anywhere. He sits at 93 MPH on the mound, which has some teams interested in him as a potential pitcher. However, Adell gets good reads off the bat and takes good routes to the ball, so sticking in center field should not be an issue for him.

The easy comparisons are to Melvin Upton (formerly B.J. Upton) or current Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton. While his speed/power/defense certainly fits the mold, there are some who think he can hit for average down the road.

If he can, an Adam Jones comp could be in the works (only with 30 stolen base potential).

Related Story: Mariners of the Future: Alex Lange

Seattle Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto is almost certainly all over Adell. His blend of tools, athleticism, and potential make him an ideal fit for the Mariners. Yet, the Mariners must believe that the potential as a “control the zone” performer must be enough to not disenchant Dipoto from taking him.

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The way Adell is playing now, he might be long gone before the Mariners have an opportunity to pick him at pick 17, but the team is undoubtedly interested in this Louisville commit.