Kyle Tucker

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #2 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Nicknamed "Ted"for his resemblance to a young Ted Williams, Tucker even took swings as Williams for a PBS documentary on the Splendid Splinter. With a need in left field, the Astros called Tucker up in early July. But when he went 7-for-55 (.141/.203/.236), the Astros ended the experiment and demoted him at the end of July. He was brought back twice more to play off the bench.
  
  Scouting Report: Tucker finally found a level that he wasn't ready for when he reached Houston. He had dominated every level of the minors with plus, all-fields power and excellent hand-eye coordination that allows his swing to work. In the big leagues, he proved an easier-than-expected mark for quality breaking balls. Despite his big league hiccup, Tucker projects as a middle-of-the-order bat who can be a plus hitter with plus power. He has already started to slow down, and opposing coaches and scouts were not always impressed with Tucker's effort level, noting that he often jogged down the line. His once-average speed slid to below-average in 2018, though he did steal 20 bases. That limits him in the outfield, but he should be average in either corner. His average arm is playable in right field.
  
  The Future: Tucker should get another shot to be the Astros' everyday left fielder as a 22-year-old in 2019. He has very little left to prove in Triple-A.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #2 prospect in 2018
  Baseball America's High School Player of the Year in 2015, Tucker broke his own brother (and ex-Astros outfielder) Preston's school home run record. In pro ball, he'd impressed with an advanced approach and hit tool in his first season and a half, but his power production took off in 2017, as he traded some additional strikeouts for a significant power increase. Tucker's 25 home runs more than doubled his career total coming into the season. He wore down at the end of the season, hitting .196 in August and only .214 with no home runs in the Arizona Fall League. Tucker's swing has never been picture perfect. He begins his swing with the bat laid back over his shoulder, leading to a little bit of a sweepy beginning. He also has a tendency to drop his back knee in his swing at times, a la Adrian Beltre. But it's hard to argue with the results, as his excellent hand-eye coordination leads to ton of contact and as he's gotten stronger he's turned doubles into home runs. He makes consistently hard contact. Most young lefthanded hitters torch righties and struggle when they don't have the platoon advantages. Tucker is actually a better hitter against lefthanders, and a little too aggressive against righthanders who stay off the outer half. Tucker has played all three outfield spots for the Astros. Tucker isn't a true center fielder, but he has a chance to be fringe-average there while being above-average in the corners with an average arm that works in either spot. He's an average runner who has shown a knack for stealing bases, although it won't be a significant part of his game at the big league level. Tucker's even-keeled approach turns off some scouts, who describe him as low energy. He has a half-season of Double-A experience under his belt before his 21st birthday so he may need a little more Double-A time, but a big league arrival by age 22 is a likelihood.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #2 prospect in 2017
  The younger brother of Astros big league outfielder Preston Tucker, Kyle was the BA High School Player of the Year in 2015, when he hit .484 with 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases. The fifth overall pick that year, he stood out in a pair of Rookie-level stops in his pro debut then jumped to low Class A Quad Cities in 2016. Tucker's advanced bat gives him a shot to be a plus hitter with plus power. Even though he is lean with long levers, he actually prefers hitting balls on the inner half, which helps explain why he has handled lefthanders well. He can pull his hands in on the inside pitch, and his hands and wrists work well to make his pull-oriented approach work. His swing generates excellent loft. But that projected power won't arrive until Tucker adds some more good weight to add strength in his trunk and legs. The Astros have worked him in all three outfield spots, but he projects as an above-average right fielder with an above-average arm. He's an average runner but does a great job reading pitchers and timing his jumps. Tucker handled a late-season cameo at high Class A Lancaster with no issues. He will return to high Class A in 2017--at the Astros' new Carolina League affiliate--and could reach Double-A before he turns 21.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #4 prospect in 2016
  Kyle's older brother Preston made his big league debut in May 2015, a month before Kyle joined him in the Astros organization. Kyle has his brother's power potential, but he brings with it more bat speed, a better body and more athleticism. Tucker broke his brother's Plant City High career home run record and was thee Baseball America High School Player of the Year in 2015. After signing for $4 million, he hit three home runs in the regular season and three more in the Rookie-level Appalachian League playoffs. Tucker is athletic and somewhat slender, but he is expected to fill out into a profile corner outfielder's frame. He generates 60 hit and 60 power grades from scouts who are sold on his bat. Tucker's swing starts with low hands and an arm bar, but his swing gets more fluid as he brings the bat head through the zone and the bat stays in the zone a long time. He has excellent bat speed and has present pull power, although opposite-field power will have to wait until he adds strength. Tucker is an average runner who runs the bases well. He played a little center field in 2015, but long-term, he's a corner outfielder who has a chance to be above-average defensively. His average arm means he'll slide to left on a team with a true right fielder. Tucker's unconventional swing causes slight concern, but he has a chance to be a middle-of-the-order hitter. He's ready for low Class A Quad Cities.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #8 prospect in 2015 draft
  Tucker became Plant's all-time home run leader this spring, breaking the record set by his older brother Preston Tucker. While Preston went on to star at Florida for four years before reaching the major leagues with the Astros this season, Kyle is expected to go high enough in the draft to keep him from following in his brother's footsteps to Gainesville. Tucker is leaner and more athletic than his brother, but still has big power potential. Though he has a bit of an unorthodox swing, he makes consistent hard contact thanks to his feel for the strike zone and advanced approach. His power is best to the pull side now, but he projects to be able to drive the ball out to all fields as he physically matures. Tucker plays center field now and has a chance to stay there thanks to his routes and instincts. But he's more likely to end up in a corner in the long run, as he fills out his 6-foot-4, 175-pound frame. He has enough arm strength to profile in right field if he does have to change positions. Like his brother, Tucker earns praise for his makeup and gamer mentality.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #5 prospect in 2019
