Scouting Report - Mack's Mock Draft Pick 1.8 - 3B - Alex Binelas

 

Alex Binelas

Mack's spin - 

In my opinion, Binelas is the top power bat in this draft.

His hamate injury put him on the shelf during 2020, but that doesn't diminish the talent level from this guy. 

The only downside is he may not stick at third, but he could easily be projected at being either a 1B or LF project. Lastly, he would be a dream as a DH.

 

3B     6-3     200     Louisville

 

 1-26-21 - BA -

 

9. Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville

 

Areas To Improve: Prove third base defense/arm strength, stay healthy

 

Binelas is one of the better hit/power bats in the 2021 class, which is why he’s featured among the top 10 players. College third basemen who are selected among the first 10 picks have a strong track record given the offensive bar players have to clear to go this high as a corner profile. Still, some teams wonder if he’s not a better fit for first base in the long term, so improving his defense and showing better arm strength this spring could help that projection. Binelas was limited to just two games in 2020 due to a hamate injury, so staying healthy and developing more of a track record will be especially crucial for him.

 

 1-20-21 - D1 Baseball's top 100 College Prospects -

 

11 Alex Binelas 3B H Louisville ACC

 

 

1-20-21 - prospect live -

​

#18

St. Louis Cardinals

Alex Binelas

3B, Louisville

 

Binelas to the Cardinals would be an absolute steal at this point in the first round. Binelas had a hamate bone injury in 2020, though that doesn't take away from a monster freshman campaign in 2019. He's got some of the best usable power in this class and strong plate recognition with an impressive 11.4% walk rate at Louisville. He's a better athlete than he's given credit for. The run, defense and arm tools all grade out at least average.

 

 Alex Binelas

 

Louisville 3B

 

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 210 | B-T: L-R

Commit/Drafted: Nationals 2018 (35)

Age At Draft: 21.1

 

Binelas is one of the better in-game power hitters of the 2021 class and showed that sort of impact ability with the bat in his freshman season. An immediate regular with Louisville, Binelas posted a .291/.383/.612 line with 14 home runs. He was the first Louisville freshman to hit 10 or more homers since Chris Dominguez did it in 2007. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound third baseman doesn’t do it at the plate with a picturesque swing or operation and he has plenty of swing and miss (48 strikeouts in 243 plate appearances in 2019) in his game, but the production and all-fields impact is undeniable. Binelas plays a workman’s style third base with stiff actions and fringe-average defense, but he does have enough arm to play the position and he’s an accurate thrower. He might have to move to first base in the future if he doesn’t continue to make improvements on the defensive side, but he should have the plus power to profile there if necessary. A hamate injury limited Binelas in 2020 and he played just two games before the season was shut down.

 

 1-5-21 - PG - College Pre Season All Americans -

 

Third Base - Alex Binelas, Louisville

 

After suffering an injury that put a premature end to his 2020 season, Binelas has drawn rave reviews during his time on campus as one of the better hitters in the sport. He had a monster freshman campaign in 2019 where he hit over .300 and launched 14 home runs. Binelas has an excellent combination of hit and power tools which could lead to a monster 2021 campaign. He’s back and fully healthy for a Cardinals team that is going to have no shortage of heavy hitters. Binelas has the potential to not only go in the top half of the first round but also to have some of the best numbers in the sport.

  

1-2-21 - halo hangout -

 

Alex Binelas, 3B

 

Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon will only be so good for so long, getting a safe, quick-moving college bat who could be in the major leagues by 2022 would be extremely pivotal in getting Trout a ring. There’s actually a strong possibility he goes within the first five picks if he returns to his freshman year form (missed 2020 due to broken hamate bone). Pro teams love security and a high floor when selecting this high, though Perry Minasian in his first draft might want to get more upside, making House, and this player more appealing.

 

There’s a lot of variables in Binelas’ profile, like the fact that he’s unlikely to stay at 3B because of the stiff arm, and inability to move to his left and make a play, which means one of two things: he’s a 1B, or a LF. Some evaluators will say that doesn’t matter because of how incredible his data is (LA’s typically in the 12-16 degree range, max EV of 109, avg EV of 95.3) and how well he’s performed in the limited time.

