Michael Busch Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

AB	45
AVG	.311
OBP	.385
SLG	.644
HR	4

Full name Michael Busch
Born 11/09/1997 in Inver Grove Heights, MN
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School North Carolina
Drafted in the 1st round (31st overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019 (signed for $2,312,000).

View Draft Report

The key cog in the middle of North Carolina’s lineup the last two seasons, Busch has an excellent feel for the barrel and a strong understanding of the strike zone. He walked in 16 percent of his plate appearances as a freshman and recorded a 17 percent walk rate as a sophomore, when he hit .317/.465/.521 with 13 home runs and 55 walks, the latter of which ranked 10th in the nation. While Busch has a solid feel for the strike zone, he also has 60-grade raw power and a strong track record of hitting. He’s produced in both the ACC and with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League, where he hit .322/.450/.567 with six home runs in 27 games last summer. While Busch is a plus defender at first base, he has played mostly left field during his junior season. He’s been perfectly acceptable in the outfield, but he remains a below-average runner with a long exchange on his throws, so he will likely never be a defensive asset in the outfield. Still, he showed he could make all the routine plays and not embarrass himself, or his team, in a corner outfield spot, if needed. Some scouts have wondered what Busch would look like as a second baseman, but his most natural defensive position is first base. While he’s undersized for the position at 6 feet and 207 pounds, he has shown enough promise with the bat to fit the profile. Busch should go off the board in the second half of the first round.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 55/High

Track Record: One of eight children in his family, Busch starred as one of the best athletes in recent Minnesota prep history at Simley High. He led the Spartans football team to the state final as the quarterback, captained the hockey team and was a two-time all-state baseball player. He chose baseball as his path and started all three years at north Carolina, where he hit 32 career home runs and finished second in school history with 143 career walks. The Dodgers drafted him 31st overall in 2019 and signed him for $2.312 million. Injuries to his right hand hindered Busch his first two seasons, but he broke out with full health in 2022 and led the minor leagues in runs scored. He followed up with an even better season in 2023 at Triple-A Oklahoma City. Busch hit .323/.431/.618, all career highs, and finished second in the minors with a 1.049 OPS. He received three different callups to the majors with the Dodgers, won the Pacific Coast League MVP award and was named the Dodgers’ minor league player of the year.

Scouting Report: Busch is a polished, well-rounded offensive performer. He has a calm, controlled presence in the batter’s box and maintains elite strike-zone discipline. He recognizes pitches early and barrels both high-end velocity and quality secondary stuff with a balanced, powerful lefthanded stroke. He drives balls hard in the air from foul pole to foul pole and is a true all-fields hitter who can take what the pitcher gives him. He can be overly passive at times, but he has improved his approach to jump on hittable pitches and get the most from his natural strength, hand-eye coordination and plate discipline. He projects to be an at least above-average hitter who draws lots of walks and gets to his plus power in games. The Dodgers drafted Busch as a first baseman and attempted to turn him into a second baseman, but his lack of range makes him a liability without the help of a shift. He’s a below-average runner who lacks quickness and agility and is a below-average defender at the keystone. He began playing third base in 2023 and started most of his games there in Triple-A and the majors. He shows a good feel for body positioning and reading angles at the hot corner but is still a below-average defender learning the nuances of the position. Busch has also seen time in left field, but his best position remains first base. He has below-average arm strength.

The Future: Busch projects to be a middle-of-the-order force who gets on base and hits for power, but he is blocked at first base by Freddie Freeman and has to find a position to break into the Dodgers’ lineup. The Dodgers received multiple offers for Busch at the trade deadline but held onto him because of his offensive potential. He will try to improve his defense at third base enough to be the eventual successor to Max Muncy. N

Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Field: 40 | Arm: 40
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Medium

Track Record: Growing up in Minnesota as one of eight brothers and sisters in his family, Busch starred in football, hockey and baseball in high school and blossomed into one of college baseball's top hitters at North Carolina. The Dodgers drafted him 31st overall in 2019 and signed him for $2.312 million. Injuries to his right hand after he was hit by pitches limited Busch in both his pro debut and first full season, but he excelled with full health in 2022. Busch led the minor leagues with 118 runs scored and ranked third with 70 extra-base hits and 285 total bases.

