Ryan
Lasko

A five-tool talent, Lasko impressed against Northwestern, and after a slow start to the 2023 season, he is now showing all of the tools and abilities that made him a high draft follow heading into the spring. He continued his second half hot streak with five hits in 13 at-bats versus the Wildcats, one week after a 7-for-15 series against Michigan. Among his five hits were two home runs and a triple. The 6-foot, 190-pound right handed hitter has ample strength and bat speed that produce power (10 HR, 13 doubles, .601 SLG%). He has also shown improved control of the zone with nearly as many walks as strikeouts (23 BB vs 25 SO) this season. He controls the inner half of the plate with a rotational, around the ball swing, yet has enough bat speed to avoid being jammed and enough balance and bat control to compete against off speed to the outer half of the plate. Lasko is also a plus runner and is able to use it in games (14-for-15 stolen bases), as well as in center field where he tracked well and ran direct routes throughout the weekend, including a diving catch in the right center field gap near the warning track. He shows above average arm strength, but it plays closer to average despite a quick exchange with fundamentally strong footwork. The ball came out hot, but lacked backspin and as a result it did not show much carry to its target during my look. Overall, expect Lasko to be considered the middle of Day One this July. Note: Day One are picks 1-70.

Cape Cod: Lasko was a force this past spring for the Scarlet Knights, slashing .349/.431/.643 for Rutgers while launching 16 home runs and 24 doubles (totaling almost half of his 81 hits) over 302 plate appearances in 58 games. From a power standpoint, Lasko took a step back with an up-and-down summer, slashing .239/.326/.274 with just two extra-base hits, perhaps due to a slight change in swing path that saw a flatter plane entering the zone and more lift exiting, often resulting in his hitting the top half of the ball rather than getting under and driving. This was an extension of what we saw during USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team trials, where Lasko drove the ball well during workouts/BP but struggled to get on time and on plane in-game. In views with Brewster Lasko made several impressive reads off the bat in center field while showing an ability to close and finish at the margins of his range. He’s a quality base runner who utilizes solid speed and reads. The Rutgers outfielder has been an impact player in each of his first two seasons with the Scarlet Knights and has the tools to emerge this spring as a day one draft talent who can run, hit, hit for power and provide solid defense to boot. Scouts will watch closely this fall for Lasko to tap back into his power while keeping his contact rate at an acceptable level. 

USA CNT TRIALS: Flashed solid pop in BP but barreled the ball less consistently in game action during trials. An impact player through each of his first two seasons at Rutgers, Lasko has the physical tools to emerge this spring as a day one draft talent who can run, hit, hit for power, and provide solid defense to boot. He’s one of the more explosive talents in the 2023 draft class and, as with several others in this USA CNT trials group, will likely have much of his ultimate draft value determined by his ability to maintain a quality contact rate.