In MLB Pipeline’s latest mock draft, the Houston Astros were slated to take Stanford catcher Malcolm Moore with the 28th overall pick. Moore is a consensus top two catcher in the draft this year and as a 20-year-old, he has a high ceiling with a lot of room to grow.
Despite his high pedigree, Moore didn’t post the type of batting average normally seen from a first rounder, but everything else does scream top pick. In a quick glance at his numbers, the .255 average sticks out like a sore thumb. A closer look, though, tells more of the story.
In 2024, Moore hit 16 home runs with 36 RBI and a .414 on-base and .553 slugging percentage. A .967 OPS from a catcher is something a lot of teams would covet. Although the batting average took a tumble and he drove in half of the amount of runs, the uptick in his on-base percentage was a great sign.
In 2023, the catcher struck out 50 times, but cut that to 35 this season, while also more than doubling his amount of walks from 21 to 44. Per his scouting report, Moore has “elite chase rates and swing-and-miss rates in the zone.”
While Moore’s bat and plate discipline shows a lot of upside, the defensive prowess still leaves some questions.
“If teams think he can be an average catcher, he could easily be considered a top 10 pick, but scouts aren’t quite as convinced on his glove as they are on his bat,” says MLB Pipeline. And that is the issue.
It’s not that Moore is a bad defender behind the dish. His arm is about average, maybe a little worse, and he is a decent receiver and framer. At the end of the day, it may be more likely that he ends up moving away from the position.
The likeliest destination if he were to move would be first base. Given his arm, third base is taken off the list for a new position. Yet, even if he does move of what’s a very valuable position, his ability at the plate makes him so intriguing that he’s still a first round prospect.
If Moore is the selection for Houston, he is a player that fans could get excited about. With Houston’s recent release of Jose Abreu and Yainer Diaz in the midst of a sophomore slump and hitting below league average, there could be dreams about him hitting at either position.
With Houston’s struggles this season, a player of this caliber at this point in the first round could end up being a steal.