Scouting Report: Busch's exceptional plate discipline is the foundation of his success. He exudes calm in the batter's box and rarely chases outside the strike zone, putting together high-quality at-bats and forcing pitchers to throw the ball over the plate. Busch unloads on balls with a short, balanced swing from the left side and drives them hard in the air from left-center to right-center field. He occasionally gets underneath fastballs at the top of the zone, but he has the strength, hand-eye coordination and feel for the barrel to do damage against all types of pitches. Busch can be too passive at times, leading to too many strikeouts looking, but he has improved his aggressiveness and projects to be an average hitter with plus power as he further refines his approach. A first baseman in college, Busch transitioned to second base as a pro and remains a work in progress defensively. He's a fringe-average runner with limited mobility and isn't particularly smooth, but he tends to make the plays even if it isn't always pretty. He projects to be a fringy but playable second baseman with a below-average arm.

The Future: Busch earns frequent comparisons with Max Muncy as a middle-of-the-order masher and functional, albeit limited, defender. He'll open 2023 at Triple-A and is poised to make his MLB debut.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 60. Speed: 45. Fielding: 40. Arm: 40
Track Record: Busch starred as one of college baseball’s top hitters at North Carolina and was drafted 31st overall by the Dodgers in 2019. He was limited to 10 games in his pro debut after he was hit by a pitch that broke his right hand and lost the 2020 season to the coronavirus pandemic. Busch finally got to play his first full season in 2021 and jumped straight to Double-A Tulsa, where he finished among the organization leaders in every offensive category despite being hit by a pitch on his right hand again and playing at less than full strength for a month.

Scouting Report: Busch has some of the best hitting traits in the Dodgers system. He stays balanced in the box, is disciplined with his pitch selection and makes a lot of hard contact with a short, efficient swing. He drives the ball up through the middle of the field and has grown into above-average power with the ability to leave the park from left-center to right-center. Busch handles all types of pitches, but he’s too passive at times and falls behind in counts. After Dodgers manager Dave Roberts challenged him to hit .300 during an August phone call, Busch got more aggressive and hit .346 the final month of the season. A first baseman in college, Busch has transitioned to second base and become an adequate defender who makes the routine plays. His range is limited and his below-average arm creates issues turning double plays, but he’s playable with shifts.

The Future: Busch resembles Max Muncy as both a hitter and defender and projects to be a similar player. He’ll begin 2022 at Triple-A.
Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 45. Fielding: 40. Arm: 45.

TRACK RECORD: Busch was regarded as one of college baseball’s top hitters at North Carolina and was drafted 31st overall by the Dodgers in 2019. He was limited to 10 games in his pro debut after he was hit by a pitch that broke his right hand, but he showed what he could do in 2020. Busch spent the summer at the alternate training site and drew raves as the best hitter in instructional league in Arizona

SCOUTING REPORT: Busch is all about his bat. He is an exceptionally patient hitter who doesn’t chase, fights off close pitches and waits for something he can drive. When he gets it, he unloads on balls with a compact, lefthanded swing with plus bat speed and extension. Busch’s swing and approach make him a plus hitter, and he’s begun to show plus power with the ability to drive the ball over the fence to both gaps. Busch played first base and left field in college, but the Dodgers are trying to make him a second baseman. He’s gotten leaner and more athletic to improve his range, and he dropped his arm slot to give him more zip on his throws, but he’s still a likely below-average defender.

THE FUTURE: Busch is following the Max Muncy path as a masher who is playable at second base in short stints. He is poised to move quickly in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: One of eight children, Busch starred in baseball, football and hockey in high school in Minnesota before becoming one of college baseball's top hitters at North Carolina. The Dodgers drafted him 31st overall in 2019 and signed him for $2,312,000. Busch broke his right hand after getting hit by a pitch in just his fifth game, but he returned for the end of the Arizona Fall League and reached base in 12 of 22 plate appearances.

SCOUTING REPORT: Many teams thought Busch possessed the best pure swing of the 2019 draft. His swing mechanics are sound, he covers the whole plate and he can manipulate his hands to hit balls in all parts of the strike zone. Busch is more of a patient, line-drive hitter than a masher, but the Dodgers think they can make adjustments to his lower half and create more leverage in his swing to access average power. Though Busch played first base and left field in college, the Dodgers drafted him as a second baseman and believe his short-area quickness and elite work ethic will help him become playable, and possibly average, in time. He's a below-average runner with a fringe-average arm.

THE FUTURE: The Dodgers are confident they got a plus hitter in Busch. Now, it's about seeing how his power and defense develop.

