Detroit Tigers: Top 20 prospects going into the 2020 season
By Tyler Kotila
Parker Meadows, OF, Single-A in 2019
In 2018, the Detroit Tigers would select Parker Meadows with their second-round draft pick out of high school as a prospect with tons of upside. Parker’s brother Austin Meadows is the outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays who has developed into a solid outfielder for the team, and hopefully, the Tigers will get something similar. Parker is far from reaching the big leagues, but there is a lot to be excited about.
In 2019, Meadows played for Single-A West Michigan after bouncing between rookie ball and the Single-A Norwich affiliates. Meadows played in 126 games for the Whitecaps, producing a .221/.296/.312 slash line. He would also manage to hit seven home runs and accumulate forty RBI.
Meadows did get punched out 113 times on the season, which is not ideal for his plate discipline. Meadows also has a bit of a running presence; he snagged fourteen bags on twenty-two attempts. He is not necessarily a speedster but has the running ability to steal bags here and there.
In terms of his swing, Meadows has a big frame that allows him to use his raw power to drive the ball. His large frame has led him to have a “lengthy swing” as multiple scouts noted while Meadows was coming up. He has an open stance as a left-hander with very raw power.
Meadows drives the ball well, and he should be a power-hitting stud in the future. He has made developments in his swing that will make him a power threat during his journey to the big leagues. Besides his power, Meadows can play any of the three outfield positions.
He has a prominent arm, being able to gun runners out on the basepaths. He has the makings of a corner outfielder with a power element as well as the arm to play corner outfielder. His speed is something that allows him to get to the ball in the outfield and make a play.
MLB Expectation: Since Meadows is still in Single-A, there is still a lot of time for him to develop into a power-hitting corner outfielder. His raw power is something to watch as he moves through the minor leagues. He could become a power-hitting outfielder who has a chance to be a solid defender as well. Hopefully, Meadows can pan out and amount to the potential that he has gotten coming up through the system.