For years scouts and recruiters have used five tools to evaluate players and decide where each player fits within their program or organization. Those tools being run, defense, throw, hit and power. Today, we will begin a new series entitled Top Tools, which will periodically take a look into the individual tools of top prospects across the state of Louisiana. 

Defensive tools are seen as the ability to defend at your given position. While watching a infielder simply field a ground ball and throw it across the infield, an outfielder catch and throw to a base or a catcher receive a pitch and throw down to second-base, evaluators can decide where a player’s defensive tools fit. This tool along with the hit tool are the most subjective.  

The hit tool is basically a players ability to hit for average. This tool can usually be linked to a player’s batting average but in the evaluation process, often times the evaluator doesn’t have a batting average readily accessible. Therefore, the process of grading out a player’s hit tool is a skill.

The run, throw and power tools can all be quantified meaning you can use a radar gun or a stopwatch to determine the level of these tools. With the emergence of data-driven devices such as Trackman and the use of lasers for 60-yard dashes, the grading of these tools are becoming even more precise.

With the release of the 2023 rankings yesterday, we will begin dissecting the class in this edition of Top Tools. Today, we will begin the evaluation of this class with a breakdown of a few of the top bats in Louisiana’s 2023 class. Left-handed hitters Steven Spalitta, Barrett Newman and Zach Schoenborn have shown a high level left-handed swings over the course of the year. While Jake Larocca, Cale Comeaux and John Alex Walsh highlight a long list of right-handed hitters in the 2023 class.