Draft Prospects

The key cog in the middle of North Carolina's lineup the last two seasons, Busch has an excellent feel for the barrel and a strong understanding of the strike zone. He walked in 16 percent of his plate appearances as a freshman and recorded a 17 percent walk rate as a sophomore, when he hit .317/.465/.521 with 13 home runs and 55 walks, the latter of which ranked 10th in the nation. While Busch has a solid feel for the strike zone, he also has 60-grade raw power and a strong track record of hitting. He's produced in both the ACC and with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League, where he hit .322/.450/.567 with six home runs in 27 games last summer. While Busch is a plus defender at first base, he has played mostly left field during his junior season. He's been perfectly acceptable in the outfield, but he remains a below-average runner with a long exchange on his throws, so he will likely never be a defensive asset in the outfield. Still, he showed he could make all the routine plays and not embarrass himself, or his team, in a corner outfield spot, if needed. Some scouts have wondered what Busch would look like as a second baseman, but his most natural defensive position is first base. While he's undersized for the position at 6 feet and 207 pounds, he has shown enough promise with the bat to fit the profile. Busch should go off the board in the second half of the first round.

Top 100 Rankings

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Medium

Track Record: Growing up in Minnesota as one of eight brothers and sisters in his family, Busch starred in football, hockey and baseball in high school and blossomed into one of college baseball's top hitters at North Carolina. The Dodgers drafted him 31st overall in 2019 and signed him for $2.312 million. Injuries to his right hand after he was hit by pitches limited Busch in both his pro debut and first full season, but he excelled with full health in 2022. Busch led the minor leagues with 118 runs scored and ranked third with 70 extra-base hits and 285 total bases.

Scouting Report: Busch's exceptional plate discipline is the foundation of his success. He exudes calm in the batter's box and rarely chases outside the strike zone, putting together high-quality at-bats and forcing pitchers to throw the ball over the plate. Busch unloads on balls with a short, balanced swing from the left side and drives them hard in the air from left-center to right-center field. He occasionally gets underneath fastballs at the top of the zone, but he has the strength, hand-eye coordination and feel for the barrel to do damage against all types of pitches. Busch can be too passive at times, leading to too many strikeouts looking, but he has improved his aggressiveness and projects to be an average hitter with plus power as he further refines his approach. A first baseman in college, Busch transitioned to second base as a pro and remains a work in progress defensively. He's a fringe-average runner with limited mobility and isn't particularly smooth, but he tends to make the plays even if it isn't always pretty. He projects to be a fringy but playable second baseman with a below-average arm.

The Future: Busch earns frequent comparisons with Max Muncy as a middle-of-the-order masher and functional, albeit limited, defender. He'll open 2023 at Triple-A and is poised to make his MLB debut.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 60. Speed: 45. Fielding: 40. Arm: 40
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Medium

Track Record: Growing up in Minnesota as one of eight brothers and sisters in his family, Busch starred in football, hockey and baseball in high school and blossomed into one of college baseball's top hitters at North Carolina. The Dodgers drafted him 31st overall in 2019 and signed him for $2.312 million. Injuries to his right hand after he was hit by pitches limited Busch in both his pro debut and first full season, but he excelled with full health in 2022. Busch led the minor leagues with 118 runs scored and ranked third with 70 extra-base hits and 285 total bases.

Scouting Report: Busch's exceptional plate discipline is the foundation of his success. He exudes calm in the batter's box and rarely chases outside the strike zone, putting together high-quality at-bats and forcing pitchers to throw the ball over the plate. Busch unloads on balls with a short, balanced swing from the left side and drives them hard in the air from left-center to right-center field. He occasionally gets underneath fastballs at the top of the zone, but he has the strength, hand-eye coordination and feel for the barrel to do damage against all types of pitches. Busch can be too passive at times, leading to too many strikeouts looking, but he has improved his aggressiveness and projects to be an average hitter with plus power as he further refines his approach. A first baseman in college, Busch transitioned to second base as a pro and remains a work in progress defensively. He's a fringe-average runner with limited mobility and isn't particularly smooth, but he tends to make the plays even if it isn't always pretty. He projects to be a fringy but playable second baseman with a below-average arm.

The Future: Busch earns frequent comparisons with Max Muncy as a middle-of-the-order masher and functional, albeit limited, defender. He'll open 2023 at Triple-A and is poised to make his MLB debut.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 60. Speed: 45. Fielding: 40. Arm: 40
BA Grade: 55/Medium

Track Record: Busch starred as one of college baseball&#39s top hitters at North Carolina and was drafted 31st overall by the Dodgers in 2019. He was limited to 10 games in his pro debut after he was hit by a pitch that broke his right hand and lost the 2020 season to the coronavirus pandemic. Busch finally got to play his first full season in 2021 and jumped straight to Double-A Tulsa, where he finished among the organization leaders in every offensive category despite being hit by a pitch on his right hand again and playing at less than full strength for a month.

