MLB : “Virginia Tech has built a recent reputation of developing hitters who go early in the Draft, with six players taken in the top five rounds over the previous two, led by 2022 first-rounder Gavin Cross. DeMartini has been part of the offensive upswing since his freshman year in ’22, posting an OPS over 1.000 in his first two seasons. A shoulder injury forced him to a DH role for much of the 2023 season, and surgery to repair his labrum kept him out of fall action. He returned to the lineup and the field in the spring, and while the power returned, so did some concerns about his approach.
DeMartini is a compact and strong left-handed hitter who looks to do damage. He has a power-over-hit profile with plenty of bat speed to drive the ball, with extra-base authority to all fields. After striking out in 25 percent of his plate appearances in 2022, he trimmed that to 17 percent as a sophomore by cutting his chase rate on breaking stuff, seeing a lot of pitches and upping his walk rate. He was still drawing free passes as a junior, but the K rate jumped back up, with some wondering if the repaired shoulder had forced a swing change that added holes in his path.
A shortstop in high school, DeMartini moved over to third base at Virginia Tech with fringy footwork and hands. He had plenty of arm for the hot corner before the surgery, but he’ll have to prove his repaired shoulder is 100 percent. A move to left field could be in his future, but it’s the power potential a team will be buying in the first few rounds.”
Comments