  Tucker hit 34 home runs and stole 30 bases in his return to Triple-A, one of only two minor leaguers to go 30-30 this year. He scuffled in April and July, but mashed in May, June and August to earn a Sept. 2 callup. "When he comes to the plate, you don’t want to make a mistake,” Oklahoma City manager Travis Barbary said. Tucker struggled when he chased elevated fastballs but showed power to all fields when he stayed in the strike zone. His elite baserunning instincts make him a power-speed threat even with average speed and a low motor.
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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #1 prospect in 2018
  Tucker began the year billed as the top prospect in the PCL and lived up to it. He led the league with a .989 OPS, finished third with a .332 batting average, reached the 20-20 plateau and earned his first major league callup on July 7. Tucker’s swing is unconventional and gets long in the back at times, but his excellent hand-eye coordination and timing allowed him to consistently barrel the ball to all fields. He showed strong strike-zone discipline, remained poised in unfavorable counts and generated easy power with a smooth swing. “He’s got all the talent in the world,” Sacramento manager Dave Brundage said. “Always swung the bat well. Homers to left field, homers to right field…. He’s got a chance to be a good major league player.” Defensively Tucker reads the ball off the bat better in right field than left. He is an average defender when he tries, but his poor effort chasing balls in the outfield turned off many observers. The same issues arose on the bases, though Tucker showed above-average speed underway when he turned on the burners, hinting at a true potential five-tool player if he puts in the effort.
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  Ranked Carolina League #4 prospect in 2017
  Tucker won BA High School Player of the Year honors in 2015 and quickly earned accolades in pro ball. He performed well offensively in a home park--Campbell's Jim Perry Stadium--that tremendously depresses power. Of his nine Carolina League home runs, eight were hit on the road. At Double-A, Tucker's power became more pronounced. His 16 homers with Corpus Christi ranked third on the team and among the top 10 in the league despite playing just 72 games. Scouts saw a player who sweeps the bat through the zone as well as an occasional backside collapse, but his tremendous hand-eye coordination makes it work. Tucker is an above-average runner and has an average, accurate arm in the outfield. He showed immaturity at times, especially when it came to putting bad at-bats behind him in the field.
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  Ranked Texas League #2 prospect in 2017
  Promoted to Corpus Christi just a few months after his 20th birthday, Tucker started to show his power potential in the TL. After hitting nine home runs in 117 games in 2016, he hit nine longballs in 48 games at high Class A Buies Creek in 2017 before breaking out for 16 at Double-A. Tucker improved his flyball rate in 2017, and more of his fly balls found the seats. He has a chance to be a plus hitter with plus power from the left side. His swing can look unorthodox at times, but his contact skills are excellent for a player with power. Tucker's pitch recognition has also improved as he focused on swinging only at pitches he can drive. Defensively, Tucker has the athleticism to play center field, but ending up as an above-average right fielder seems like the more likely landing spot thanks to average range and a strong, accurate arm.
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  Ranked Midwest League #4 prospect in 2016
  The fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, Tucker showcased a well-rounded game at Quad Cities to earn a mid-August promotion high Class A Lancaster. He hit .285/.360/.438 with nine home runs, 32 stolen bases and 50 walks as a 19-year-old at the two stops. While Tucker might fill out somewhat, most observers expect he'll remain lean and retain wiry strength, and he earned comparisons with the Marlins' Christian Yelich. He projects as an above-average hitter with above-average power, with an expected ceiling of 20-25 homers because of the natural loft in his swing. His swing can get pull-heavy at times. Despite his 31 steals--which tied for third in the MWL--Tucker is an average to tick above runner, but he has excellent instincts on the bases. He can play all three outfield positions but profiles better on a corner because his arm is just average.
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #3 prospect in 2015
  Tucker's older brother Preston signed with the Astros as a seventh-round pick out of Florida in 2012 and reached Houston this season. Kyle is more polished and a more well-rounded player at the same age, and he broke his brother's all-time home run record at their high school before the Astros drafted him with the No. 5 overall pick and signed him for $4 million. Tall and lanky, Tucker is a polished hitter for his age with natural hitting actions. Despite his long arms and unorthodox load with his hands set low, he makes contact at a high rate because he uses his hands so well and keeps the barrel through the hitting zone for a long time with a loose, level stroke and quick bat speed. He has an advanced hitting approach, using the whole field with a solid understanding of the strike zone. His power is mostly to his pull side now, but he generates loft and drives the ball with authority to the opposite field with ease, so he could grow into plus power once he adds size and strength. Unlike his brother, Tucker is a good athlete for his size with solid-average speed and arm strength. He played some center field but deferred to Daz Cameron in the GCL and played mostly right field. His solid reads and routes give him a chance to become an above-average defender for a corner outfielder.
• 
  Ranked American League #1 prospect in 2015
  The Astros selected Tucker with the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft and paired him with sandwich pick Daz Cameron in both the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and the Appy League this season. The younger brother of Astros rookie Preston Tucker, Kyle was the High School Player of the Year, signed for $4 million and helped Greeneville win the Appy League title. He went 9-for-24 (.375) with three home runs in the playoffs. Tucker stands very tall and upright in the box and keeps his hands low before slightly barring his lead arm to load. He keeps the bat head in the zone for quite a while, and he has shown the bat control to make contact at a high rate. Tucker already boasts plus raw power, with the ability to drive the ball deep over the fence to his pull side. As he ages and begins to fill out his frame, his power could develop into something special. Tucker's athleticism is more graceful and balanced than it is explosive. He has solid-average speed and supplements it with strong baserunning skills, and he knows how to use his speed in the outfield. While he might be able to play center field, some scouts feel he profiles best in a corner. He reads the ball off the bat well, with the potential to be an above-average defender on a corner.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #12 prospect in 2019
• Ranked Baseball America's #15 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #19 prospect in 2017
• Ranked Baseball America's #61 prospect in 2016

• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Tucker hit 34 home runs and stole 30 bases in his return to Triple-A, one of only two minor leaguers to go 30-30 this year. He scuffled in April and July, but mashed in May, June and August to earn a Sept. 2 callup. "When he comes to the plate, you don’t want to make a mistake,” Oklahoma City manager Travis Barbary said. Tucker struggled when he chased elevated fastballs but showed power to all fields when he stayed in the strike zone. His elite baserunning instincts make him a power-speed threat even with average speed and a low motor.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Kyle "Ted” Tucker isn’t going to be Ted Williams (even if he mimics the Splendid Splinter’s swing in a new PBS documentary), but the sweet-swinging outfielder is being asked to play a large role in the Astros’ second half. The club’s left field job is his if he can hit well enough to hold onto it. Tucker has plus power potential, but it’s not clear yet if he wants to be a .300 hitter with modest power or if he’s willing to sacrifice 40-50 points off his average to get to that power more consistently. After a slow start in his first two weeks in Houston, he needs to hit for average first to show he’s ready to hold onto the job.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The BA High School Player of the Year in 2015, Tucker broke his brother Preston's school home run record. Early in his pro career, he impressed with an advanced approach and hit tool. He showed a significant power increase in 2017, when he sacrificed contact to hit 25 home runs and reach Double-A Corpus Christi. Scouting Report: Tucker's swing has never been picture perfect. He begins his swing with the bat laid back over his shoulder, leading to a little bit of a sweepy beginning. But it's hard to argue with the results. His excellent hand-eye coordination leads to ton of contact, and as he has gotten stronger he's turned doubles into home runs. Tucker isn't a true center fielder, but he has a chance to be fringe-average there while being above-average in the corners with an average arm that works in either spot. He's an average runner who has shown a knack for stealing bases. The Future: Tucker's even-keeled approach turns off some scouts, who describe him as low-energy. He has a half-season of Double-A experience under his belt before his 21st birthday so he may need a little more Double-A time, but a big league arrival by age 22 is a likelihood.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: The younger brother of Astros big league outfielder Preston Tucker, Kyle won the BA High School Player of the Year award in 2015, when he hit .484 with 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases. The fifth overall pick that year, he stood out in a pair of Rookie-level stops in his pro debut then jumped to low Class A Quad Cities in 2016. Scouting Report: Tucker's advanced bat gives him a shot to be a plus hitter with plus power. Even though he is lean with long levers, he actually prefers hitting balls on the inner half, which helps explains why he's handled lefthanders well. He's able to pull his hands in, and his hands and wrists work well to make his pull-oriented approach work. His swing generates excellent loft. But that projected power won't arrive until Tucker adds some more good weight to add strength in his trunk and legs. The Astros have worked him in all three outfield spots, but he projects as an above-average right fielder with an above-average arm. He's an average runner but does a great job reading pitchers and timing his jumps.
  
  The Future: Tucker handled a late-season cameo at high Class A Lancaster with no issues. He will return to high Class A in 2017--at the Astros' new Carolina League affiliate--and could reach Double-A before he turns 21.