Gavin Cross
OF 6-3 210 Virginia Tech
2021 - VT stat line - 51-G, 203-AB, .345/.415/.621/1.036, 11-HR, 48-K
3-3-22 - https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2022/3/3/22949343/2022-mlb-draft-prep-notes-college-baseball -
Gavin Cross is still out with an injury. The Virginia Tech outfielder is rather well-researched and respected, so there's no need to rush him back. The interest will still be high for him, barring anything long-term.
14. Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech
As tempting as it is to describe Cross as a "safe" mid-to-late first-round collegiate hitter based on his sky-high exit velocities, there's good reason to resist the urge. It's true that he hit .345/.415/.612 with 11 home runs in an environment that wasn't friendly to the rest of the Hokies (they hit .271/.365/.425 with 52 home runs as a team), but analysts have concerns about his game will translate to the next level that sprout from his aggressive approach. Cross doesn't take many free passes, and he finished the 2021 campaign with 31 more strikeouts than walks. His launch angle isn't optimized, either, meaning he's not necessarily getting the most from his ability to impact the ball. It's conceivable that he could make gains in those areas if he lands with the right player development staff. There's a chance, though, that he ends up with just one plus tool, in his raw power.
2-10-22 - https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-mlb-mock-draft-version-10/?s=03 -
9. Royals — Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech
Scout’s take: This is probably the toughest one for me so far. I have two college bats at different positions here, and either guy would fit. I think Robert Moore is the best infielder available after Jung, Berry and Lee. I think he is currently ahead of Cole Young, Carter Young and Jordan Sprinkle. I had to shuffle after your DeLauter pick. Well, does Dayton Moore take his son here? I’m going with the next guy on my board. Gavin Cross is a future above-average hitter with plus power, and Kansas City needs outfield depth in its system. Cross has a chance to play center with an above-average run tool. He also performed well with the College National Team.
Carlos’ take: The fact that Moore fits solidly in this range on talent is going to be an intriguing storyline to follow throughout the year. How does a president handle that decision? Is it awkward at the dinner table if he was there on the board and the Royals pass him up? Would Robert even want to be taken by the team his dad runs? Are these all foolish questions to ask? I have no idea, but I can’t wait to see how it plays out. We just miss a great scenario here with the pivot to Cross.
1-15-22 - https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2022-mlb-draft-top-100-prospects/ -
10 Gavin Cross Virginia Tech OF
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 210 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
Cross was one of the breakout stars in college baseball in 2021 with Virginia Tech. He hit .345/.415/.621 with 11 home runs, 13 doubles and five triples, then followed that up by being the most consistent hitter with USA Baseball’s collegiate national team. Over the summer with USA Baseball, Cross hit .455/.474/.879 with four home runs in 11 games and he was one of the best hitters against the Olympic national team. Cross has a large, 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame and a corner outfield toolset with plus raw power and arm strength. He still has some room to add more weight to his frame, which could boost his power moving forward and he has a long striding, low-ball bat path that some scouts think is indicative of a power-over-hit lefthanded-hitting profile. Cross expands the zone occasionally, and he has struck out at a 19% clip with Virginia Tech, compared to a 6.9% walk rate, but he does have the sort of power to live with that swing and miss if he’s doing damage when he does connect. Cross has plus arm strength and could fit in right field, but he’s more of an average runner and that grade could back up as he continues to fill out. He fits somewhere in the middle or upper end of the first round and could continue to move up boards with a loud spring.
1-15-22 - https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2022-mlb-draft-top-100-prospects/ -
10 Gavin Cross OF
Virginia Tech
Notes:
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 210 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
Cross was one of the breakout stars in college baseball in 2021 with Virginia Tech. He hit .345/.415/.621 with 11 home runs, 13 doubles and five triples, then followed that up by being the most consistent hitter with USA Baseball’s collegiate national team. Over the summer with USA Baseball, Cross hit .455/.474/.879 with four home runs in 11 games and he was one of the best hitters against the Olympic national team. Cross has a large, 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame and a corner outfield toolset with plus raw power and arm strength. He still has some room to add more weight to his frame, which could boost his power moving forward and he has a long striding, low-ball bat path that some scouts think is indicative of a power-over-hit lefthanded-hitting profile. Cross expands the zone occasionally, and he has struck out at a 19% clip with Virginia Tech, compared to a 6.9% walk rate, but he does have the sort of power to live with that swing and miss if he’s doing damage when he does connect. Cross has plus arm strength and could fit in right field, but he’s more of an average runner and that grade could back up as he continues to fill out. He fits somewhere in the middle or upper end of the first round and could continue to move up boards with a loud spring.
