Grayson Byrd - INF - R.Junior - Clemson
The son of former MLB pitcher Paul Byrd, Grayson has good bloodlines. He transferred to Clemson after his freshman season at LSU, and has hit to the tune of .269/.328/.394 with 10 home runs and a 0.32 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 363 plate appearances with the Clemson Tigers. Through 37 starts (156 plate appearances) in 2018, Byrd has hit .248/.305/.460 with 9 home runs and a 0.29 walk-to-strikeout ratio.
On a good day, the 6'2 195 lb. infielder looks like a prototypical utility man. He is a solid defender with an average arm who has the versatility to play second base and third base while also holding his own at shortstop in a pinch and has a slap/singles heavy offensive profile.
He has added a leg kick and hit for more power in 2018, but a handful of those home runs have been wall scrapers and/or aided by the hitter-friendly dimensions of Doug Kingsmore Stadium. This recent power surge has also come at the expense of his average and overall ability to get on base. This, combined with his high strikeout and low walk propensity raises concerns that he might not even hit enough to project as a bench bat at the next level.
All in all, Byrd has yet to prove that he can put it all together at the college level, and might benefit from another season at Clemson - specifically if he can earn a starting job at either second or third base - to prove that he can hit at a high level.
