Player: Preston Palmeiro
Position: 1B
DOB: Jan. 22, 1995 (21 years old)
Height/Weight: 6’1″, 190 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/R
School: NC State
Previously Drafted: Not Drafted
Background
Scouts saw plenty of Preston Palmeiro during his freshman season at NC State in 2014, as they turned out in droves to watch a pair of eventual first-round picks in left-hander Carlos Rodon and shortstop Trea Turner.
The son of MLB standout Rafael Palmeiro has steadily improved since going undrafted out of high school, and this year scouts are making the trip to Raleigh specifically to watch him.
A part-time player as a freshman, he took over as the Wolfpack’s starting first baseman as a sophomore and hit .305/.381/.456 with 13 doubles, seven home runs and 49 RBI.
He followed up that strong spring by playing alongside another MLB legacy, Cavan Biggio, on the right side of the Harwich Mariners infield in the Cape Cod League.
Now he’s trying to get out from under his famous father’s shadow, as he explained to Stan Grossfeld of the Boston Globe:
I’ve been blessed to be around baseball my whole life and my dad accomplished and taught me so much. The only curse is there’s always expectations. Everyone expects you to be the best. Every game I’ve played it’s always Rafael Palmeiro’s son, its never just Preston Palmeiro.
His junior season has been his best yet, as he’s hitting .337/.412/.539 with 20 doubles, nine home runs and a team-high 55 RBI and earned Second Team All-ACC honors for his work.
The question now is just how high his ceiling is offensively, as he’ll need to produce to have a shot at sticking at a premium offensive position.
Pick Analysis
Palmeiro has a smooth, left-handed stroke that’s drawn plenty of comparisons to the swing that netted his father 3,020 career hits.
Perfect Game offered up the the following scouting report:
Though he doesn’t sport the typical build often associated with the first base position, and he could make a move to the outfield due to his athleticism, he certainly swings the bat and it’s one that would play anywhere on the field.
On top of the professional approach at the plate Palmeiro has shown the ability to work all fields with comfort, hitting for both average and strength. The hands are both extremely quick and loose in his swing as he generates plenty of bat speed through the zone with an exceptional feel for the barrel head and natural leverage at the point of contact.
He’s shown the ability to adjust to off-speed mid-swing, which further reassures his approach and also speaks to his hand-eye coordination.
As a good contact hitter and solid overall athlete, the determining factor in whether Palmeiro can develop into an MLB regular at first base will be the development of his power game.
MLB Player Comparison: Mark Sweeney
This is admittedly not the most exciting comparison for Palmeiro, but it’s one that would be perfectly acceptable at this stage in the draft.
Mark Sweeney carved out a solid 14-year career as a part-time player and left-handed bench bat, displaying enough athleticism to play both corner outfield spots as well as first base.
Palmeiro is a plus defender at first but could be asked to add some versatility as a pro, since he doesn’t possess the requisite power most teams look for in an everyday first baseman.
Sweeney was similar in stature at 6’1″ and 195 pounds and posted a solid .347 on-base percentage for his career while being used primarily off the bench.
The two also share big league bloodlines, as Sweeney was the older brother of Kansas City Royals standout Mike Sweeney.
With a professional approach and good plate discipline, there should be a role for Palmeiro at the highest level. He just might have to settle for being a role player as opposed to a star like his father.
Projection: Potential starting first baseman, quality left-handed bench bat
Major League ETA: 2020
Chances of Signing: 95 percent
The market for college first basemen is never particularly high, but Palmeiro has been among the best in the nation this year and has seen his stock spike as a result. After going undrafted out of high school, he’ll jump at the chance to finally start his pro career.
College statistics courtesy of The Baseball Cube, unless otherwise noted, and accurate through Wednesday, June 8.
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