Max Muncy Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

AB	55
AVG	.255
OBP	.354
SLG	.473
HR	3

Full name Maxwell Steven Muncy
Born 08/25/1990 in Midland, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Baylor
Debut 04/25/2015
Drafted in the 5th round (169th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2012 (signed for $240,000).

View Draft Report

Muncy had one of the best bats among Texas high schoolers in 2009, when the Indians took a flier on him in the 49th round, and three years later he has one of the best among college players in this draft. With a short lefthanded stroke and a disciplined approach, he barrels balls consistently. He has proven he can hit with wood, too, turning in a pair of solid summers in the Cape Cod League. Muncy has a strong build at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds and shows pop to his pull side, though scouts hesitate to project him as having more than average home run power. That could be a problem if he's limited to first base, where he has started all but one game in his three years at Baylor. Muncy has decent speed and athleticism, enough to consider trying him at another position. The Bears gave him a look at second base during fall ball, and he gave catching a shot in high school.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Muncy reached the big leagues for the first time in 2015, but his results suffered as he tried to adjust to life as a part-time player in Oakland. He held his own in May, hitting .256/.353/.488 in the one month he got semi-regular at-bats while Ike Davis was sidelined. Muncy's a natural hitter. His ability to control the strike zone is as good as anyone's in the system and is his biggest asset, along with his hitting lefthanded. His short swing is tailored for his gap-to-gap approach, and while he's never been projected as a significant power threat, the A's would nonetheless would like him to swing more authoritatively when given the chance. He has just 14 homers over the past two seasons combined since hitting 25, mostly at hitter-friendly high Class A Stockton, in 2013. His ability to play either corner infield position boosts his chances of staying on a roster, particularly in versatility-conscious Oakland. His athleticism and throwing arm are solid enough to get by at third, but he's better suited for first base. Muncy tried to get some more at-bats by playing winter ball in Mexico, but a pulled oblique muscle curtailed that plan after just seven games, leaving him to head to spring training back on the bubble for a big league roster spot.
Muncy hit his first real rough patch in several years in 2014. The conditions at Double-A Midland, where the wind constantly blows in, presented a stiff challenge, and his production fell. He made slight adjustments to his swing path to be able to use the whole field better and play to his strength'staying inside the ball. His swing doesn't feature much length, so he's able to cover all parts of the zone. Plate discipline is a Muncy hallmark. At the same time, his lack of power is the biggest knock on him. The A's have worked to give his swing more leverage, but Muncy still doesn't project for more than 15 homers annually. The A's tried him out at third base last season and liked what they saw. He's not tremendously athletic and has below-average speed, but he's a fundamentally-sound defender with enough arm. Muncy should continue seeing action at both corner-infield positions as he moves up to Triple-A Nashville in 2015.
The Indians tried drafting Muncy as a catcher out of high school in 2009, but he opted to attend Baylor instead, where he was a two-time all-Big 12 Conference selection as a first baseman. Signed for $240,000 in the fifth round in 2012, he had a banner first full season in 2013, leading the Athletics system in homers (25) and RBIs (100) while reaching Double-A Midland. A lack of power always has been the knock on Muncy, and while he hit 21 home runs at high Class A Stockton, he connected for 15 of those in home games in a park that favors lefthanders. Scouts view his hit tool more favorably, because his pitch-recognition skills are second-to-none in the system and his short swing allows him to stay inside the ball. Muncy struggled at Double-A Midland initially after his July promotion but improved steadily, hitting .296/.386/.490 in August. A playable defender at first base, he's a below-average runner who's fairly nimble around the bag and has enough arm strength that some scouts can envision left field as an option. The A's have shown no inclination to move him. After he finished the 2013 season in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .224/.350/.265, Muncy will return to Double-A in 2014.
Muncy passed on signing with the Indians as a 41st-round pick out of high school in 2009 to attend Baylor, emerging as a fifth-round pick three years later. Signed for $240,000, he held his own after going straight to low Class A. There's little question about Muncy's pure hitting ability. His pitch-recognition skills already rank among the system's best, and his short swing helps him find the barrel consistently. He's regarded as a heady player who should have high on-base percentages, though how much power he'll produce remains in question. The A's felt he did a better job of staying through the ball in instructional league, though scouts who watched him in college didn't project more than average pop. Muncy has good hands at first base and enough athleticism to perhaps play on an outfield corner or third base, though Oakland has no plans to move him. He's a below-average runner but not a baseclogger. How much power Muncy develops will determine how high his ceiling ultimately is, but he should advance quickly. He'll get a chance to open his first full season in high Class A.

Draft Prospects

Muncy had one of the best bats among Texas high schoolers in 2009, when the Indians took a flier on him in the 49th round, and three years later he has one of the best among college players in this draft. With a short lefthanded stroke and a disciplined approach, he barrels balls consistently. He has proven he can hit with wood, too, turning in a pair of solid summers in the Cape Cod League. Muncy has a strong build at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds and shows pop to his pull side, though scouts hesitate to project him as having more than average home run power. That could be a problem if he's limited to first base, where he has started all but one game in his three years at Baylor. Muncy has decent speed and athleticism, enough to consider trying him at another position. The Bears gave him a look at second base during fall ball, and he gave catching a shot in high school.

Minor League Top Prospects

Muncy fits the mold for an Athletics hitter because he excels at controlling the strike zone, works deep counts and shows promising power. Many questioned Muncy?s power coming out of Baylor, but he showed above-average pop in his first year as a pro. His 25 homers combined between Stockton and Double-A Midland nearly equaled his career total from three years at college (27). Muncy led the Cal League in homers and was tied for the lead in walks at the time Oakland promoted him in July, though he hasn?t totally erased the doubts about his power since his swing is well-suited to Stockton?s home park, where he hit 15 of 21 homers. Few questioned his natural hitting ability or advanced discipline. Muncy has passable skills at first base. His speed is below-average, but he moves well enough and his arm is strong enough that scouts can envision him getting time in left field, a position he has yet to play.

Best Tools List

Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the Texas League in 2014
Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the Oakland Athletics in 2014

Career Transactions

Los Angeles Dodgers activated 1B Max Muncy from the 10-day injured list.
Los Angeles Dodgers placed 1B Max Muncy on the 10-day injured list retroactive to June 13, 2023. Left hamstring strain.
Los Angeles Dodgers activated 1B Max Muncy from the paternity list.
Los Angeles Dodgers placed 1B Max Muncy on the paternity list.