College: Chipola College; Class: Senior
Position: 3B; B/T: L/R
Height: 6-2; Weight: 210
Previously Drafted: N/A
College Commitment: University of Louisville
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 55 | 60 | 50 | 60 | 50 | 60 |
Background: Lou Collier beat the odds. The Astros took a 56th round flier on the former utility infielder / outfielder coming out of Vocational High School in 1991. Instead of joining the organization, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound teenager headed to Kishwaukee College for a year before the Pirates took another late round flier on the Chicago-born prospect, nabbing him in the 31st round (875th overall).
But here’s the thing: Collier hit as soon as he stepped foot onto a professional diamond. And he’d hit at every stop along the minor league ladder, slashing .304/.356/.368 as a 19-year-old in the New York-Penn League all the way up to a .330/.393/.441 showing as a 23-year-old in Triple-A. In total, Collier would spend eight mostly non-descript years in the big leagues as a replacement level player.
But he wasn’t supposed to make it out of the lower minors. Not as a 31st round pick.
Collier’s kid, Cam, is going to dwarf his old man’s draft status by more than 850 picks in the 2022 draft. And he’s going to do so as one of the class’s youngest players.
Originally slated for the 2023 draft, Collier reclassified after his stellar sophomore high school season at Mount Paran Christian School (he batted .434 with 13 homeruns and 19 stolen bases) and spent the 2022 season at JuCo Chipola College. The baby-faced 17-year-old, who remarkably was named on the preseason Golden Spikes watchlist, more than held his own: .333/.419/.537 with 12 doubles, eight homeruns, and five stolen bases. He also made 10 relief appearances for the squad as well, posting a 16-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 11.1 innings of work. Prior to joining Chipola he had committed to the University of Louisville.
Scouting Report: Confident. And a lot of fun to watch during each at bat. Collier shows an advanced approach at the plate with patience that belies his age – especially considering his level of competition as a 17-year-old. He shows an incredible willingness to let pitcher’s pitches pass and wait for mistakes. Short bat to the zone. Plus power potential with the possibility the hit tool climbs into a perennial .280 or .290 threat. The lefty-swinging Collier also shows the ability to hang in against tough left-handed pitching. He made a lot of mechanical adjustments from mid-2021 to last year, holding his hands lower, tighter to his body and a more pronounced crouch. Soft hands on defense. And his long term position is likely going to be third base as he continues to add bulk to his lean frame. Collier’s one of my favorite prep prospects in the class – enough so, that I might make him the top pick. I’d look for the Orioles, Pirates, or Cubs to snag him in the early parts of the first round.
Ceiling: 6.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
Grade: First Round
