2012 Draft Preview -- Barrett Barnes

Continuing with our preview of some players that the Texas Rangers could be looking at with their picks at #29, #39, and #52...

As I said last year when doing this drill, this would be a lot easier if the Rangers were picking higher, and neither of the Rangers' first couple picks were guys we'd ever talked about before the draft. Still, we'll take a look at a few of the intriguing names that could be in the mix for the Rangers, and see who might be out there...

This morning we take a look at Texas Tech outfielder Barrett Barnes.

Barrett Barnes scouting report -- Barrett Barnes is a 6'1", 210 lb. righthanded hitting centerfielder at Texas Tech University who is originally from Sugar Land, Texas. Keith Law and Baseball America both have Barnes ranked at #41 overall. John Sickels has Barnes ranked #38. Callis, Law, Jonathan Mayo and Frankie Piliere all have Barnes falling outside the first round in their mock drafts. BA writes that he could go at the back part of the first round, and almost certainly won't make it past the supplemental round.

Barnes is a toolsy outfielder with above-average speed and an arm that is average at best. There doesn't seem to be a consensus as to whether he'll be able to stick in centerfield, although it seems that even those that see him as a potential major league centerfielder don't see him as being a plus defender there. He may end up being one of those tweener types that is a plus defender in left field, but who can't quite handle center.

Barnes' bat gets good reviews, as he is seen as having good bat speed that should translate as he moves to the professional level. There are questions about Barnes' ability to consistently make contact as he moves up, which would mean elevated strikeout levels that would limit what he can do as far as his batting average goes, but Barnes has shown good patience at the college level, so there's the potential that his walk rate could keep his OBP respectable. BA rates Barnes as having plus power, while ESPN's future projection on Barnes is that he's just going to have average power...the team that snags Barnes is likely going to be a team that agrees with BA's take and views him as a potential power bat.

There would be something apropos about the Rangers taking Barnes, since the only other Texas Tech player drafted in the first round was Donald Harris, another toolsy outfielder drafted by the Rangers (who passed over, among others, Frank Thomas to take him #6 overall). T.R. Sullivan mentions Barnes as a player the Rangers have interest in, and if they believe in his power, he would certainly fill a hole in the Rangers' minor league system, as there is a lack of power-hitting outfielders and first basemen in the upper levels.

Here is a profile of Barnes:

BB: Barrett Barnes - Red Raider Profile (via techathletics)