Daylen Lile
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| Photo: X/ @DaylenLile |
Bio:
Age: 21
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 195 lbs.
Bats/Throws: Left/Right
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Draft Profile: 2nd round, 47th pick of the 2021 draft by Washington Nationals
Drafted Out of: Trinity High School (Louisville, KY)
Career Stat Line: .262 AVG .353 OBP 12 HR 102 RBI 40 SB 0.986 Fielding %
With news this week of top prospect James Wood getting the call up to the big leagues, we're going to ship it down 95 to look at another up and comer for the Nats: Daylen Lile.
Lile was born in raised in Louisville, Kentucky, where it was apparent from an early age that a future involving baseball was inevitable; it was just a matter of finding how far the sport would take him. Indiana University was first to take notice of the kid, extending a scholarship offer while he was only in the eighth grade.
For some, that would be an accomplishment worth celebrating, but for Daylen, it was only motivation to work even harder. He attended local Trinity High School, starting 30 games on the varsity team as a freshman. During that stretch, he posted a .370/2/29 line, catching the eye of Louisville University.
The Cardinals made a pitch to the hot-hitting prep baller, one that he couldn't refuse, as the 15-year old committed to the nearby college with teammate Korbyn Dickerson after his first high school season.
After an abbreviated sophomore stint and a cancelled COVID campaign, Lile finally found himself back on the diamond full time for a senior year with lofty goals-- with the paramount focus on bringing the state title to Trinity. The top 50 prospect did his part, contributing a robust .550 batting average, plus 18 long balls and 61 RBI. He'd strike out just six times and finish the season with an eye popping 2.042 OPS. He'd win Gatorade Player of the Year for the state, as well as the honor of Kentucky's Mr. Baseball.
But most importantly, his high school captured immortality, winning the state championship via mercy rule in a 10-0 beatdown over McCracken County. It was the first such banner the baseball team was able to hang in school history, after going 0-2 in previous attempts.
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| Photo: Trinity Baseball.org |
A brief moment of celebration and reflection was soon followed by a return to the grind, as the 2021 MLB Draft was quickly approaching. The Louisville commit had as secure a safety net as any to fall back on, but rumors began to quickly circulate that Lile was highly signable by any team that could draft him into a solid situation.
Mock drafts had the Kentucky native going anywhere from the early second to the late third round. Athletic, left-handed bats with strokes as pure as Lile's were few and far between. He didn't hear his name on the first evening, but come Monday July the 12th, the Washington Nationals came calling with the 47th overall pick. Contract negotiations were smooth, with the two sides quickly agreeing on a $1.75 million signing bonus, and the professional dream was realized.
Washington sent their second round selection to the Florida Complex to get some professional experience under his belt during the remaining minor league season. There were some struggles in his first 19 games at the FCL though, batting just .219 with 10 RBI and no home runs. Not an uncommon thing for rookies to deal with, especially coming from high school.
2022 was far less kind to the outfielder, with a UCL injury forcing him to undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the entire season. The reputed hard worker powered through rehab, getting himself back on the field in time for the start to the 2023 year.
Fredericksburg was where the organization had Lile kick off his first full professional go-round. He came on strong during his 66 games of Class-A ball, posting a .291/7/48 line, looking very much like the talent they drafted him to be. The Nats' moved Daylen up to Wilmington for the final 40 games of the year, where he only drove in 18 as his average dipped to .234.
But a healthy, full offseason of work had Lile looking new and improved during the first part of this year for the Blue Rocks, raising his average and OBP approximately 40 points each. His solid performances earned him a bump up to Harrisburg on June 18th where, like his first promotion, he's had a few growing pains early on, currently slashing just .226/.323/.283 for the Senators.
However, much like his first move up in competition, we expect Washington's 7th ranked prospect to figure out AA sooner than later here as he continues to pave his way to the big leagues. He's still only 21-years old, plays a great outfield and sees the ball well at the plate. As his game matures, expect big things.
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@Choppinglines
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