AJ
Lee

7-20-2018: Maryland rising senior AJ Lee impressed me with his defensive versatility. I’ve seen him dazzle at the hot corner plenty of times in the past, but the athletic 6-foot, 180-pounder flashed the leather at both second base and shortstop on Tuesday. He showed particularly good range to his left while playing second base, making a diving stop in the 43 hole and making an accurate throw for the out — one of the best defensive plays of the showcase. His range and body control are also assets at short, where he can throw accurately on the run from a low slot as needed. Like Servideo, he also has a good internal clock. Lee has plenty to prove with the bat — he posted an .863 OPS as a sophomore in 2017 but regressed to .671 as a junior. He has occasional pop but doesn’t figure to be an impact power hitter in pro ball, so he must learn to cut down his strikeout rate — he has 99 strikeouts against 51 walks over the last two seasons at Maryland. Lee is hitting .229 with 26 strikeouts and 17 walks this summer, but he has put his good speed to good use, swiping 17 bases in 18 tries. If his bat can rebound, Lee could be a solid senior sign thanks to his athleticism and versatility. (Aaron Fitt)