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O'Neill MLB Draft Prospect

As the Major League Draft approaches from June 6-8 Langley Blaze catcher/shortstop Tyler O'Neill projected to go in the early rounds.

The latest in a growing line of top prospects to play for the Langley Blaze, a high-powered travel team based in suburban Vancouver, O’Neill has increasingly drawn comparisons to two former Blaze first-rounders: infielder Brett Lawrie (Brewers, 2008) and catcher Kellin Deglan (Rangers, 2010). As a hitter, O’Neill is viewed as farther ahead of Lawrie at a comparable stage, but his lack of a defined position may keep him out of the first round.

O’Neill’s ability to swing the bat—both for average and power—is what sets him apart from almost any high-school hitter in the 2013 draft. But his inability to lock in on a set position probably has him on the outside of the first round looking in. Scouts still have hopes that the short, powerfully-built O’Neill, whose father is an 11-time Canadian weight-lifting champion, will find his way as a catcher, but a hernia that prevented him from squatting comfortably a year ago impaired his development behind the plate, and a sore elbow this spring while with Canada’s junior-national team on a barnstorming tour to Florida relegated him to mostly a DH role. Even when healthy, the 6-foot, 215-pound O’Neill has been somewhat reluctant to catch, though he has the raw arm strength desired in the position. The versatile O’Neill settled in as an all-star shortstop when unable to catch as a junior, but his lack of flexibility and grinder-like approach in the field makes him a better fit as an offensive second baseman (along the lines of stocky Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla), or corner outfielder. In British Columbia baseball circles, O’Neill has drawn constant comparisons to another former top Langley Blaze prospect, Brett Lawrie, an offensive-oriented player who enhanced his first-round candidacy in 2008 by moving behind the plate—though that experiment ended early in his pro career, and Lawrie has since settled in as a third baseman with the Toronto Blue Jays. Scouts who saw both players as high-school seniors say O’Neill is more advanced than Lawrie in most areas. Not only is he stronger and faster, and also possesses a stronger arm, but O’Neill had a much better year with the bat. With a short, quick, compact swing, O’Neill handles wood with ease; his raw power, in particular, has emerged this spring, especially with his ability to drive balls long distances to the opposite field. On Blaze’s 23-game exhibition trek to spring-training bases in Arizona in March, where 40-60 scouts typically gathered for most games, O’Neill hit a resounding .714 with five homers. O’Neill committed to Oregon State, but his growing stature as a prospect this spring makes it increasingly unlikely that he will ever play a game at the collegiate level.

Courtesy of Allan Simpson
Photo courtesy of Christian Stewart - Island Sports News