NAME: Tommy Troy
SCHOOL: Stanford University
POSITION: SS/Outfield
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-10/197 pounds
B/T: R/R
D.O.B.: 1/17/2002
PREVIOUSLY DRAFTED: Never
Scouting Report
Tommy Troy wasn’t drafted out of high school due to the shortened draft and his strong commitment to Stanford. He excelled as a member of the baseball team for Los Gatos High School in Los Gatos, California. The high school was founded in 1908 and houses around 2,100 students annually. The institution is known for its “rigorous academics” but it’s most noteworthy for the front exterior of the building being shown as Bayside High in the hit teenage sitcom Saved By The Bell.
Perfect Game USA ranked Tommy Troy as the #62 overall high school player in the country in 2020 and listed him as the 15th best prep player in California. He attended Stanford and the decision appears astute because it’s three years later and the infielder is one of the best college players in the country. Troy has earned many accolades at Stanford and he participated in the Future Stars Series, Perfect Game National and Area Codes Games as an amateur.
Tommy Troy was one of the best prospects in the Cape Cod League last year. He played for the Cotuit Kettleers in 2022 and posted a .742 OPS in 29 games. In 2021, he played for the Wareham Gatemen and posted an .842 OPS. He slashed .310/.386/.531 overall and was extremely productive. The infielder also played for the Traverse City Pit Splitters in the Northwoods League back in 2020 and posted a .895 OPS over the course of 21 games.
The 21-year-old makes consistent hard contact with impressive bat to ball skills. Troy doesn’t strike out a ton and possesses pitch recognition skills according to MLB Pipeline. The publication ranks the Cardinal as the #19 overall player in the 2023 draft class. There’s average power potential and he’s shown more selectivity in 2023. While not being heralded as a huge stolen base threat in the past, Troy is an above average runner who has made himself into a base stealer this year with 17 overall.
Baseball America ranks Tommy Troy as the #12 overall player in a draft class loaded with college position players. The publication lauds him for his pure hitting ability and defensive versatility as well. They also noted that he was seen as a fourth or fifth round prospect coming out of high school in 2020 so attending college has definitely benefitted him. The former California prep has played second base, third base, shortstop and left field at times for Stanford.
Troy has shown a tight and compact swing geared for hard line drives while displaying good bat speed at the dish. He has shown a propensity to demolish fastballs and has accumulated a 1.000 OPS against heaters while in college. Troy has had issues related to chasing pitches out of the zone and it’s been a problem for all pitch types. Swing and miss has been a part of his game in relation to breaking stuff as well. Troy has hit .399/.480/.718 this year while clubbing 17 homers in 55 games with a 11.5% walk rate.
Why Would The White Sox Draft Tommy Troy?
The White Sox would draft Tommy Troy if they feel like he’s the best player available with the 15th overall pick. While clubs aren’t drafting due to major league shortcomings, second base has been a significant issue for the franchise for more than a decade. Troy could theoretically move through the system quickly and provide an answer at multiple positions by 2025.
The organization does have some infield depth currently but Troy is a versatile player who could stand at multiple positions. The Stanford man should be able to project in the infield long-term and Ken Williams likely wouldn’t mind adding another Cardinal to the stable. Troy has a multitude of wood bat success and that’s generally been a prerequisite for the White Sox in early rounds.
Mike Shirley will be tasked with leading his forth draft for the club and college hitter is the only demographic that hasn’t been hit yet in the first round. With more power projected as plenty of money in the budget, Troy makes sense from a financial standpoint as well. The White Sox are a slot value team and that wouldn’t be an issue with the infielder, leaving room for over-slot bonuses on days two and three of the draft.
Mock Draft Outcomes
Carlos Collazo of Baseball America projected Tommy Troy to the Tampa Bay Rays at #19 overall in his most recent mock draft as the rich gets richer. In the latest attempt from Jonathan Mayo at MLB Pipeline, the veteran prospect scribe projected the Stanford infielder to the San Francisco Giants at #16 overall. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN sent Troy to the Giants as well in his only projection so far. The Giants have focused heavily on college players under Farhan Zaidi.
Keith Law of The Athletic projected Tommy Troy to the Boston Red Sox with the 14th overall pick. Joe Doyle recently released a mock draft for Future Stars Series as well. Tommy Troy was projected to the Toronto Blue Jays with the #20 overall pick in that projection.