12-30-21 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2021/12/29/2022-mlb-draft-top-300-prospects -
11. Gavin Cross
Outfield, Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech isn’t the kind of school you would expect to produce a potential first round talent, but it’s hard to ignore what Gavin Cross brings to the table. He’s been a menace at the top of the Hokies lineup throughout his career, ending 2020 with a .369 batting average and following that up with another big 2021 campaign. Cross has proven he can hit elite velocity and punish mistakes spinning in the middle of the plate. He uses all fields with big bat speed and has shown huge power potential. His exit velos are among the best in the entire country. In the field, he’s manned right field for a majority of his career where he’s shown off a plus arm. He could find himself as the first Virginia Tech player drafted in the first round since Joe Saunders went 12th overall in 2002.
OF Gavin Cross
The six-foot-three power bat is coming off his exceptional 2021 season with the Hokies, during which he batted .345, slugged .621 and registered team-best tallies in runs (48), hits (70), doubles (13), triples (five), home runs (11) and stolen bases (nine).
After co-leading Tech to a breakout campaign on the diamond, Cross suited up for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team inside the Stars and Stripes summer series, where he showcased his talents among the country's elite collegiate players. Without losing a beat, he paced the tour in batting average (.455), slugging percentage (.879), home runs (four) and RBIs (13).
1-5-21 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022-mlb-mock-draft - Prospect Live Mock Draft 1.0
8. Minnesota Twins
Gavin Cross, Outfield, Virginia Tech
If history is any indication, the Twins and Gavin Cross are a match made in heaven. The Hokies slugger is one of the bigger bats in the class with massive exit velos and the ability to work mature at-bats. He’s got a good arm and can run a little bit, a profile suited well for right field. He’s a future middle-of-the-order bat from the left side. Brooks Lee makes a ton of sense here too, but unfortunately, given the strength at the top of this class, someone is going to get the short end of the stick, and here, Lee falls a bit further. Cross is cut from the same cloth as Trevor Larnach, Alex Kiriloff, Aaron Sabato and Brent Rooker. It’s definitely a “type” for the Twins.
GAVIN CROSS, VIRGINIA TECH
Scouts haven’t traditionally flocked to Blacksburg in search of premier big league prospects, but 2022 is a brand new ballgame with Cross manning the grass at Lane Stadium. The Hokies haven’t had a position player selected in the top 100 picks of any draft since 2014 when Mark Zagunis went in the third round. That figures to change in July.
Cross is coming off a massive .345/.415/.621 campaign with eleven bombs and a mammoth .436 xwOBA. He followed that up by embarrassing the best pitchers in the country this summer, slashing .327/.397/.735 with six homers over 58 plate appearances across the Collegiate National Team and the Cape Cod League with Brewster. It’s an emphatic up-arrow for the kid from Bristol, Tennessee.
The underlying metrics absolutely love Cross. He peaked over 114 mph last spring, averaging 94.5 mph on batted balls in 2021. For reference, both his max exit velocity and average exit velocity ranked inside the top 25 for qualified players in college baseball last spring. He’s an aggressive hitter who isn’t afraid to ambush pitches early in the count, aiming to pull the ball with authority as much as possible. Cross has an organic feel for launch without selling out in his angle of attack. His punchout rate sits just north of 20 percent, and his contact rate sits below 75 percent, two figures evaluators would like to see improve in 2022.
Defensively, Cross is strong, a solid average runner and an impressive athlete. He’s got burst and lateral agility, though it’s a fringe-average arm that may fit best in left field or first base as his bat climbs the ladder. Cross’s 6-foot-3-inch, 205-pound body still has a touch of projection, so fears of him slowing down immediately upon turning pro can be quelled a bit.
So long as his approach doesn’t back up and Cross can continue flexing the muscles he showed over the summer, there’s top ten upside here.
I know you have him listed as 1.11 but we need Pitchers in dire straights... Our 2 picks need to be Highest potential starters...
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