Drew Wharton - OF - Senior - Clemson
A 6'3 190 lb. outfielder from Suwanee, Georgia, Wharton is an interesting prospect for the 2018 Draft class. Though he is a senior, this is his first collegiate season accumulating more than 50 plate appearances after being stuck behind Chase Pinder, Reed Rohlman and current Tiger Seth Beer on the depth chart over the past few seasons. Through 230 plate appearances in 2018, Wharton has hit .239/.320/.401 with 6 home runs and a 0.48 walk-to-strikeout ratio.
Physically, Wharton has all the tools you look for in a collegiate outfielder. He has above average speed and arm strength to go along with a big league body. He also offers some defensive versatility, as he can play all three outfield spots, and could realistically stick in centerfield - at least to start his professional career.
With that said, there are a lot of question marks to his game as well, with the obvious one being a lack of history of production at the college level. This has been his first season seeing regular playing time, and though he got off to a scorching hot start, he currently sits with a rather unimpressive stat line.
Wharton's tools alone should get him drafted, though his current level of production will likely make him an organizational depth selection. If he gets paired with the right hitting coach and is able to hone in on a more consistent approach at the plate, I think he has the ceiling of a 4th outfielder.
