#22 - C Ryan Campos
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 35 | Run: 40 | Arm: 45 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40
Background: The Cardinals drafted Ryan Campos in the fourth round of last year's MLB Draft. Campos was a three-year starter at Arizona State, where he hit over .350 in each season—a testament to his ability to consistently hit safely. His contact skills were among the best in the class, as he demonstrated an ability not only to consistently put bat to ball but when he did, showcase impressive BABIP skills and a knack for finding holes.
Scouting Report: Campos’ offensive profile is built around his bat-to-ball skills and advanced approach. He consistently puts the ball in play, sporting a contact rate of almost 85% in his final season at Arizona State. Campos blends his strong ability to make contact with an advanced approach at the plate. He remained solidly aggressive at the plate, swinging at 72.5% of pitches in the strike zone while chasing just 21% of the time. His swing is very level, leading to a high rate of ground balls and low line drives.
While he doesn’t possess a ton of raw power, there were some promising developments in that area this past season, as his ISO shot up 40 points. Although Campos doesn’t consistently hit the ball on the barrel, there was enough thump in there for him to find success on his typical low-launch batted-ball events. Campos made hard contact 42.6% of the time this past season at Arizona State—a decent mark given his contact-heavy profile. There will certainly need to be some changes to his approach, especially in advantageous hitting counts, for him to unlock more juice. If those changes don’t come to fruition, I see him as a well-below-average power bat at the next level, with most of his damage coming via gap-to-gap batted-ball events. Campos’ batted-ball profile took a noticeable dip in his two seasons playing at the Cape with wood bats. He didn’t show the consistent feel for producing strong BABIP skills that he displayed throughout his collegiate career. Although his keen eye at the plate and exceptional bat-to-ball skills are a major strength, we will need to see passable batted-ball results for him to succeed at the next level.
Defensively, Campos isn’t a standout behind the plate but should stick at the position long-term. His receiving skills are decent, but his leadership skills and in-game awareness helps his defense play above weight. Campos possesses 80-grade makeup and is a very high-IQ player, traits that the Cardinals love targeting with their catching selections in the draft. Campos’ arm strength is below average, and his pop-time numbers tend to be fringe-average at best. While he might not be the most talented defender, I believe he’s someone who will outshine some of his defensive metrics with how he carries himself behind the dish.
Future: Campos’ long-term future will hinge on whether he’s able to translate his batted-ball profile closer to what we saw at Arizona State rather than his brief stints in the Cape Cod League. I’m bullish on his ability to do so, and paired with his bat-to-ball skills and swing decisions, I can see him projecting as a high-OBP bat. There isn’t a ton of power production to dream on, but I’d like to see him take better advantage when he’s ahead in the count. Campos is a high-makeup individual whom pitchers will love throwing to at the next level, which certainly helps his chances of becoming a future backup catcher.
