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Manuel Margot 2019 Outlook: A Need for Speed
6 years agoSan Diego Padres outfielder Manuel Margot didn't improve on his rookie campaign, he got worse in all areas. Margot's average dropped 18 points to .245, he hit five fewer homers and his OBP was a lowly .292. The worst part is that he stole just 11 bases after securing 17 in 2017. The problem is simple - he got much worse against the fastball, rating at a -10 pitch value against a pitch he sees 40.2% of the time. Margot has superior speed and came up as a top prospect because of a sharp glove, plus contact and his speed tool. The defense is mostly there, although those metrics took a dip in his sophomore year too. Margot will need to take a big step forward to warrant a late-round selection but his athleticism makes it worth the risk. He is barely within the top 250 overall players drafted so it won't cost much to see if he can jump up close to a 15/20 season.