Scouting Report: Busch has some of the best hitting traits in the Dodgers system. He stays balanced in the box, is disciplined with his pitch selection and makes a lot of hard contact with a short, efficient swing. He drives the ball up through the middle of the field and has grown into above-average power with the ability to leave the park from left-center to right-center. Busch handles all types of pitches, but he&#39s too passive at times and falls behind in counts. After Dodgers manager Dave Roberts challenged him to hit .300 during an August phone call, Busch got more aggressive and hit .346 the final month of the season. A first baseman in college, Busch has transitioned to second base and become an adequate defender who makes the routine plays. His range is limited and his below-average arm creates issues turning double plays, but he&#39s playable with shifts.

The Future: Busch resembles Max Muncy as both a hitter and defender and projects to be a similar player. He&#39ll begin 2022 at Triple-A.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 55. Speed: 45. Fielding: 45. Arm: 40.
Track Record: Busch starred as one of college baseball’s top hitters at North Carolina and was drafted 31st overall by the Dodgers in 2019. He was limited to 10 games in his pro debut after he was hit by a pitch that broke his right hand and lost the 2020 season to the coronavirus pandemic. Busch finally got to play his first full season in 2021 and jumped straight to Double-A Tulsa, where he finished among the organization leaders in every offensive category despite being hit by a pitch on his right hand again and playing at less than full strength for a month.

Scouting Report: Busch has some of the best hitting traits in the Dodgers system. He stays balanced in the box, is disciplined with his pitch selection and makes a lot of hard contact with a short, efficient swing. He drives the ball up through the middle of the field and has grown into above-average power with the ability to leave the park from left-center to right-center. Busch handles all types of pitches, but he’s too passive at times and falls behind in counts. After Dodgers manager Dave Roberts challenged him to hit .300 during an August phone call, Busch got more aggressive and hit .346 the final month of the season. A first baseman in college, Busch has transitioned to second base and become an adequate defender who makes the routine plays. His range is limited and his below-average arm creates issues turning double plays, but he’s playable with shifts.

The Future: Busch resembles Max Muncy as both a hitter and defender and projects to be a similar player. He’ll begin 2022 at Triple-A.
Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 45. Fielding: 40. Arm: 45.

TRACK RECORD: Busch was regarded as one of college baseball's top hitters at North Carolina and was drafted 31st overall by the Dodgers in 2019. He was limited to 10 games in his pro debut after he was hit by a pitch that broke his right hand, but he showed what he could do in 2020. Busch spent the summer at the alternate training site and drew raves as the best hitter in instructional league in Arizona

SCOUTING REPORT: Busch is all about his bat. He is an exceptionally patient hitter who doesn't chase, fights off close pitches and waits for something he can drive. When he gets it, he unloads on balls with a compact, lefthanded swing with plus bat speed and extension. Busch's swing and approach make him a plus hitter, and he's begun to show plus power with the ability to drive the ball over the fence to both gaps. Busch played first base and left field in college, but the Dodgers are trying to make him a second baseman. He's gotten leaner and more athletic to improve his range, and he dropped his arm slot to give him more zip on his throws, but he's still a likely below-average defender.

THE FUTURE: Busch is following the Max Muncy path as a masher who is playable at second base in short stints. He is poised to move quickly in 2021.
Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 45. Fielding: 40. Arm: 45.

TRACK RECORD: Busch was regarded as one of college baseball’s top hitters at North Carolina and was drafted 31st overall by the Dodgers in 2019. He was limited to 10 games in his pro debut after he was hit by a pitch that broke his right hand, but he showed what he could do in 2020. Busch spent the summer at the alternate training site and drew raves as the best hitter in instructional league in Arizona

SCOUTING REPORT: Busch is all about his bat. He is an exceptionally patient hitter who doesn’t chase, fights off close pitches and waits for something he can drive. When he gets it, he unloads on balls with a compact, lefthanded swing with plus bat speed and extension. Busch’s swing and approach make him a plus hitter, and he’s begun to show plus power with the ability to drive the ball over the fence to both gaps. Busch played first base and left field in college, but the Dodgers are trying to make him a second baseman. He’s gotten leaner and more athletic to improve his range, and he dropped his arm slot to give him more zip on his throws, but he’s still a likely below-average defender.

