Tyler Fitzgerald

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #28 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Fitzgerald fits the mold of the well-rounded college shortstop with a well-rounded game. He was selected by the Red Sox in the 30th round of the 2016 draft but chose to attend Louisville instead. Fitzgerald posted a solid season in the Cape Cod League in 2018, then hit .324/.397/.490 in his junior season in college. He signed for $495,000 and showed an advanced enough game to make it to low Class A Augusta, where he was reunited with Louisville teammate Logan Wyatt.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Fitzgerald is the classic college player without a particularly standout tool but also without many weak points to his game. He's a solid hitter with a little bit of pop now—he hit 10 home runs in three years in college—that he plans to improve in the offseason. Specifically, he wants to do a better job of incorporating his lower half and adding rhythm to his swing, which should lead to more consistent power. Though Fitzgerald is an average defender at shortstop with enough arm to play the position, the expectation is that he'll move all over the infield as he ascends through the system. Fitzgerald is a solid-average runner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Fitzgerald has the chops to move up to high Class A San Jose in 2020 and projects as a utility infielder in the big leagues.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #267 prospect in 2019 draft
  Fitzgerald is the kind of college shortstop who gets drafted reasonably well because of his well-rounded game, even though he doesn't have a plus tool. In fact, scouts see a lot more 40s and 45s on his scouting report than average 50s. Fitzgerald was a plus-plus runner in high school, but he's slowed down to post average run times now. He's also a fringe-average defender with an average arm. Fitzgerald was hitting .327/.405/.507 in late-May. Scouts project a fringe-average hit tool with fringe-average power in pro ball with a wood bat. Fitzgerald's lack of above-average tools limits his upside, but his solid feel for the game and productive ACC career gives him a solid shot to be a day two draft pick as a useful middle infielder.
• Ranked #187 prospect in 2016 draft
  A lanky (6-foot-3, 190-pound) shortstop with plus speed, Fitzgerald has an intriguing combination of speed and solid-average power potential. He has an impressive batting eye and a simple swing that should allow him to hit for average. The Louisville signee has an above-average arm and the range and actions to remain at the position if he doesn't get much bigger. He has impressive baseball bloodlines as his father Mike was a first-round pick of the Cardinals in 1984 who made it to the big leagues briefly as a first baseman.

• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Fitzgerald fits the mold of the well-rounded college shortstop with a well-rounded game. He was selected by the Red Sox in the 30th round of the 2016 draft but chose to attend Louisville instead. Fitzgerald posted a solid season in the Cape Cod League in 2018, then hit .324/.397/.490 in his junior season in college. He signed for $495,000 and showed an advanced enough game to make it to low Class A Augusta, where he was reunited with Louisville teammate Logan Wyatt.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Fitzgerald is the classic college player without a particularly standout tool but also without many weak points to his game. He's a solid hitter with a little bit of pop now—he hit 10 home runs in three years in college—that he plans to improve in the offseason. Specifically, he wants to do a better job of incorporating his lower half and adding rhythm to his swing, which should lead to more consistent power. Though Fitzgerald is an average defender at shortstop with enough arm to play the position, the expectation is that he'll move all over the infield as he ascends through the system. Fitzgerald is a solid-average runner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Fitzgerald has the chops to move up to high Class A San Jose in 2020 and projects as a utility infielder in the big leagues.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Fitzgerald is the kind of college shortstop who gets drafted reasonably well because of his well-rounded game, even though he doesn't have a plus tool. In fact, scouts see a lot more 40s and 45s on his scouting report than average 50s. Fitzgerald was a plus-plus runner in high school, but he's slowed down to post average run times now. He's also a fringe-average defender with an average arm. Fitzgerald was hitting .327/.405/.507 in late-May. Scouts project a fringe-average hit tool with fringe-average power in pro ball with a wood bat. Fitzgerald's lack of above-average tools limits his upside, but his solid feel for the game and productive ACC career gives him a solid shot to be a day two draft pick as a useful middle infielder.