Who is Elijah Green?
Henry Palattella
@hellapalattellaElijah Green is ready for the big time.
An 18-year-old outfielder from IMG Academy in Florida, Green has all the makings of a star, and has been selected fifth overall in the 2022 MLB Draft by the Nationals.?Already 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Green possesses otherworldly size and speed, and has already shown he can hit for both contact and power to all fields. He's also an elite-level runner who can steal bases and cover a ton of ground in the outfield.
After slashing .321/.449/.666 in 25 high school games with IMG last year, Green considered reclassifying to the class of 2021 but instead elected to stay in high school for another year. It seems that decision paid off.
Here are some things to know about Green:
FAST FACTS
Primary position: OF
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 225 lbs
Bats/throws: Right/right
Birthdate: Dec. 4, 2003 (Age 18 on Draft Day)
High school: IMG Academy (FL)
Hometown: Windermere, Florida
College commitment: University of Miami
He¡¯s built for this
The son of former NFL Pro Bowl tight end Eric Green, Elijah Green is built like an NFL player. Combine that with his eye-popping high school numbers and Green has all the makings of a star. With room to grow, it¡¯s not hard to imagine Green turning into a player that has some combination of Aaron Judge¡¯s body and power, Mookie Betts' swing and Luis Robert¡¯s defense and wheels.
MLB Pipeline graded Green, who also plays for USA Baseball and the Phillies¡¯ Scout Team, with a 50 hit and 60 power on the traditional 20-80 scouting scale, and for good reason. Not only has Green shown off his sky-scraping double-plus power, but he¡¯s also proven he can drive the ball to all fields. In 25 games for IMG this year, Green slashed .462/.592/.1.000 with nine home runs, 11 doubles, two triples and 32 RBIs along with stealing 15 bases.
¡°Just physically, Elijah Green is one of the more unique athletes that we have had come out of the draft in a very long time,¡± Baseball America draft writer Carlos Collazo said on Glenn Clark Radio. ¡°You just don¡¯t see baseball players that look like him, who have the sort of power that he has with the speed that he has, and he¡¯s done a fantastic job of showing that power in games throughout the summer showcase circuit last year and this spring against good competition in Florida."
That said, the biggest problem in his game has been the presence of some swing-and-miss; something that¡¯s become even more evident as he¡¯s faced more elevated velocity. Like seemingly every prep prospect, Green has also struggled with offspeed and breaking pitches, but not to the point where it should cause him to sink in the Draft.
His speed can kill
While Green¡¯s bat attracts a lot of (understandable) attention, his legs are just as (if not more) impressive. Rated with 70 speed, Green has been recorded running a 5.99 laser-timed 60 at IMG Academy. At the very least, Green should cause trouble on the basepaths -- on the times he¡¯s not jogging around them, that is.
That speed should also help him in the field, as he projects as a center fielder at the next level despite his bigger frame. But even if Green ends up transitioning to becoming a corner outfielder later in his career (he¡¯s rated with a 60 arm), he¡¯s already reaching up to 95 mph on his throws from the outfield, meaning his rocket arm should make for a comfortable transition.
He¡¯s a true All-American
Last September, Green was a member of USA Baseball¡¯s 2021 18U National Team, where he and his teammates played in a seven-game series against Canada last September. In the seven-game series, Green slashed .348/.444/.957 with four home runs, seven RBIs and two steals. Green¡¯s power was on full display as well, as his four home runs combined to travel 1,715 feet.
While with USA Baseball, Green was teammates with fellow prep standouts Druw Jones, OF (Wesleyan, Ga.), Termarr Johnson, 2B (Mays, Ga.) and Jackson Holliday, SS (Stillwater, Okla.), among others. The USA baseball team was coached by former Major Leaguers Jason Maxwell, Michael Cuddyer, Jack Wilson and Brad Penny.
Rock you like a Hurricane?
Green may be committed to play at the University of Miami, but all signs indicate that he'll sign with whichever team drafts him -- especially if he's selected with a top pick. While there are justified concerns about the swing-and-miss in his game, Green¡¯s ceiling and potential should be too much for teams to ignore.