 

Binelas missed all of his sophomore season as broke his hamate bone (heavily common injury for hitters) and didn’t get to return thanks to the pandemic-shortened season. Likewise to all offensive-first profiles, he’ll have to perform in the 2021 spring or improve defensively. Binelas has all-fields raw power and a sweet left-handed stroke with a fantastic approach, and above average hit tool. He’s everything a model looks for, and turns 21 just a few weeks before the draft, so he’s not old, and has the metric-friendly profile that most teams are fine with taking in the top-10 even with the lack of value with the glove.

 

 12-26-20  -  Baseball Prospect Journal Mock Draft 1.0 -

 

8. Colorado Rockies: Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville

 

Binelas, a Wisconsin native, can drive the ball to all parts of the field. He is one of the best power hitters in the 2021 MLB draft class. He does feature some swing and miss in his game, but it’s hard to deny his potential at the plate as a power-hitting corner infielder.

 

 12-25-20 - https://medium.com/minor-league-madhouse/2021-mlb-mock-draft-3

 

Arizona Diamondbacks

 

It stands to reason that the Diamondbacks are most likely entering rebuild mode. Between a multitude of poor moves in the past two offseasons, a division that is only getting tougher at the top, and a core that will likely be ready in the next couple of years, Arizona’s best chance of competing is to start all over again. Louisville has emerged as a talent factory as of late, and while last year they showcased two impressive rotational pieces, this year, their offense gets the chance to shine. Alex Binelas has been on the radar since his freshman season, even though his sophomore campaign ended just as soon as it started with a hamate fracture. Still, Binelas’s bat is strong, he hit 14 bombs as a freshman. Binelas has a strong hitters IQ, as he will utilize the entire field instead of being power dependent. His defense is a question mark. While he is a collegiate third baseman, he rates as a below average option and will likely be a professional corner outfielder.

 

 12-23-20 - MLB - College prospects that wre High School prospects -

 

Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville

 

2021: No. 9 | 2018: Unranked

 

Then: Jarred Kelenic went sixth overall in the 2018 Draft to the Mets, and scouts noted that fellow Wisconsin prep product Binelas outperformed him at times on the showcase circuit. They viewed him as a bat-first player with an uncertain defensive position who could land around the fifth round, but his signability didn't line up and the Nationals took him in the 35th round.

 

Now: Binelas is still a bat-first player with an uncertain defensive position but will go in the first round because of his combination of left-handed power, hittability and patience. He can flash plus straight-line speed but questions about his hands, footwork and throwing motion lead to diverging opinions as to whether he can last at the hot corner or will have to move to an outfield corner. 

 

12-18-20 - Future Sox Mock Draft -

 

10. New York Mets: Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville

 

Binelas is another Wisconsin prep with huge power. The third baseman hit 14 homers for Louisville as a freshman, but he broke his hamate bone last spring. With left-handed power and premium bat speed, Binelas could fit the mold of a typical college masher that rises throughout the draft process. He should provide on base percentage and power, but he might have to transition to the outfield if he can’t stay at third base as a professional.

 

 12-18-20 -

 

college baseball info - top player from each school -

 

7. Louisville

 

Alex Binelas, 3B (2021): Binelas shows no signs of the broken hamate bone he sustained in February and if he’s able to prove he can stick at 3B, he’ll be a top-10 pick.

 

 12-15-20 - Jim Callis's Top 10  -

 

9. Angels: Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville

 

Another fine Wisconsin-bred hitting prospect in the tradition of Jarred Kelenic, Gavin Lux and Daulton Varsho, Binelas has more power than any of them and rivals del Castillo as having the most lefty pop in the 2021 college crop. He may wind up on an outfield corner but fits the offensive profile there if he has to move.

 

 12-6-20  -  college baseball info -

 

4. Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville: A Wisconsin native, Binelas burst upon the scene as a freshman when he belted 14 HR and posted exceptional exit velocities. He has improved markedly at the hot corner and multiple scouts believe he’ll remain there as a pro.

Mack's Previous Report on Alex Binelas

Click here for the full list of Mack's Scouting Reports.