Tyler Whitaker
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| Photo by MiLB.com |
Bio:
Age: 20
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 190 lbs.
Bats/Throws: Right/Right
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Draft Profile: 3rd round, 87th pick by Houston
Drafted Out of: Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, NV)
Career Stat Line: .186 AVG .257 OBP 12 HR 54 RBI 21 SB 0.950 Fielding %
Out of perennial baseball powerhouse Bishop Gorman High, we have Houston prospect Tyler Whitaker. The twenty-year old outfielder grew up in Nevada, playing his travel ball for the Las Vegas Recruits (Prepbaseball). The talented teen showed ample ability all over the diamond, playing a rangy right field and controlling a 91 MPH fastball with a biting curve on the mound.
There was plenty of intrigue from professional clubs early on, as Whitaker was invited from 2018-2020 to showcase his skills in the Area Code Underclass Baseball Games. Despite potential as a pitcher, scouts seemed prefer his professional projectability as an outfielder, possibly even a center fielder with some seasoning (Crawfishboxes). Tyler verbally committed to the University of Arizona in February of 2017.
He would never end up playing for the Wildcats however. The MLB had seen enough after a senior campaign that saw the 6'4" high schooler slash .508/5/32 in 18 games (MaxPreps). After a surprising drop through the 2021 draft, the Astros scooped up MLB.com 's 37th ranked prospect in the class with the 87th overall selection. He inked a $1.5 million dollar signing bonus, a sizable raise from the pick's slot value of $639,300, and was off to rookie ball (MLB.com).
Whitaker's short season in Florida was a mixed bag of results. The Las Vegas product was a versatile defensive piece, playing all three outfield slots and four games at third base, only committing three total errors. He also hit three home runs, which was an optimistic sign for his power to translate up the ladder. Unfortunately, the rookie only hit .202, striking out four times for each walk (MiLB.com).
The Astros promoted their 25th ranked prospect to low-A ball for the start of the 2022 year. As a member of the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, Tyler has once again been able to play all over the field, adding 22 games at shortstop to his resume. Despite the appeal of his defensively versatility, 89% of his errors this season have come in the infield-- indicating that the outfield is probably his best fit.
There's still been some work to do at the dish also. The rise in competition has been met with a decline in average and an increase in K:BB ratios. However, his BABIP is at a respectable .281, which lends one to think that more quality contact is on the way as his eye catches up. And the month of August has been kind thus far to the Woodpecker, ripping a line of .294/3/9 in 51 at bats.
We got to watch Whitaker play in Delmarva earlier this June, hitting a nice double and playing a clean right field. Per the eye test, there's no doubt he has the frame to be a daily major league contributor, and his recently improving numbers are really encouraging. We'll be watching as this Houston prospect continues to evolve and make his way through the minors.
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@Choppinglines
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