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 players 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.

In our first installment of Top Tools, we took a look into the run tool in Louisiana’s 2020 class, which you can view HERE. 

In today's edition, we dive into the 2021 class by taking a look at a few of the top uncommitted runners in the 2021 class. SS Brennan Holt  (Parkview Baptist HS), OF Ethan Medlin (Barbe HS), OF Carter Griffin (Haughton HS) and OF Kael Babin (East Ascension HS) are four players at the top of the list when discussing the run tool.