The first High Schooler of the class! Still no pitcher. MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo (no relation) puts a player comp on Coby Mayo to the Braves’ Austin Riley. He’s got a tremendous throwing arm and promising bat.
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Here’s what MLB Pipeline has to say about him:
Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida has produced some serious talent over the years, starting with Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo and continuing with A’s left-hander Jesus Luzardo and Rockies third-base prospect Colton Welker. Mayo also plays the hot corner, with the kind of power potential that many teams covet.
There are no questions about Mayo’s raw power from the right side of the plate. He can flat-out crush the ball, using his strong 6-foot-5 frame to his advantage. The concerns crop up regarding whether he’ll hit enough to get to that power on a consistent basis. There’s swing and miss to his game and while he’ll show the ability to drive the ball to the opposite field in batting practice, he can get very pull-happy in games.
Not everyone is convinced Mayo can stick at third as well. While he does have a well above-average arm, his feet and hands are just OK, which might mean a move to first base or maybe to left field. His strong arm, power and physicality might remind some of Austin Riley and the team that tries to sign him away from his commitment to Florida will believe that’s who he can become.
Perhaps Mayo is an overslot, as he has a commitment to play with the Florida Gators. The O’s have just one pick remaining, and if they don’t select a pitcher, they will heavily rely on undrafted free agents to fill that void.
