Arizona Selects Tommy Troy (IF) at #12

Tommy Troy

IF
Ht: 5’10” | Wt: 197 | B-T: R-R
School: Stanford 4YR
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.5

Tools| Hit: 55 Power: 50 Run: 55 Field: 50 Arm: 50

It seems Mike Hazen & Co. is going to stick with undersized players with surprising pop.

A solid high school prospect from Northern California in Las Gatos — just south of San Jose — Troy went undrafted in 2020 due to a combination of the shortened Draft and his strong commitment to Stanford. His draft stock took off during his sophomore year in ‘22. where he saw his offensive production take giant leaps before spending his second strong summer in the Cape Cod League, where he was named the circuit’s best prospect after slashing .310/.386/.531.

The tool Troy is going to rely on most is his ability to make consistent, hard contact from the right side of the plate. He has impressive bat-to-ball skills and rarely strikes out or chases out of the zone, showing excellent pitch recognition. There’s enough extra-base pop in there for there not to be concerns about impact at the next level and he could have average power in the future. He’s answered some concerns about his approach and lack of walks by being more selective in 2023.

Troy is an above-average runner, though he hadn’t been much of a base stealing threat until this spring, largely due to Troy’s speed being more underway. He does not have an explosive first step. He will not, however, be a clog on the base paths.

Out of high school, Troy projected to be a fourth- or fifth-round pick, but the shortened 2020 draft and his strong commitment to Stanford led him to reach campus. He started all three years in Stanford’s infield, starred in the Cape Cod League and led the Cardinal to three consecutive College World Series in his decorated career, which he capped by batting .392/.476/.696 with a career-high 17 home runs this spring. Troy’s calling is that he is a steady performer who keeps improving. He has a compact, tight righthanded swing geared for line drives and makes consistent hard contact up the middle. He has quick hands, solid bat speed that allows him to keep up with elite speed fastballs. Troy does have some swing-and-miss tendencies against secondary pitches, especially those away, but he’s a disciplined hitter who knows the strike zone and stays within himself. He has surprising power for his size and will flash plus power to his pull side, but his approach and swing are more geared for contact, leaving in-game power lagging a bit.

As far as position goes, Troy has played primarily third for the Stanford Cardinal this year. Troy capably played second base, shortstop and third base for Stanford. He projects to be an average second baseman with average arm strength who can fill in at shortstop as needed. Troy is an exceptionally hard worker with advanced instincts and makes a lot of heads-up plays. He projects to be an everyday infielder who hits near the top of a lineup and should be selected in the first round.

The Bard’s Take|

Well, it is what it is. Tommy Troy provides plenty to like. One of the big reasons to like Troy is that he has shown real improvement year-over-year since arriving at Stanford, something that speaks to his coachability and his ability to adapt to the level of competition. By the time he reaches the Majors, he’s likely a second baseman. There are others with higher ceilings that would have been intriguing picks for Arizona, but this is a safe pick with both a modest floor and a modest ceiling.