Kyle
Booker

Rising Hitter: The most impressive Vol hitter against Memphis was the left handed hitting Booker who was locked in at the plate in front of dozens of scouts. He doubled twice and also singled on a curve ball for an RBI. After seeing limited action last season (45 at-bats), the toolsy 5-foot-10 center fielder who will show a plus arm and an easy running stride that produces plus run times, looks to be putting it all together heading into his draft season.

An athletic, left-handed hitting outfielder, Booker showed flashes of brilliance on my look. With a real good feel to hit, especially for a true freshman, he made hard contact to all fields during batting practice and lined an oppo single during game action. With plus bat control and a loose stroke, Booker had the look of an impact freshman. He’s also a plus runner with average arm strength, a quick transfer and very good accuracy, allowing the raw grade of his arm strength to play up. It will be tough for anyone to crack what looks to be a loaded and veteran Volunteer lineup, but Booker showed the needed talents to do just that.

Currently ranked No. 9 in Louisiana’s 2020 class. Medium 5-foot-10, 160-pound frame. Solid defender with average hands, fluid footwork, clean exchanges and plays through balls athletically. Long arm action into high-¾ release with some accuracy on throws and developing arm strength, produced a 92 mph positional velocity. Left-handed hitter that hits from balanced, athletic setup. Works backwards with leg lift load, dives on front side, with solid balance. Line drive, gap-to-gap type approach with short path, fluid rhythm and solid bat speed, producing an exit velocity of 88 mph. Displayed athleticism running a 6.94 60-yard dash.