In the 20th round of this year's MLB Draft, the Chicago Cubs selected prep catcher Blake Hickman out of Simeon Career Academy in Chicago. The right-handed backstop already has a scholarship to the University of Iowa, but the Cubs will presumably try to persuade him to go pro early.
Coming in at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Hickman is a big athlete with a strong arm. Speaking with ESPN Chicago's Scott Powers, White Sox crosschecking scout Nathan Durst noted his hitting potential:
He’s got power potential. He has good bat speed. We project he’s someone who has extra-base power and can produce in the middle of the lineup. The jury is still out on his bat.
Given that he's just 18, there's still significant develop in Hickman's future. But if he can come anywhere close to reaching that apparent offensive potential while staying behind the plate, he'll quickly become one of the Cubs' most intriguing prospects. Chicago still needs to buy him away from his scholarship with the Hawkeyes, though.
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