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Saturday, November 7, 2009
Prospect League Baseball Scouting Report - Kyle Gaedele
COMPILED BY ALLAN SIMPSON
In Association with League Managers and Scouts
Kyle Gaedele is from Arlington Heights, Illinois and Rolling Meadows High School
Gaedele provided a sampling of his five-tool talent this summer by topping the Prospect League with 30 stolen bases—a remarkable feat for a player his size. He was also second in the league with five triples. Gaedele is a legit runner, and was clocked in the 60 in 6.5 seconds at the league all-star game. His remaining tools have similar upside, though he is a bit too much of a free swinger at this point in his development, and his swing can get a little long. He hit just .278-3-19 as a freshman at Valparaiso and a near-identical .278-5-28 for Hannibal, and struck out 100 times in a cumulative 356 at-bats in his two stops, but Gaedele overcame a slow adjustment to wood and made significant strides at the plate. He just needs to refine his approach, and even eliminate a slight hitch in his swing. His power is still mostly to the gaps, but that should change as he learns to turn on balls and lift them more consistently. Gaedele is already an excellent defender in center field, and impressed scouts with his ability to go back on balls. His arm is another asset. Like No. 1 prospect Mikie Mahtook, Gaedele has a chance to be the total package, but the consensus is that Mahtook has a slightly higher upside.