THE FUTURE: Busch is following the Max Muncy path as a masher who is playable at second base in short stints. He is poised to move quickly in 2021.
Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 45. Fielding: 40. Arm: 45.

TRACK RECORD: Busch was regarded as one of college baseball’s top hitters at North Carolina and was drafted 31st overall by the Dodgers in 2019. He was limited to 10 games in his pro debut after he was hit by a pitch that broke his right hand, but he showed what he could do in 2020. Busch spent the summer at the alternate training site and drew raves as the best hitter in instructional league in Arizona

SCOUTING REPORT: Busch is all about his bat. He is an exceptionally patient hitter who doesn’t chase, fights off close pitches and waits for something he can drive. When he gets it, he unloads on balls with a compact, lefthanded swing with plus bat speed and extension. Busch’s swing and approach make him a plus hitter, and he’s begun to show plus power with the ability to drive the ball over the fence to both gaps. Busch played first base and left field in college, but the Dodgers are trying to make him a second baseman. He’s gotten leaner and more athletic to improve his range, and he dropped his arm slot to give him more zip on his throws, but he’s still a likely below-average defender.

THE FUTURE: Busch is following the Max Muncy path as a masher who is playable at second base in short stints. He is poised to move quickly in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: One of eight children, Busch starred in baseball, football and hockey in high school in Minnesota before becoming one of college baseball’s top hitters at North Carolina. The Dodgers drafted him 31st overall in 2019 and signed him for $2,312,000. Busch broke his right hand after getting hit by a pitch in just his fifth game, but he returned for the end of the Arizona Fall League and reached base in 12 of 22 plate appearances.

SCOUTING REPORT: Many teams thought Busch possessed the best pure swing of the 2019 draft. His swing mechanics are sound, he covers the whole plate and he can manipulate his hands to hit balls in all parts of the strike zone. Busch is more of a patient, line-drive hitter than a masher, but the Dodgers think they can make adjustments to his lower half and create more leverage in his swing to access average power. Though Busch played first base and left field in college, the Dodgers drafted him as a second baseman and believe his short-area quickness and elite work ethic will help him become playable, and possibly average, in time. He’s a below-average runner with a fringe-average arm.

THE FUTURE: The Dodgers are confident they got a plus hitter in Busch. Now, it’s about seeing how his power and defense develop.
TRACK RECORD: One of eight children, Busch starred in baseball, football and hockey in high school in Minnesota before becoming one of college baseball's top hitters at North Carolina. The Dodgers drafted him 31st overall in 2019 and signed him for $2,312,000. Busch broke his right hand after getting hit by a pitch in just his fifth game, but he returned for the end of the Arizona Fall League and reached base in 12 of 22 plate appearances.

SCOUTING REPORT: Many teams thought Busch possessed the best pure swing of the 2019 draft. His swing mechanics are sound, he covers the whole plate and he can manipulate his hands to hit balls in all parts of the strike zone. Busch is more of a patient, line-drive hitter than a masher, but the Dodgers think they can make adjustments to his lower half and create more leverage in his swing to access average power. Though Busch played first base and left field in college, the Dodgers drafted him as a second baseman and believe his short-area quickness and elite work ethic will help him become playable, and possibly average, in time. He's a below-average runner with a fringe-average arm.

THE FUTURE: The Dodgers are confident they got a plus hitter in Busch. Now, it's about seeing how his power and defense develop.
The key cog in the middle of North Carolina's lineup the last two seasons, Busch has an excellent feel for the barrel and a strong understanding of the strike zone. He walked in 16 percent of his plate appearances as a freshman and recorded a 17 percent walk rate as a sophomore, when he hit .317/.465/.521 with 13 home runs and 55 walks, the latter of which ranked 10th in the nation. While Busch has a solid feel for the strike zone, he also has 60-grade raw power and a strong track record of hitting. He's produced in both the ACC and with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League, where he hit .322/.450/.567 with six home runs in 27 games last summer. While Busch is a plus defender at first base, he has played mostly left field during his junior season. He's been perfectly acceptable in the outfield, but he remains a below-average runner with a long exchange on his throws, so he will likely never be a defensive asset in the outfield. Still, he showed he could make all the routine plays and not embarrass himself, or his team, in a corner outfield spot, if needed. Some scouts have wondered what Busch would look like as a second baseman, but his most natural defensive position is first base. While he's undersized for the position at 6 feet and 207 pounds, he has shown enough promise with the bat to fit the profile. Busch should go off the board in the second half of the first round.