Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Next up in our profile series is a toolsy outfielder with a brother with Major League experience, Tristan Pompey.
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Previous profiles:
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Vitals
6’4, 200 pounds
Position: Outfielder
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
DOB: March 23, 1997
Location
Lexington, Ky.
Year: Junior
Rankings
2080 Baseball: 50
Baseball America: 50
ESPN: 34
FanGraphs: NR
MLB.com: 40
Perfect Game: N/A
Scouting Baseball: 16
Slot recommended bonus (No. 30): $2,275,800
Note: All information of draft prospects compiled from Internet sources, scouting reports and video.
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Pompey, unlike the previous two profiles I’ve written, isn’t the safest pick in the draft. There’s some reason to believe he won’t develop into an everyday starter. There’s also plenty of reason to believe Pompey could develop into an excellent Major Leaguer.
The brother of Blue Jays’ outfielder Dalton Pompey, Tristan already has a size advantage on his big brother. Tristan has a slender and tall body and has put together a pair of excellent college seasons since struggling as a freshman. In 2016, Pompey posted a .233/.328/.440 triple slash line with seven home runs and struck out more than twice as many times as he walked. Something clicked as a sophomore, as Pompey was named an All-American with a .361/.464/.541 triple slash, 10 home runs and 18 doubles in 66 games. He struggled in the Cape Cod League that summer, but has rebounded so far as a junior with a .333/.447/.545 triple slash line through the first 43 games of the season.
Pompey very clearly has power, with 41 doubles and 23 home runs in 158 career games. He’s posted excellent triple slash lines for the last two seasons, but has been carried by high BABIP’s (.428 as a sophomore and .422 as a junior). However, Pompey is prone to striking out with a 21.1 percent career strikeout rate. His 13.68 percent walk rate is a plus, but the swing-and-miss potential is definitely there.
Pompey is regarded as a solid defender. His size leads to him struggling with quickness, but once he’s going he has above-average speed. He probably won’t be a center fielder at the next level, but should be able to handle left or right field.
At the plate, Pompey stands tall and has a pretty large leg kick, which could explain his tendency for striking out. He does have quick hands and a very smooth upper-body during his swing. The Dodgers have a track record with big leg kicks, and could help Pompey cut down on strikeouts and add even more power as he matures.
Video
Videos courtesy of 2080 Baseball, Brian Sakowski and Jeff Ellis.
There isn’t a really obvious in-house comp for Pompey. If I squint hard enough, I can see some Yasiel Puig at the plate. When Pompey is on, he’ll be lining pitches into the gap and over the wall. When he’s off, there’s going to be a lot of swing and miss. Defensively, he feels like a Joc Pederson-type, with inconsistent play ranging from terrible reads to web-gem caliber plays. Throughout the league, there’s one really easy comp to make. It’s not a “Luka Doncic is the next Ricky Rubio” type of comp, but Pompey reminds me a lot of Dexter Fowler. They’re both tall, thin switch-hitting outfielders with some power and speed. Most importantly, they both rock the high socks. His brother is another logical comparison, and both Pompey’s could be undone in the Majors by an inability to make consistent contact. Despite his talent, Dalton currently has a 26.4 percent career strikeout rate and is in the minors right now.
A strong junior year could have Pompey in the first round. However, the questionable contact skills could lead to him being around for the Dodgers at No. 30. They’ve been widely attached to a number of outfielders, and Pompey could be a great high-upside play late in the first round.
