Cubs Draft Prospect Target: Malcolm Moore |
With the MLB draft just four days away, it's time for one more mock draft as the Cubs continue to prepare for their first round. As has been the case with past Mock Drafts, the Cubs are constantly hearing their name linked to several players, and this is no exception, as Malcolm Moore could be the Cubs' option at No. 14.
Rated as the No. 26 overall prospect, the Cubs have been linked to Moore for a few weeks, although in a different regard than guys like Drew Tibbs. Moore is an intriguing selection at No. 14 because he is a catcher. You could make the case that the Catcher position is the team's biggest concern for the future unless Moises Ballesteros can prove he can handle those duties. Moore could be the team's fallback plan as this is a position they need to address. At 6-2 and 215 pounds, the 20-year-old Stanford product is a good size for a catcher and grades out to be one of the better bats on the collegiate circuit. That shouldn't surprise anyone as he was one of the best Prep Bats in 2022 but ultimately chose to attend Stanford, where he has been the past two seasons. Moore has had an up-and-down career with the Cardinals. He got off to a very good start during the first half of his freshman season, which helped him hit .311 that season. He also connected for 15 homers and 63 RBIs that season as he continued to flash the great power he displayed in high school. This season, however, was a struggle as he saw his average dip to just .255. However, he managed to hit 16 homers and took more walks (44) than strikeouts (35), and part of his struggles fell on bad luck. When you hear the term bad luck, people tend to view that as an excuse, but when you are in the top 10 in the nation in Barrel rate and exit velocity, you can see where the bad luck comes into play when looking at his season. While the average and RBIs (38) were way down this season, Moore overcame his slow start to finish strong, which got the attention of many scouts. With all his metrics checking out and most scouts still viewing him as a first-round product, his decline in numbers only dropped him slightly in the latest Mock Draft, but he is still a first-rounder. Given that Moore produces tons of hard contact, mixed with some of the best exit velocities, there is a firm belief that he will be able to hit at the next level, which is what the Cubs or any other team will be banking on if they draft him. His effortless Raw Power makes it easy for him to drive the ball to all fields, while the hard contact he produces leads to outstanding power numbers. You have a great feel at the plate whenever you have more walks than strikeouts. Moore has shown that advanced approach while also being able to do a ton of damage with two strikes. Had his average been close to his freshman numbers this season, you would be looking at a top-five talent, and should he fall to No. 14, the Cubs could be in line for one of the best steals. Given his size and his less-than-appealing throwing arm, some have compared him to Kyle Schwarber as a catcher who could be forced to move positions. His bat is certainly top-10 worthy, but with most scouts fearing his defense won't duplicate his offense, he has seen his overall worth fall slightly in recent weeks. However, Moore has shown some improvements behind the dish. He moves well enough to keep the ball in front of him, and his receiving skills have gotten better from one game to the next. The only concern at this point is his arm, as he doesn't have a great arm, which is a liability in today's league. Taking him in the first round does come with some risk, but given the bat and how likely it will translate, it is a risk worth taking.
