Christian
Koss

5/3/19: Smooth, athletic infielder at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds who we reported on during our summer look in the Cape at Yarmouth-Dennis. Koss is showing increased power production this season with four home runs in 153 at-bats compared to just one in 195 ABs last spring. However, his batting average has taken a beating, currently sitting at .242, down from .287 last spring. On this look, he was nowhere near a low-200s type of hitter. His swing showed good rhythm, timing and balance. He stayed connected and extended well. Drove one deep to center field for a ninth inning triple. During this triple, he showed off his better than plus speed underway with a long, smooth, athletic stride. He hit another gear after rounding second base and heading to third. It's not the type of stride or acceleration that will allow him to steal a ton of bases at the next level, but more of one to take the extra base and keep pressure on the defense. He also ran a 4.20 down the line on a 6-3 ground out. After seeing all sliders during his first at-bat, he sat on a first pitch slider his second AB, getting a hanger and driving it on a line to the left field wall for a double. For the series, Koss went 5-for-13 with a pair of RBI. Defensively, Koss makes tough plays look easy with fluid actions and above average range in all directions. He has plenty of arm strength, great hands and top-level body control. He dove feet first to his left, picked the ball clean off the turf, popped up while turning his body/feet then made a perfect throw to first base for the 6-3 groundout. He did it so naturally and effortlessly that it seemed routine. He has the ability to make throws from all angles with a quick release and plus accuracy. He's the team's quarterback with a savvy mind and a very high baseball I.Q., running the defense and preparing his teammates for each situation. Overall, Koss continues to remind me of AJ Graffanino in many ways, including his defense-first abilities, physical build and athleticism. However, Koss is likely to be selected a couple rounds sooner than Graffanino (8th round in 2018 to Atlanta) this June. (Seifert)

2/23/19: Koss stands an impressive, 6-foot-2, 185-pounds with lean strength throughout an athletic frame that includes a high waist and square shoulders. His crisp defensive actions at shortstop include impressive attention to details, and he is fundamentally sound without being robotic. He showcases above average arm strength that should allow him to stick at shortstop at the next level. At the plate, Koss enjoyed a breakout game against Rice on Saturday going 3-for-4 with several hard-hit balls including a home run to left field. He sets up square with an athletic base and the elbows wider in a steady rhythm pre-pitch. The hands load deeper down and back with a minor leg-hang stride. The deeper load led the hands to get pushed away from the body at times which caused the path to be a bit longer, but he showcased the strength and bat-to-ball skills necessary to make up for it. He was a bit jumpier at the plate on Sunday, drifting to the front foot while tracking offspeed pitches, but when on time he exhibits an uphill path while getting good use of the lower-half. His ability to stick at shortstop as one of the better defenders in the country will likely help his name to be called earlier on Day Two of the draft, especially if the bat continues to heat up. (S Hunt)

8/20/18: Athletic at six-foot-two, 185 pounds and quicker twitch for a long build, Koss has many of the defensive tools needed for a ML shortstop. Quick hands, plus arm and easy, fluid actions. Above average range in all directions. Also turns the double play well with a real quick catch/throw pivot. Offensively Koss is still developing. After slashing a promising .309/.404/.383 in the Cape last summer, he regressed to .263/.323/.333 this summer. Set up in the far back of the box with a slightly spread and even stance. Showed fair balance with good separation and near average bat speed. Average raw power to his pull side only. Hit around the ball with a long trigger and swing. Tended to sink on his backside, in need of greater weight transfer forward. At times was overmatched by velocity and as a result was forced to cheat to get to it. This caused susceptibility to off speed and some swing/miss, chasing down. Koss’s greatest improvement could come in the weight room by gaining the needed strength to thrive in the batter’s box. His defensive talents certainly have draft value. By becoming a greater threat in the box, Koss could climb into the middle of Day Two this June. His current profile is very similar to recent 2018 ATL 8th round pick AJ Graffanino, a Day Two best pick. (Seifert)