Enrique Bradfield Jr MLB Draft 2023: Player profile, stats, and projected role for the Vanderbilt star
Enrique Bradfield Jr was selected 17th overall in the 2023 MLB draft by the Baltimore Orioles last night. The junior center fielder is ready to begin his professional career and continue taking the baseball world by storm.
The Vanderbilt Commodores are more regularly known for developing pitching talents such as Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker and David Price to name a few. However, Enrique Bradfield Jr is going to be a solid addition to the Orioles and we are going to dive into things we need to know about him after being drafted.
Who is Enrique Bradfield Jr?
He is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound outfielder with outstanding speed and Gold Glove-caliber defense. He is only 21 years old and his birthday is not until December 2. Bradfield Jr is left-handed in the field and in the box as well.
How well did Enrique Bradfield Jr play at Vanderbilt?
Playing at Vanderbilt is always going to be difficult due to the expectations and playing against some of the best talent. The Southeastern Conference is one of the most challenging to navigate but Bradfield Jr did so with ease.
The lefty hitter finished with a .311/.425/.447 slash line with 15 homers, 108 RBIs, 130 stolen bases, and a 131:122 walk-to-strikeout ratio over his three seasons. He showcased how dominant he can be at the top of the order with his speed and ability to get on base.
Enrique Bradfield Jr., number 17 overall pick to the Baltimore Orioles. https://t.co/GYtaihQrku
He has incredible speed as he was one of the fastest players in college baseball last season. It more than makes up for his lack of home runs.
He is an excellent defensive center fielder and has a .991 fielding percentage throughout his collegiate career. Enrique Bradfield Jr also did not commit a single error during the 2023 season, showing his masterful ability to patrol the outfield.
What should we expect out of him with the Baltimore Orioles?
The most simplistic option is to see Enrique Bradfield Jr take over center field in a few years and move Cedric Mullins to one of the corners. This Baltimore team is going through a youth movement and that is going to be an incredible thing to see over the years.
Bradfield Jr is not going to develop into a slugger but he has hit 14 home runs on a collegiate season so he could find some pop. However, expect him to utilize his blazing speed and keep pitchers off balance. With the pickoff limits, he is a prime candidate to make pitchers throw over and lose concentration on the hitter.
This was an excellent pick by the Baltimore Orioles.