Troy
Claunch

2/23/20: After logging just 100 total at-bats in his first two seasons while playing behind Adley Rutschman, Claunch is now getting the chance to play every day — he caught the first two games this weekend and started at DH on Sunday, but he’s a fixture in the cleanup spot. A sturdily built 6-foot, 196-pound righthanded hitter with a strong, thick lower half, Claunch has good balance and rhythm in his swing and offers above-average power potential. He repeatedly drove the ball to the middle part of the field this weekend, highlighted by a two-run double off the wall in right-center on a breaking ball away. He showed a tendency to chase high fastballs out of the zone, resulting in three of his four strikeouts on the weekend, but he made an adjustment in his final at-bat, laying off the same pitch. He’s off to a strong start offensively, but his power is his best tool, while he still needs to prove his hit tool to scouts. Defensively, Claunch mostly did a good job blocking breaking balls in the dirt, and he’s making enough progress with his catch-and-throw skills to give him at least a chance to stick behind the plate in pro ball, though further evaluation is needed to draw a stronger conclusion about his defense. A power bat at a premium position, Claunch is a Day Two draft target if he continues to perform this spring. (Fitt)