Jacob Berry 2023 Donruss #52 Rated Prospect On Fire Miami Marlins /75

Numbered 33 out of 75.

Miami Marlins #2 Prospect

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 50

Berry earned national freshman of the year honors at Arizona 2021 before following coach Jay Johnson to Louisiana State. He continued to thrive in Baton Rouge, posting a 1.094 OPS with more extra-base hits (24) and walks (27) than strikeouts (22), en route to going sixth overall in the 2022 Draft and signing for $6 million. He held his own but didn't dominate Single-A in his pro debut, then surprisingly struggled to make consistent or quality contact in High-A in 2023.

Berry offered the best combination of hitting ability, power and patience in the 2022 college crop, drawing comparisons to a switch-hitting version of Andrew Vaughn. He has a quality swing and advanced approach from both sides, showing more power as a left-handed hitter, though those attributes have yet to translate into pro production. His ability to make contact stands out more than his relatively pedestrian exit velocities, but he still should generate 20 or more homers per season.

After Berry spent most of his freshman year at DH and split his sophomore year between third base and right field, there are questions about where he will wind up defensively. He has below-average quickness and average arm strength, and most scouts think he lacks the athleticism to play the hot corner in the big leagues. He could be adequate in an outfield corner and most likely will wind up at first base, though the good news is that his bat should profile well no matter where he plays.