Real Baseball Intelligence

School: American Heritage HS (Florida)

Class: HS Senior

Height: 6′3″

Weight: 210 lbs.

Bats: Left

Throws: Left

Pos: 1b

Hometown: Plantation, FL

Commitment: Arizona State

Previously Drafted: None

Strengths:
Scouts compare him to another former Florida first-baseman: Angels first-baseman Casey Kotchman. Like Kotchman, Hosmer has an advanced feel for hitting, driving balls to all fields and taking walks. Defense is also an asset for Hosmer. He’s got soft hands and plenty of range. He has plenty of arm strength.

Weaknesses:
He’s represented by Scott Boras. Many of his clients have fallen in the draft to a team that can afford to sign them.

The Future:
[UPDATE (4/28)]: ESPN.com’s Keith Law reports that Hosmer and his agent, Scott Boras, are asking for a $7 million signing bonus. The highest bonus in draft history was reached by the Orioles and Matt Wieters, another Boras client, who agreed to a $6 million bonus in 2007. If Hosmer stays true to his demand, he could fall all the way to Detroit at No. 21 or, more likely, will honor his commitment to Arizona State.