2014 Appalachian League Top 20 Prospects - Ozhaino Albies

The earlier signing deadline continues to bolster the talent in the Rookie-level Appalachian League, which had an above-average year for talent as it featured the No. 5 overall pick in 2014 (Elizabethton shortstop Nick Gordon) and 10 selections from the top two rounds of the past two drafts. Eight of those players made the list, while in contrast, no first-rounders qualified for last year’s ranking.
A trio of exciting shortstops—Danville’s Ozhaino Albies, Gordon and Bluefield’s Richard Urena—headline the list and are a defined top tier of prospects. All had supporters for their case as the No. 1 prospect in the league, but the 17-year-old Albies separated himself as the youngest player in the league, and the best with the glove and because of his precocious contact ability.
Though the Appy League champion came out of the Western Division (Johnson City), the East boasted a bountiful batch of prospects that included 16 of the 20 to make the list. Burlington placed more prospects on the list than any other team with five, including a trio of 2014 draftees who signed for more than a million dollars (lefthander Foster Griffin, catcher Chase Vallot and righthander Scott Blewett) and a million-dollar international signee in Italian shortstop Marten Gasparini.
1. Ozhaino Albies, ss, Danville (Braves)

Ozhaino Albies (Photo by Tony Farlow)
Age: 17. B-T: B-R. Ht.: 5-9. Wt.: 150. Signed: Curacao, 2013.
No Appy League team has showcased more high-end shortstop prospects than Danville, who from 2010 to this season have featured Andrelton Simmons, Nick Ahmed, Jose Peraza, Johan Camargo and now Albies.
Albies has natural instincts for the game and tools, a combination that enabled him to be one of the top performers in the league despite being the youngest qualified player for this list. He profiles as a shortstop with a plus arm from a quick release, soft hands and at least plus speed and range. His defensive polish and efficiency was apparent with the second-highest fielding percentage (.950) among league shortstops.
Albies offers plus bat speed from both sides of the plate and led the league in both average (.356) and on-base percentage (.429). His loose, quick stroke works inside the ball and hits to all fields. He is particularly adept at driving the ball to the opposite field while hitting lefthanded. Scouts project him to be an above-average hitter because of his precious contact ability. His strikeout rate (10.6 percent) was the lowest for any 17-year-old Appy Leaguer since Jimmy Rollins in 1996. His discerning eye also drew as many walks as strikeouts. Albies’ high-contact, high on-base skillset profiles to hit at the top of a lineup. While Albies combination of speed and savvy will likely make him an impact baserunner who steals at an efficient clip (83.3 percent this summer).
Albies has more power from the right side and his 5-foot-9 frame limits his power potential. But scouts project him to hit 8-12 home runs with 30-40 doubles. His size and skill set have drawn comparisons to Rollins.